Can the King save the Commonwealth?

When the King makes his first public address since his cancer diagnosis today, the occasion could not be more fitting. The monarch will address, via video, a full house at Westminster Abbey’s multi-faith Commonwealth service. No one knows the Commonwealth as well as Charles III. He grew up around its founding fathers. As Prince of Wales, his credentials – not least as an environmentalist – were such that the Commonwealth summit unanimously endorsed him as future head in 2018. But 2024, which marks the 75th anniversary of the Commonwealth, will be a challenging year for the organisation – and the King’s diplomatic skills will be vital if it is to navigate these difficulties successfully.

Ominous fault lines are opening up, posing potential problems both for the organisation and for the King himself. Two major Commonwealth nations, India and South Africa, have abstained from all UN action against Russia’s assault on Ukraine (both were noticeably absent from the detachment of Commonwealth troops at the King’s Coronation).