Antigua and Barbuda has eliminated its oath of allegiance to King Charles, a decision made two months prior to the monarch's scheduled visit to the Caribbean country. During his trip, expected at the end of October, King Charles intends to encourage the nation to remain within the Commonwealth but without him as head of state.
This development adds a layer of complexity to the King and Queen Camilla's upcoming tour, which also includes stops in the Bahamas and Guyana. The royal itinerary is set to address topics such as the legacy of slavery and the payment of reparations.
Ministers and newly appointed officials in Antigua and Barbuda will now swear loyalty to the state itself. Attorney General Sir Steadroy Benjamin stated that the removal of the oath to the King was long overdue, remarking that the nation will "once and for all finally not be swearing to His Majesty in England, his heirs and successors in England."
The withdrawal of the King's name from the government's swearing-in process is viewed as a move to distance the Royal Family from the nation's affairs. Antigua and Barbuda gained independence from British rule in 1981 but maintained its membership in the Commonwealth, with the British monarch as head of state.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who advocates for a republic, the government has voted to abolish the pledge to the British monarch. Should Antigua and Barbuda choose to fully remove the British Crown, the decision could be put to a public referendum. However, the outcome of such a vote remains uncertain, with some indications that support for republicanism may not be as widespread as the government suggests.
This action follows a similar move by Grenada last year, which also removed its oath of allegiance. Other Commonwealth nations, however, do not appear to have similar plans. For instance, there are no indications that the Bahamas, another planned stop on the King's tour, intends to remove him as head of state.
In 2021, King Charles expressed his hope that Barbados would maintain a friendly relationship with the United Kingdom after it transitioned to a republic, with Dame Sandra Mason becoming its first president and replacing the British monarch.