After the second world war, the United Kingdom dropped the use of terms like “British Empire” and “Imperial”. As each colony, protectorate or mandate gained independence it was invited to join the Commonwealth of Nations, which was formed in 1949. The Commonwealth is viewed as an inter-governmental organisation of equals.
The British monarch is only its ceremonial head. Its working secretariat is elected. Today, it is one of the largest international governmental organisations, surpassing its Francophone, Lusophone and Islamic equivalents. As a symbol of formal equality, it rotates its summits among members. The first summit was held in Singapore; the most recent in London. They are usually held every second year.
*The views of the above article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Africa Speaks 4 Africa or its editorial team.