King of Twelve Countries?

It’s August 29, 2019 and I just learned that the King of England is the King of twelve ‘countries’ to this day! I put ‘countries’ in quotes because each of the twelve is a ‘sovereign state’ for purposes of international relations but, and if you ask me, it is a big ‘but,’ they remain Commonwealth realms. 

This from Wikipedia (2019*) regarding Commonwealth realms; the King “holds the highest position in each Commonwealth realm and may perform such functions as issuing executive orders, commanding the military forces, and creating and administering laws.” Oh? That strikes me as important. 

For fun I’m going to list the title he holds in each of his realms. Have you got your atlas handy? He is:

  • Charles III, by the Grace of God, King of Antigua and Barbuda,
  • Charles III, by the Grace of God, King of Australia,
  • Charles III, by the Grace of God, King of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas,
  • Charles III, by the Grace of God, King of Barbados,
  • Charles III, by the Grace of God, King of Belize,
  • Charels III, by the Grace of God King of the United Kingdom, Canada,
  • Charles III by the Grace of God, King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Grenada,
  • Charles III, by the Grace of God, King of Jamaica,
  • Charles III, by the Grace of God, King of New Zealand,
  • Charles III by the  Grace of God King of Papua New Guinea,
  • Charles III, by the Grace of God, King of Saint Christopher and Nevis,
  • Charles III, by the Grace of God, King of Saint Lucia,
  • Charles III, by the Grace of God, King of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
  • King Charles III, King of Solomon Islands,
  • King Charles III, by the Grace of God, King  of Tuvalu, and last but not least,
  • Charles III, by the Grace of God, King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

* Wikipedia is frequently edited.  That being the case, I note the date on all Wikipedia references. I have revised the post to substitute ‘King’ for ‘Queen’. Queen Elizabeth held the titles in 2019. Following her passing in 2022, King Charles holds the titles.