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July 25

Is it possible for the United Kingdom to withdraw from the Commonwealth of Nations?

Is it possible for the United Kingdom to withdraw from the Commonwealth of Nations? If this were to happen, would Charles III retain his job as the head of the Commonwealth, or would the Commonwealth have to elect a new headperson? Or would the United Kingdom itself have to find a new head of state? JIP | Talk 14:42, 25 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]

As far as I can tell, any country can withdraw from the Commonwealth whenever they wish - Gambia left on 3 October 2013 without giving any prior notice [1] (don't worry, they rejoined in 2018). Charles's position as Head of the Commonwealth would, as far as I can tell, be unaffected, as the position "has no constitutional relevance to any of the member states within the Commonwealth" according to our article, but note that he is also the king of 14 other Commonwealth realms besides the UK, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The Commonwealth would have to find a new home for the Commonwealth Secretariat which is currently based in London at Marlborough House.

However, I can't think of any earthly reason why such a thing would happen, as membership is really not very onerous and we Britons like to think it still gives us some prestige to play a leading role in it. Moreover, the Commonwealth Games gives us a chance to win some medals without having to compete with Americans, Russians and Continental Europeans. What's not to like? Alansplodge (talk) 14:55, 25 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Of course if the Americans wanted to carry off a few more medals, they are eligable to join the commonwealth! Martin of Sheffield (talk) 22:13, 25 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Maybe when Hell freezes over! ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 01:51, 26 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]

See Inferno_(Dante)#Ninth_Circle_(Treachery) Martin of Sheffield (talk) 10:52, 26 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I remember the 1987 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Vancouver, which "was marked by a confrontation between most Commonwealth leaders, including conference chair Mulroney, and Britain's Margaret Thatcher over the issue of economic sanctions against South Africa with Thatcher opposing sanctions and most other leaders being for sanctions." There was some (not entirely flippant) talk at the time that, if Thatcher persisted in the obdurate intransigence for which she was notorious, the UK could be expelled from the Commonwealth. Wouldn't that have been a hoot! Sadly, it never came to that. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 22:17, 25 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Ah yes, quite right. Mrs Thatcher had previously been happy to cover herself in glory when the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement initiated by the UK through the agency of the Commonwealth ended the Rhodesian Bush War and established the state of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, ending white-minority rule there (that didn't turn out as well as it could have done). Alansplodge (talk) 12:03, 26 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]