Essay by Eric Worrall
Did I say “Empire”? Sorry I meant to say British “Commonwealth”…
Commonwealth ends summit with call for action on climate change and trade
The newly expanded Commonwealth has made broad commitments to address climate change and boost trade, concluding a summit aimed at shoring up the relevance of a group that evolved from the British empire.
Key points:
- The African nations of Gabon and Togo have been admitted into the Commonwealth group of nations
- Australia’s delegation to the meeting was led by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles
- A controversial asylum deal between the UK and hosts Rwanda loomed over the summit
The week-long Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda’s capital Kigali included comments from Britain’s Prince Charles expressing sorrow for his country’s role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the first time the Commonwealth has publicly addressed the subject.
“I want to acknowledge that the roots of our contemporary association run deep into the most painful period of our history,” Prince Charles told leaders.
“I cannot describe the depths of my personal sorrow at the suffering of so many as I continue to deepen my own understanding of slavery’s enduring impact.”
…
A Living Lands Charter stated that Commonwealth countries would work to implement previously signed international deals like the Paris climate agreement.
“We know that we are at code red when it comes to climate change and that the small member states are facing a crisis that could be existential,” said Patricia Scotland, who was re-elected during the summit as Commonwealth secretary-general.
…
Don’t underestimate the influence green fanatic Prince Charles has over global climate affairs.
The British Commonwealth has just expanded, it now includes French speaking Gabon and Togo, which must annoy the French no end.
The main reason for the expansion is likely trade opportunities. While Britain was part of the European Union, it was unable to cut sweetheart deals with former colonies or members of the Commonwealth, because it had to abide by the common European trade policy. But now Britain is in theory an independent actor, they are potentially a chink in Europe’s trade barrier armour. Better relations with Britain are potentially a route to cheaper access to EU markets.
Don’t underestimate the power of such trade networks. The military phase of the British Empire more or less arose out of a series of trade links – soldiers sent to protect far flung trading posts eventually caused the emergence of an empire.
So why do I think this expansion, the apparent vigour of the Commonwealth network, gives Prince Charles an opportunity to exercise and increase his global climate influence?
The royals in Britain, behind the scenes, are still quite powerful, through their exercise of soft power.
Prince Charles is reputed to be a prolific letter writer, and apparently has no qualms about rocking the boat to get his way. The much sort after honours, knighthoods and a whole array of different “Order of the Garter” and who knows what else, are only granted after consultation with the Royals. Kind of like karate belts for civil servants and politicians, which demonstrate to others how important they are, how much influence they have.
As Prince Charles edges closer to being crowned, and assumes more royal duties, that increasingly means you need Prince Charles’ support – which likely means you have to impress him with your climate zeal.
As more countries like Gabon and Togo are sucked into the Commonwealth, they will likely also be seduced by this ladder of British patronage, knighthoods and international prestige, in which to a great extent you have to impress Prince Charles to make it to the next rung. When politicians want to impress each other at Commonwealth meetings, they wear their knighthoods etc. The array of British honours each guest can display is a demonstration of their importance.
Why does any of this matter? When Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin once asked “How many divisions does the Pope have?”, he jeered at the idea of power without armed might. But it was the Catholic Polish Solidarity movement which delivered the fatal blow to the Soviet Union, by highlighting its weakness to others who yearned for freedom.
The Commonwealth contains 56 countries and growing, including Canada and Australia. Don’t underestimate the global importance of soft power influence over the Commonwealth.
Prince Charles is a climate fanatic. I believe Prince Charles mean well, but given his green fanaticism I’m concerned about the apparent extension of his reach.
This just popped up, UK police are investigating an alleged honours for sale scandal, people associated with one of Prince Charles’ charities allegedly offered to help rich donors secure royal honours. This might not make much sense to people in the USA, but people with connections to the Commonwealth often appear to be prepared to do extraordinary things in exchange for knighthoods and other royal honours, like hand over millions of dollars if the opportunity presents, or do political favours for Britain or the royals. Its a big deal. As King, Prince Charles will have a great deal of influence over who gets the honours.
When I see Charles, I remember his ambition to be Camila’s tampon. A fundamentally lightweight person.
The classic case of wanting to be in the right place at the wrong time.
I just find it utterly demeaning, enough to think of resignation from office.
Geoff S
Never underestimate …..
There are plenty of other historic figures who were dismissed as lightweights or absurdities, who went on to cause great harm. You can just never tell for sure.
Eric
The commonwealth consists of 55 or so countries (including former French and Portuguese colonies) all of whom belong voluntarily to the association. It consists of one third of the population of the globe. With a number of heavyweight economies plus up and coming ones it could easily exceed the EU in terms of economic clout.
I think that is Britain’s hope as it has always been a free trader and was mismatched inside the cartel that is the EU who have become very hostile to us, as they don’t like countries escaping their unpleasant gang
tonyb.
From one gang to another . .
Who is “us”? It’s not just about the US on this forum!
No British monarch has had the slightest control or influence over UK policy or of any other nation since King George III went crazy the second time in 1810.
“Control” is very different to “influence”. And in the UK, royalty still has very much influence!
…. content of a F&M carrier bag.
Vuk
Democracy in action again at the EU
EU Renews Vaccine Passport Scheme Despite Overwhelmingly Negative Public Feedback – The Daily Sceptic
Known as Captain Chaos when trying to run a minesweeper.
Charles served 6 years on active duty in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, served on five RN warships, and qualified to fly jet fighters and helicopters.
How many years of honorable military service did you complete, and what accomplishments do you have to show for it?
Besides none and none, that is?
“Active Duty” could mean he was merely available and did nothing. What did the Prince of Wales do?
He got some training, yes, but, he never served in combat.
I’m not saying all that was nothing, but, it hardly merits your so loudly trumpeting his praises.
The less there is to say for a person, the more LOUDLY it must be said, hm?
I don’t care who you are nobody can fly a jet and a helicopter at the same time so that was a waste of resources, unless the point is to keep the subject amused and in training for as long as possible. Out of 5 or 6 years service I count 3 in training and 2 pottering about on a couple of boats. Nice work if you can get it. I just learned to shoot, drive a truck, broke an ankle and chipped a tooth on my ironsights. Please can you tell me how I compare to HRH?
In Italy he’s knows as Il Tampone.
And his father, Phillip, wanted to come back as a virus, so he could kill millions of people.
John
That is not true. It relates to a piece in a charity book he was asked to contribute to whereby he was asked if he came back as something different to the persecuted animal that was the subject of the piece, what would it be as. The animal replied as a virus so as to punish the humans.
tonyb
Disgusting remark, really.
I always find myself wondering, when I see their picture, “Are they a giant douche, or a turd sandwich?” Now that I know they identify as a tampon–and who am I to say whether it’s objectively possible, it’s how they experience their universe, right?–it now seems most probable that although they look more like a turd sandwich, they are a giant douche.
For those who prefer intelligible English, replace “their” with “his”, “they” with “he”, and change the verbs to singular form, you bloody bigots.
Might be the end of the royal family. I don’t get the impression he’s all that popular. As the whole climate scam falls apart, will he be washed under the tides of retribution by the proletariat who realize they’ve been screwed by the “swells”?
many people hope the climate issue will finally crash and burn, but it most likely will not. The classic “Madness of Crowds” book, recounts the tulip mania, the witch burning, and so-on, and finishes with “men go mad in groups, but recover their sanity one by one”.
Just FYI, witch burning in Salem was a short-lived but horrid experiment. The Governor of the colony was in England at the time. When he returned, he was horrified about it and quickly put a stop to it asking the people, “How do you know you’re not doing the Devil’s work by burning people?” (Not an exact quote but close.)
It will come as no surprise, I’m sure, to learn that many of the “witches” chosen were political targets and a lot of those deemed witches were chosen to further others political and power goals.
Re The Tulip Mania, I’ve read for a number of sources that it never happened as currently described.
Sadly, I drowned my computer with the links to both of these and haven’t gotten around to researching again to replace them.
More economic than political.
Yes.
“Give us Barabbas! Give us Barabbas!!”
Before long, nevertheless,
many in that crowd did come to their senses. (See, e.g., Acts 2:36, 37)
Edit: Yes, the crowd WILL regain its sanity.
While the lies about human CO2 may persist, they will be relegated to the fringes and no longer drive policy
If the British who want to maintain the monarchy had any brains, they’d skip Charles and go straight to William and Kate. I believe Charles and his stupidity will sour even the Brits on it and he may well be the end of the monarchy.
Unfortunately that can’t happen – Charles will be the next King full stop. However there are constitutional precedents that would give Charles and/or the government leeway for abdication in favour of the next in line and this might be far better for the monarchy all round. If you look at what’s been happening recently Charles has been allowed to be quite overtly political whilst William and Kate have remained politically fairly neutral. I think this may be an indication that Charles will abdicate after a short while rather than continue as King.
Better to crown Anne as queen because sadly, William and his woke brother are just as deluded on climate as their potty father.
He has and will never have any say or influence over government policy in the UK, by Constitutional law. The extent of purely ceremonial role of the monarch with the British Parliament is to open Parliament each year, and to sign enacted bills over which the king or queen has no power to withhold.
This has to be a joke. Nobody could seriously write a sentence like
“Don’t underestimate the influence green fanatic Prince Charles has over global climate affairs.”
Prince Charles is unable to brush his own teeth without help and there is zero evidence that he has any influence over global climate affairs. Even assuming that the last term is well defined. What exactly is a climate affair anyway?
If people are willing to pay large sums of money for honours they are probably willing to do other things.
You are inventing shit.
ahem :
https://nypost.com/2022/06/25/prince-charles-took-millions-in-cash-from-qatari-sheikh-report/
Here we have Charlie giving Propagandist-in-chief David Attenborough yet another award for his services to the green industry. It does all seem like another sordid royal affair when you consider the rubbish science that it is built on.
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-61728977
Ah, yes, dear Attenborough.
Sir David Attenborough has attacked the idea of sending food aid to countries enduring famine as “barmy” and has urged for more debate about population control, it has been reported.
Raising the example of Ethiopia, Sir David said that the famine there was down to there being “too many people for too little piece of land”.
The natural history broadcaster warned that the world was “heading for disaster” due to the threat of overpopulation, in comments made to the Daily Telegraph.
…Discussing comments he made on population control earlier this year, when he described human beings as a “plague on the Earth”, Sir David agreed they could be considered “blindlingly obvious,” but suggested that nobody else had made the point publicly.
http://bit.ly/2Okcchp
Attenborough is not alone.
British MP Demands an End to Affordable Food, to Combat Obesity and Climate Change
https://bit.ly/3jyYUut
Sir David must have read Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” and not realized it was satire.
THere has always been a core of racism in socialism.
A climate affair occurs when a person becomes irrationally, emotionally, unhealthily besotted with a coterie of ne’er-do-wells who promote a fantasy about armageddon caused by reliable electricity production and transport fuels.
Andrew appears to have more experience in affairs than Charles…
Hahahahaha!!!
A little reminder for the wilfully ignorant of previous lobbying by the Prince of Wales…
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/may/13/prince-charles-black-spider-memos-lobbying-ministers-tony-blair
Like so many of the celebrity lechers on humanity, he uses “the environment” to advertise virtue, but really it’s just to hide his basic uselessness to mankind. The average guy with a shovel has been more benefit to the human race.
“Royalty” does not compute with the Marxist ideology. End of discussion. No matter how hard they try to appease the Marxists they will not succeed. History backs up my claim.
Agreed, royals don’t last long once the Marxists take over. But neither do the Marxists who led the revolution, pretty quickly a Stalin emerges who kills, imprisons or banishes all possible rivals.
A Stalin, or a Putin.
Royals by any other name.
Remember that Batty Prince Charlie is in with the Davos mob, too.
Perhaps he thinks they’ll make him King of the New Order?
As far as personal dignity goes, he is nothing like his mother. I wonder if the UK will finally give up the absurd anachronism of monarchy if he gets the opportunity to become king.
They’ll call him Charles the Powerless. Not because of a lack of authority, but because of his attempts to rid the world of affordable electricity. The kids will finally start caring about this when it costs them five pounds every time they want to charge up their smart phones.
Where can you buy a smartphone that only takes 5 pound to charge! Maybe you’re not up to date with electricity prices in the UK.
Without price capping, the wholesale price in Australia would be regularly hitting $15/kWh ($15,000/WMh). Luxury items like smartphones are rapidly becoming unavailable to ordinary folk. Fortunately we only need blankets to keep us warm in Australia.
Problem is that were we to given up the monarchy, all the alternatives are infinitely worse. Careful what you wish for.
Far worse, far more expensive and zero return. I’m not a monarchist, nor am I a republican – I think keeping the royals is the best option.
Oh, I don’t know about that. The UK could have a President Trump, a Biden or even a wannabe Hillary! /s
The UK already has Boris Symonds, whose religion is a big part of why the UK is quickly returning to the middle ages. I don’t know what a good alternative would be. We need some form of representative government, but the climageddon religion has infected almost every government in the world.
If only Trump hadn’t been such a petty, narcissistic jerk who couldn’t stay on message if his life depended on it. He seemed to be the only one in the world willing to stand up to the religion.
Boris’s main problem is his being in bed with Carrie. Literally!
Since the monarchy is purely a ceremonial function, how can the alternatives to it be worse?
China has already establish agreements under the Belt & Road Initiative with many developing Commonwealth countries leaving the UK to pay for the occasional state dinner at Buckingham Palace.
Yes, and China is building coal plants like crazy at home and in the third world which makes the Brit’s and the entire West’s NetZero madness look even more insane than it does already.
Energy poverty is shaping up as the end game for demonising CO2.
I actually feel sorry for useful idiots like Charles who has been sorely let down by people he should be able to trust.
“Prince Charles’ office has denied there was any wrongdoing in the heir to the British throne accepting bags full of cash as charity donations from a Qatari politician”.
Very strange, why not a simple bank transfer?
As heir to the throne Charles already has pretty much anything he wants, and no real personal need for money, so I think its plausible they were just donations like he said.
Doesnt he use the dosh to refurbish his castles under the guise of charity. That,’s what happened to the cash from an undeserving Saudi princeling. Money laundering. He and his brother should be in jail. A nice cell in Kigali perhaps
I agree, any chicanery is most likely on the Qatari’s side of the transaction or maybe carrying suitcases stuffed with cash is not that unusual for him.
I have a very difficult time believing any transaction that involves bags full of cash is legit. If it were, banks would be used. Qatar does not give away money out of the goodness of their hearts. They got something for all that cash. What they got is the question.
That’s always been the weakness with the British system. Those with titles live too easily with no skills outside of knowing what tie to wear with which shirt. So they’re left begging for money, with nothing to give but the access to power that their titles convey.
Yes, it’s plausible that Charles solicited a donation, because the British taxpayers already afford him a cushy living because of his title. But why was the money going through Charles, if not as part of some sort of power transaction? If it were legitimate, it would go directly to a charity, not to a charity through someone who happens to hold the title of a prince.
I suspect that it’s usually the butler who selects what tie to wear with what shirt.
Chris, agree. With a BCT there is at least an audit trail. Who knows how much cash was in the Fortnum & Mason paper bag when it was handed over from the Sheikh!(?) This mess needs investigating very quickly and before the demise of the Queen. Surely she has enough on her plate with Andy and Harry. Now Charlie! She doesn’t deserve it.
I see that Charles totally ignores that it was Britain that single handedly put an end to the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Socialists aren’t happy unless they are apologizing for things someone else did.
The only empire ever to give up slavery voluntarily. And dont forget that some of the ancestors of the African commonwealth residents Were precisely the ones who sold their brothers to the slavers for a paltry few beads and guns.
Not all altruism.. the dawn of the industrial age fuelled by fossil fuels made large numbers of human beasts of burden nnecessary.
Beware the return of slavery when fossil fuels are removed from society
Slavery never went away
That is not fair to the Abolitionist Movement in the US, England and Europe. It was mostly due to that, not industrialization. Heaven knows, it was difficult to stop the transatlantic slave trade for quite some time. Obviously, there were still plenty of markets for slaves. They plantation owners in the Caribbean and Central and So. America were eager buyers for a long time after the ban when they could get away with it. The US outlawed the transatlantic slave trade in 1808.
Err, it wasn’t a “paltry few beads and guns” – the African slaving empires were making several large fortunes out of the slave trade. The ruler of Niger complained to the British that if they stopped the slave trade they would ruin him, as his wealth was invested in slaves.
I think it’s time Africa apologised for enslaving my ancestors 200,000 years ago
And reparations!
If we go back even just a few thousand years, it’s hard to find people who don’t have slavery in their ancestory.
No, not single-handedly. You did have help.
Historical Context: Abolishing the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
http://ldhi.library.cofc.edu/exhibits/show/voyage-of-the-echo-the-trials/historic-context–abolishing-t
First the “royals” started the slave trade and continued it very profitably with what some claim ownership of over 1000 slave ships.
Even if this number is highly exaggerated, they’d like to keep this as quite as possible.
Don’t look here, look over there bad climate!
From the above article:
“Don’t underestimate the influence green fanatic Prince Charles has over global climate affairs.”
I would also remind folks to not overestimate the knowledge that Prince Charles has about climate change.
To wit:
“I am firmly of the view that the next 18 months will decide our ability to keep climate change to survivable levels and to restore nature to the equilibrium we need for our survival.”
— excerpted from Prince Charles speech at a Reception for Commonwealth Foreign Ministers, July 11, 2019.
Let’s see . . . July 11, 2019 + 18 months = mid-January 2021, so we passed that point-of-no-return more than 17 months ago!
How’s your survival going?
Of course he spouts bollox butthe green machine thrives on bollox. That is why Chuck Windsor is dangerous
Prince Charles had previously issued a 100-month climate tipping point deadline in 2009. He updates his deadlines every time they expire with nothing happening. The deadline he is really waiting for is his accession to the throne. But Mummy is hanging on.
You’re welcome
Not heard of devolution?
Yes but I have no interest in going back to being a hominid or ape-like creature. Why do you ask?
“British Empire”
Not heard of devolution?
“I have no interest in going back”
But you do, obviously. An England free of the Celtic leeches is the future.
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
Charles will destroy the monarchy.
Excellent
A long ago deposed king of somewhere once said that by the end of the century there would be only 5 kings left: the kings of spades, clubs, hearts and diamonds and the king of England. Charles may be around longer than would be good for the UK. Better get used to him?
It’s been a long time since England had a king.
Surely, this is a good thing.
The French won’t be paying for it.
It doesn’t take much to annoy the French.
Macron recently ranted about the US Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. Despite the fact that France’s current abortion laws are more restrictive than many Republican leaning states, and would send most national Democrats into fits of rage.
I’m surprised that Gabon wanted to join the (British) Commonwealth after we destroyed its economy by banning the slave trade.
The Ashanti empire – modern day Ghana – was the go to slave trader. The Dutch, French, Spanish and Portuguese knew it besides Britain.
The British fought the Ashanti to stop the slave trade. So who gets remembered?
talk is cheap . give back the i’ll gotten gains of british imperialism
Only if the former colonies agree to pay for the benefits of colonialism.
Climate colonialism.
Prince Charles is troubled about slavery which was abolished in England in 1833. I believe more people have died in conflicts, tribalism and murder since the first colonies became independent of Britain over 60 years ago. He lives in a world divorced from the terribly reality in these poverty stricken countries.
Take Zimbabwe which was previously Rhodesia, a breadbasket but now just bare shelves. Cathy Buckle writes:
“Almost everything going into the supermarket trolley now is at least Z$500. Even a loaf of bread is just under that price. It’s all so absurd when the highest bank note here is Z$100 and you need five of them just to buy a loaf of bread. As usual I head to the maize meal shelf, Zimbabwe’s staple food, and for the third week in a row, there’s still none to buy, not a single bag.“
next blog
“Two weeks ago a loaf of bread was Z$469, last week it went up to Z$640 and yesterday it was Z$825 in my home town.”
Her “Letters from her Zimbabwe” blog show both the beauty and brutality in that country. It is a heart rending story. Prince Charles should be forced to go an live for a single week in that country on the average teacher’s salary. That would show him the abject lunacy of his green fanaticism.
However, if you think the green views of Prince Charles are lunacy, the green actions of President Biden are lunacy on steriods. His schemes to help third world countries, including Africa, involve giving six hundred billion dollars for various activities like the manufacture vaccines in Sengal (Africa), setting up a telecommunications network where the people can get secure (?) information, promoting gender equity, setting up clean energy projects and more. This will be of great comfort to those who cannot find maize meal in their shops or have to pay an exhorbitant amount for a loaf of bread.
Africa needs cheap power, electricity and that isn’t in the offing.
Africa has sufficient raw materials to provide for its own needs but . . . . .
South Africa had a good electricity network set up by a competent engineer a century ago. It provided a reliable source of the cheapest electricity in the world. After a string of incompetent and/or corrupt CEOs the company is in a dreadful mess. A new competent CEO was appointed in 2019 who is working hard to address the problems but receiving a lot of political opposition.
It’s not for a want of resources.
I should have added Biden’s $2 billion solar scheme – with American companies setting it up – in Angola which is the second biggest oil producer in Africa. They do not need a scheme that will enrich a few and end in failure.
Zimbabwe was a basket case long before the global warming scam became a thing.
Communism always does that to a country.
And the government in the UK preferred to support the black Marxist Mugabe rather than a white Rhodesian man who had fought as a pilot for the Allied forces in WWII and bore the scars. The latter cared about his country. The former cared about himself and his obsession with his ideology. Barely five years after Mugabe took over ordinary black Zimbabweans told me that life was better under their previous government – and it has only gotten much, much worse since then.
The Lion roars!
The mouse roars. All hail the Duchy of Grand Fenwick.
Not wingnut. There are plans afoot to secretly embalm Liz on her death and wheel her around like Biden with voice recordings until Kamela’s stand-in kicks the bucket. Straight handover to King Willy and Kate will keep him in line with ginger and whinger banished to the metaverse.
No, Charles does not mean well. Anyone in a position of power who wants to use that power “for the greater good” has already shown his intentions are all bad.
Charles isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. He should try spouting his climate nonsense to a Somali widow with five starving children while she tries to cook a meal over a camel dung fire.
Sounds like Worral is jealous of someone’s garter.
Countries don’t get “sucked into the British Commonwealth – they join, or don’t join entirely of their own free will. The Commonwealth is not the Death Star, or an empire of any sort. It is just an organization of independent states like any other such organization.
Prince Charles, or any other British Royal (he is not a sovereign just yet) has zero powers or control over the political or legal affairs of the UK, let alone over any other member of the Commonwealth. The British monarch is purely a ceremonial head of state. To the extent any of the royals have any influence over any one is highly debatable. The Brits seem to love their monarchy mostly out of nostalgia for all the ceremonial trappings, not for their policy preferences.
There you go again, confusing “control” with “influence”.
Britains involvement in present day Africa are nothing short of insidious . .
There been wars over trade and resources since the first known peace treaty between Egypt and Hittite empires.
Russia is currently trying to (re)create an empire made easier by the competing empires, the EU and USA, deciding that the wouldn’t have anything to do with the 21st century’s most important resource fossil fuel
It is possible – even likely – that Charles’s reign as King may not last very long. (is that one reason why his mother is hanging on for so long?). But unfortunately, his elder son and heir William seems to have become tainted by the same unscientific bent as his father. He needs to become educated about true science, but with David Attenborough hanging around in the background I fear there is little possibility of that. Unfortunately it may take a catastrophically cold winter or two to persuade him.
Charles could convert me from a monarchist. He needs to learn from his mum and stay out of politics and keep his mouth shut.