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Director of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies Professor Philip Murphy spoke to Express.co.uk and sympathised with Prince Charles who will find it tough filling the Queen’s shoes in the Commonwealth. He explained the institution was very close to the Queen who has played a major part in it throughout her whole life through royal engagements, summit meetings and speaking with world leaders. The Queen enjoys a good relationship with many world leaders with Professor Murphy added Prince Charles’ ambitions have, but not negatively, been focused elsewhere.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Professor Murphy was asked how Prince Charles may choose to engage with the Commonwealth when he is king.
Professor Murphy was also asked whether Prince Charles would be welcomed by the Commonwealth considering the close ties it has with the Queen.
The academic sympathised with the future king and said: “It’s been a difficult position for Prince Charles to be in because the Commonwealth is very much the Queen’s pet project internationally.
“And over previous decades, when Charles has tried to find a role for himself he’s had to look at other areas.
“Like architecture and ecological issues.
“Only really relatively recently has he started to engage with the Commonwealth in a big way.
“Although he has made an awful lot of Commonwealth visits.
“So I think he will be accepted as head, but it is important for the Commonwealth to maintain that link and nothing is going to happen very soon to change that.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex clarified that it was neither the Queen nor Prince Philip who made the remarks but the issue of racism and the Royal Family came to the forefront of discussion.
Professor Murphy commented on this and said: “So [the Commonwealth] certainly have been aware of this.
“I think it’s unlikely that it will have done any sort of long term damage and I think it’s played much more strongly in the United States and particularly the issues around race.
“And I think that you’ve got to understand there is a huge amount of affection for the Queen personally across the Commonwealth.
“There’s a very justified feeling that the way the Queen has behaved in the Commonwealth context, she has really avoided accusations of racism personally.”
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