Commonwealth meeting: Queen hopes Prince Charles will succeed her

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday (19) appealed to Commonwealth leaders to appoint her son as their head.

Addressing world leaders as she opened the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London, the Queen said it was her "sincere wish" that Prince Charles takes over "one day."

She said: "It is my sincere wish that the Commonwealth will continue to offer stability and continuity for future generations, and will decide that one day the Prince of Wales should carry on the important work started by my father in 1949."

The role is not hereditary and the 53 leaders gathered at Buckingham Palace will take a decision on the succession on Friday (20). However, reports indicate that Prince Charles has a strong chance to become the next head of the Commonwealth.

The Queen has been the head of the Commonwealth since coming to the throne in 1952.

Meanwhile, Prince Charles, during his speech, stressed that the 53 nations have always been a part of his life.

“For my part, the Commonwealth has been a fundamental feature of my life for as long as I can remember, beginning with my first visit to Malta when I was just five years old,” he said, adding that he was fortunate over the yars to have had the opportunity to interact with the likes of Sir Robert Menzies; Kwame Nkrumah; Sir Keith Holyoake; Jomo Kenyatta; Pierre Trudeau; Kenneth Kaunda; Julius Nyerere; Lee Kuan Yew and many more.

Charles added: “I pray that this Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting will not only revitalise the bonds between our countries, but will also give the Commonwealth a renewed relevance to all citizens, finding practical solutions to their problems and giving life to their aspirations. By doing so, the Commonwealth can be a cornerstone for the lives of future generations, just as it has been for so many of us.”