United States Could Join The Commonwealth As ‘Associate Member’

The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) is to open a branch in New York with a view to bringing the United States into the Commonwealth of Nations as an Associate Member.

The Commonwealth is a network of fifty-two countries drawn almost exclusively from former members of the British Empire. It promotes “mutually advantageous” links between countries which can be “reliable friends” to one another, due to their shared heritage and general adherence to common law principles.

At its core are the sixteen “Commonwealth realms” which share Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom.

The director of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Michael Lake CBE, told the Daily Telegraph that a narrow focus on the European Union (EU) has led to Britain missing out on opportunities presented by its Commonwealth links.

“The UK rather left this treasure in the attic, and forgot about it because people were so glued to Brussels,” he said, indicating that plans to bring the United States into the fold had been accelerated by the “opportunity of a new president, and the slightly dangerous but great fun opportunity that the ‘Bad Boys of Brexit’ offered”.

Richard Tice, co-chairman of the Leave Means Leave campaign and one of the ‘Bad Boys’ in question, told Breitbart London the RCS initiative was “a wonderful example of how Britain can extend our influence and ties with global partners”, characterising it as “another Brexit success”.

A letter from the RCS for President Trump’s attention was reportedly hand-delivered to Brexit campaign chief Nigel Farage by fellow ‘Bad Boy’ Andy Wigmore, a Belizean diplomat and one-time Queen’s Messenger. The former UKIP leader is said to have passed it to senior figures in the new administration.

Wigmore told the Telegraph that the letter, which promoted the Commonwealth as a network through which the United States could find “imaginative ways” of bolstering ties with its 52 member countries, received a “very positive” reception.

President Trump, whose mother hailed from Scotland’s windswept Western Isles, has described himself as “a big fan of the UK” and an admirer of the Queen.

“[M]y mother sort of had a flair, she loved the Queen,” he told The Times shortly before assuming office. “She was so proud of the Queen.”