How Likely Will Prince Charles Succeed Queen Elizabeth As Commonwealth Head?

Prince Charles' fate to be the next head of Commonwealth is not yet sealed, but he is likely to take over the position from Queen Elizabeth II.

Prince Charles is expected to take over the throne from the monarch if she dies. But the title to be the next Commonwealth's lead will not be automatically passed to him. However, many want the Prince of Wales for the position.

According to The Telegraph, the former Prime Ministers of Canada and New Zealand, Stephen Harper and John Key, both backed Prince Charles for the job. In addition, it would be strange if Prince William and Prince Harry's father doesn't get the Head of the Commonwealth title, but he is king of 16 Commonwealth realms.

The Commonwealth was set up in 1949 and there have been two heads: King George VI from 1949 and Queen Elizabeth II. But the monarch is not automatically the Head of the Commonwealth. According to the Commonwealth Secretariat, the next head will be chosen by the Commonwealth heads of government.

Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth II hinted her approval for Prince Charles taking over the lead in Commonwealth. In 1958, the monarch declared in Letters Patent that Prince Charles and his heirs and successors should become the Head. In 2015, Her Majesty showed up in Malta with her eldest son and Camilla Parker Bowles and made a statement about the next Commonwealth lead.

The queen said that she could not "wish to have been better supported and represented in the Commonwealth than by The Prince of Wales who continues to give so much to it with great distinction."

The next Commonwealth head has become a hot topic following BBC's report that a "high-level" group of leaders had a closed door meeting as to who would succeed the queen in the position if she dies. "I imagine the question of the succession, however distasteful it may naturally be, will come up,"?a source said.

Aside from the Commonwealth head, there have been secret talks about the queen's successor to the throne. Many are concerned about the monarchy in case Queen Elizabeth II passes away, but some find it inappropriate to discuss.

"We're not thinking about what happens next. It would be improper to do so while the Sovereign is alive," one source said. But Dr. Bob Morris of the Constitutional Unit at University College London confirmed the talks. "The chat has broken surface rather more," he said.