Their Majesties The King and Queen, accompanied by The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attended the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey to celebrate Commonwealth Day on Monday, 9 March 2026.    Delivered by the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), the Commonwealth’s oldest dedicated charity, the Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration is the flagship public

The Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey 2026 performance reveal.

The Queen's Commonwealth Writing Competition 2026 is now open to entrants!

Volunteer Judge meets RCS Vice-Patron Her Majesty The Queen during an award ceremony for the winners As we enter an exciting new chapter of the Royal Commonwealth Society’s flagship youth initiative, we are delighted to announce that applications to volunteer as a judge for The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition are now open!   This year is a particularly exciting time to get involved with the competition. The change in name from The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competiti

Calling all young writers across the Commonwealth! The Royal Commonwealth Society is thrilled to announce a major evolution of its iconic youth initiative. Formerly known as the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition, this globally celebrated programme now has a fresh new identity: The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition . This exciting rebrand signals a broader, more inclusive approach to writing, embracing creativity in all forms. From essays to poetry, storytelling, a

Clean Oceans Catch-Up Series: Episode One with Heidi Tait, Tangaroa Blue Watch the full interview below to learn how Tangaroa Blue is turning knowledge into action for a cleaner, healthier ocean. Clean Oceans Catch Up Episode 1: Tangaroa Blue Welcome to the Clean Oceans Catch-Up Series , where we sit down with partners from the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign  to spotlight the people and projects driving real action against plastic pollution across the Commonwealt

Fashion Heritage Network Cyprus is a youth-led initiative founded four years ago through a collaboration with the Royal Commonwealth Society. It emerged at a time when sustainable fashion was barely part of public conversation on the island. Cyprus has a rich and distinctive fashion heritage, shaped by centuries of cultural exchange, craftsmanship, and necessity. Yet many traditional techniques were at risk of disappearing, practised by only a handful of artisans and largely

On the day of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Campaign Pickup event, the Parley Maldives team, along with members of the Maldives Olympic Committee and Commonwealth Sport, set out from Malé on a 1.5-hour boat journey to the island of Vaavu Fulidhoo. It was scorching when we arrived, and we gathered with the Fulidhoo community including Fulidhoo Council members, Vaavu Atoll School students and staff, and representatives from the Commonwealth, to kick off the event. The Boat Jour

We are delighted to share the highlights of a remarkable year at the Royal Commonwealth Society. Over the past twelve months, our global community has come together with energy, generosity, and a shared commitment to advancing equality, education, and environmental sustainability across the Commonwealth. As you read our Year in Review, we hope you will feel proud of what has been achieved together and inspired by the collective spirit that continues to shape our work and our

The Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign was delighted to support an invaluable clean-up event in Singapore, delivered by the environmental charity Ocean Purpose Project (OPP) and supported by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC). Bringing together volunteers committed to protecting Singapore’s coastal ecosystems, the event was held along the shores of Pasir Ris, an area known both for its natural beauty and its susceptibility to marine debris. The team at O

Last month, the Kings Baton Relay visited India, we wanted to shine a light on the work that our partners ReefWatch Marine Conservation are undertaking to protect India’s marine and coastal ecosystems through restoration, research, outreach, and community engagement. A key focus for Reefwatch are its projects spanning habitat restoration, marine wildlife response, and efforts to address plastic pollution, each contributing to its broader objective of safeguarding ocean health

Last night, the Royal Commonwealth Society welcomed guests to a truly enchanting celebration at our Candlelit Christmas Concert, held in the beautiful surroundings of St James’s Piccadilly. St James's Piccadilly in Candlelight Illuminated by the gentle glow of candlelight, the evening brought together High Commissioners, RCS Ambassadors, Trustees, friends, volunteers, and supporters of the Society to mark the festive season. From the moment guests arrived, the atmosphere was

The Royal Commonwealth Society was honoured to host the 2025 High Commissioners’ Banquet on 25 November, continuing a tradition that has brought together Commonwealth leaders and friends since 1874. Held in partnership with the City of London Corporation and delivered in association with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), this year’s Banquet gathered diplomats, civic leaders, business representatives, athletes, and supporters from across our 56 nation

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2025 achieved a historic milestone, attracting a record-breaking 53,434 entries from across the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth - a 53% increase from 2024. Submissions came from 54 nations, with particularly strong participation from Ghana, Nigeria, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the Maldives.  This record-breaking milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support

Each year from 25 th November to 10 th December the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence provides a space to reflect on the uneven progress across the world. The 2025 theme, “ UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls ”, is timely. It recognises that gender-based violence now takes place not only in homes, workplaces and communities but also in online spaces that shape how young people communicate, learn and work.    The evolving nature of digit

In a historic feat that celebrates literacy, teamwork, and the power of storytelling, Nigeria has officially broken the Guinness World Record for the longest marathon reading aloud by a team. Setting a new world record of 431 hours 31 mins and 25mins.   The previous record which stood at 365hours and was held by the Dominican Republic for 14 years, has now been surpassed by the Naija ReadFest team, led by Kingsley Sintim, an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society 

Her Majesty The Queen, Vice-Patron of the Royal Commonwealth Society, hosted a reception for winners and runners-up of The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2025. At a reception at St James’s Palace, The Queen celebrated the winners of The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2025, the world’s oldest writing competition for schools, delivered by the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) since 1883.  For 2025, the competition theme was ‘Our Commonwealth Journey’, which invit

On 2 November the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign reached Malaysia. At Pantai Batu Laut, on Malaysia’s coastline, volunteers from MY Clean Beach gathered together with the Commonwealth Games Association of Malaysia as part of the King’s Baton Relay, to remove plastics and other debris from the shorelines.   The hundred volunteers collected 242.9 kilograms of waste which was then counted and sorted for safe disposal, recycling plastic where possible. Over 40 kilos

Mei Sim Lai OBE DL giving her remarks during the launch of the UK Malaysian Film Festival 2025. As one of the flagship events of  The British Malaysian Society  the UK Malaysian Film Festival made its much-anticipated return on 27th October 2025 at the new Everyman Cinema Whiteley, in London . Now in its second iteration, the festival celebrates the vibrant resurgence of Malaysian storytelling on the big screen here in the UK. Hosting a Malaysian film festival in the UK repre

The Royal Commonwealth Society is launching a new photography competition, in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the City of London Youth Natural Environment Board, to celebrate the creativity and environmental awareness of young people across the Commonwealth. Young people everywhere are stepping up to lead the global conversation about the ocean, its beauty, and the importance of protecting it for the future. The competition aims to shine a light on how young