'My personal view is it's inevitable': Australia's new high commissioner to the UK discusses our future as a republic

Australia's future split from the monarchy is inevitable according to the new high commissioner of Australia to the United Kingdom.

Stephen Smith, who met with King Charles III on March 9, says while there is "a lot of affection and respect for the monarchy in Australia" his "personal view" is that our country's future is as a republic.

"That affection and respect hasn't gone away because of Australia contemplating from time to time what it should do about its constitutional arrangements," he told The Times UK.

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"My personal view is it's inevitable," he continued. "But how that's progressed is entirely a matter for the Australian government of the day."

King Charles ascended the British throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, in 2022. His coronation will take place on May 6, with representatives from around the world travelling to the UK for the event.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed he will be attending.

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It has been speculated that the popularity of the monarchy in Australia would wane following the death of Queen Elizabeth.

A Nine.com.au reader poll in July 2022 posed the question: "Do you think it is time that Australia becomes a republic?" and of those who responded, 31 per cent said "yes", 49 per cent said "no" and 20 per cent remain "unsure".

Following Labor's victory in the 2022 federal election, new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appointed Matt Thistlethwaite to the newly created office of Assistant Minister for the Republic, which many have taken as a sign our future split from the monarchy is inevitable.

When asked about the possibility following the Queen's death, Prime Minister Albanese said it was "not the time" to discuss it.

King Charles has previously spoken on the matter, saying "becoming a Republic" is up to Commonwealth nations.

At his first Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting as head of the Commonwealth, in Kigali, Rwanda, the royal acknowledged growing republican movements in some member states.

Charles did not single out any country: "The Commonwealth contains within it countries that have had constitutional relationships with my family, some that continue to do so, and increasingly those that have had none.

"I want to say clearly, as I have said before, that each member's Constitutional arrangement, as republic or monarchy, is purely a matter for each member country to decide," the royal continued.

"The benefit of long life brings me the experience that arrangements such as these can change, calmly and without rancour," he added.