Dr Shola on Sophie Wessex and Prince Edward's royal tour

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Sophie and Edward are on a six-day tour of St Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda and St Vincent and the Grenadines to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The Wessex tour comes despite fragile relations between Caribbean Commonwealth countries and the British Royal Family.

The royals were met at Government House in St Vincent and the Grenadines on Sunday, April 24, with protesters holding banners stating “reparation now”, “compensation now”, “down with neo-colonialism” and “Britain your debt is outstanding”.

Last month, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were also met with protests on their royal tour of Belize, the Bahamas, and Jamaica.

Campaigners slammed the tour’s “colonial overtones”, demanding reparations for slavery.

In a poll that ran from midday on Saturday, April 23, to 6pm on Sunday, April 24, Express.co.uk asked: “Should the Commonwealth be dissolved once the Queen dies?”

A total of 2,234 people responded and dozens of comments were left below the accompanying poll with readers sharing their views on the future of the Commonwealth.

Overall, voters were split as 50 percent (1,117 people) said “yes” the Commonwealth should be dissolved once the Queen dies while a further 48 percent (1,068 people) said “no”, it should not.

Just two percent (49 people) said they did not know either way.

Plenty of comments left below the accompanying article showed readers eager to see the legacy done away with.

Username ericmartin said: “The Commonwealth is a colonial entity and should be abolished.”

Another, username why said: “It’s about time this country looked after itself, not the world.”

And username maliksmoma wrote: “Why wait? Dissolve it now.”

But other readers were in support of the Commonwealth with one user, frances48, commenting: “The Commonwealth serves a very useful purpose. 

“The call for reparations has ebbed and flowed throughout a number of years.”

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Others said that there was no need to dissolve the Commonwealth as nations are still independent and can leave.

Username tandbyyourbeds: “Being in the Commonwealth is not mandatory and nations can leave if they wish.”

Username Mack20 said: “The Commonwealth is not about the Empire – it is about a group of equal status nations meeting and fostering trade between friendly countries. 

“[Members] can leave any time – they already have their independence.”

Some thought the Commonwealth should remain in the future.

Username DJ777 said: “The Commonwealth of Nations is far and away the biggest voluntary group of states the world has ever seen.

“Something to be proud of, and worth backing with a new king.”

In November 2021 Barbados formally removed the Queen as its Head of State, becoming a republic.

This has caused a domino effect on other Caribbean nations including Jamaica and Belize, indicating they could soon follow Barbados and end their association with Britain as a colonial power.

Although some analysts believe nations are waiting for the Queen to die before severing remaining ties. 

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