As fanfare for King Charles III fades nine days after his May 6 coronation, Our Today readers are eager to remove the newly crowned monarch as Jamaica’s head of state. 

When asked “Should Jamaica continue its quest to remove King Charles III as head of state?”,  nearly 87 per cent of respondents voted ‘yes’.

Just over 13 per cent of voters said ‘no’ and wished to remain tethered to vestiges of colonialism, while there were no votes recorded for those who were ‘unsure’. 

The English-speaking Caribbean has come into sharp focus since Barbados’ transition to a republic in November 2021.

Led by Duke of Cambridge Prince William and his wife, Kate, Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas were subjected to a failed ‘charm offensive’ as the Royal family sought to amend soured relations with the Crown and dissuade the remaining countries not to ditch Queen Elizabeth II as head of state.

In their presence, as they engaged in a roughly three-day visit, Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared that Jamaica was “moving on” from the monarchy.

Celebrating her Diamond Jubilee as the longest reigning monarch last year, the Queen later died in September, setting the stage for ‘Operation London Bridge’ and an extended process to install her eldest son, Prince Charles. 

The Holness administration has since appointed Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte, to lead its transition to a republic. 

READ MORE:

• King Charles III crowned at London’s Westminster Abbey
• Cheerio, William and Kate! Royal couple invited to return despite failed ‘charm offensive’ in Jamaica
• Constitution being ‘Jamaicanised’ as critical part of transition to a republic, says Malahoo Forte