The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2025 with a record-breaking 53,434 entries

We are delighted to announce that The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC) 2025 closed on 23rd May with a record-breaking 53,434 entries - an extraordinary 53% increase from last year’s total of 34,939!  

The theme for the QCEC 2025 was Our Commonwealth Journey. Since its founding in 1949, the Commonwealth has evolved significantly and now comprises 56 member countries. As it celebrates its 75th anniversary, we reflect on the many journeys - geographical, historical, and personal - that connect and shape the Commonwealth’s diverse population of 2.7 billion people across five continents. This year’s theme invited young writers to explore the meaning of journeys within this rich and dynamic context.  

We were so proud to receive entries from 54 out of 56 Commonwealth countries, with high levels in particular from Ghana, Nigeria, Malaysia, The Maldives, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Singapore.  

We were also thrilled to see a 63% increase from the Pacific region and an 89% rise in entries from the Americas and Caribbean region, with Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda and Barbados seeing the biggest growth in entries this year.  

The first round of judging has now begun, with the Winners and Runners-up to be announced in October 2025.  Once again, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all the participants, educators, and supporters who made this year's competition such a success. 

---