King Charles announces significant decision as reigning monarch

King Charles, who is currently in Australia for his six-day royal tour, decided to take important step as reigning head of the Commonwealth.

The monarch, who has advocated for taking action against climate change, unveiled a new scheme which will tackle challenges in the Commonwealth’s small island states.

Charles has made a huge donation to fund the new academic programme by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) called the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme.

“I am delighted to support this important new initiative. Throughout my life I have believed in the power of education to improve lives and unite communities across the Commonwealth and beyond,” King Charles said in a statement, via The Mirror.

“There is so much we can learn from one another as we work together within the Commonwealth to tackle the major challenges of our age and, as these fellowships do in small island developing states, to address them where they are felt most acutely.”

He continued, “It is my fervent hope that these new fellowships will play a significant role in furthering the free exchange of knowledge and advancing the spirit of mutual support that lies at the heart of our Commonwealth – today, tomorrow and towards a brighter future for all.”

The Commonwealth has 25 small island developing states, including the Pacific nations of Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

The programme is meant to target and strengthen climate resilience, build capacity in education, health and engineering, and develop resilient public services and the skills of those who support them.