LONDON, United Kingdom --Jamaica and Belize are looking at ditching King Charles III as their head of state and becoming republics, leading politicians from both countries said Thursday ahead of his coronation. The comments come just before the monarch, who ascended the throne when his mother Queen Elizabeth II died last September, is formally crowned at London's Westminster Abbey on Saturday. Jamaica and Belize are former British colonies in the Caribbean that have been independent nations for decades. But, like 12 other Commonwealth countries outside Britain -- including Australia, Canada and New Zealand -- they retain the constitutional monarchy system of government and have King Charles as their head of state, with a local governor-general performing duties on his behalf. Marlene Malahoo Forte, Jamaica's minister for legal and constitutional affairs, said King Charles's coronation has accelerated the island's plans to become a republic. "Time has come. Jamaica in Jamaican hands," she told Britain's Sky News television. "We have to get it done, especially with the transition in the monarchy. My government is saying we have to do it now." Malahoo Forte said Jamaica could hold a referendum as soon as next year. She said becoming a republic would be "saying goodbye to a form of government that is linked to a painful past of colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade".

Belize 'likely' next: PM

Belize's Prime Minister John Briceno meanwhile told The Guardian newspaper it was "quite likely" his country would be the next Commonwealth realm to become a republic, after Barbados did so in 2021. He said "there is no excitement" among his compatriots for the coronation. The government of Belize last year passed legislation creating a constitutional commission, which convened in November, to consider instituting various reforms, including becoming a republic. Briceno said he would put its recommendations, due next year, to a referendum, but did not rule out potentially abolishing the country's monarchy via parliament. Charles is the symbolic head of the 56-member Commonwealth and has sought to put it at the heart of his reign, as his mother did. But there are questions about whether he can inspire the same respect and devotion as his mother, who reigned for a record 70 years. During a rocky Caribbean tour by Charles's elder son Prince William and his wife Kate in March last year, Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness said his country was "moving on". The royal couple faced calls to apologise for the slave trade that helped make past British royals' fortunes, and were accused of appearing "tone deaf" over elements of the visit. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth, the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda -- another Commonwealth realm -- said he aims to have a referendum on the issue within three years.

'Undoubted king'

Leaders from the Commonwealth realms are among those gathering in London ahead of the coronation. William met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Kensington Palace on Thursday, while King Charles met New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. Both PMs are republicans. The coronation service will see Charles "solemnly promise" to govern the peoples of Britain and his other realms according to their respective laws and customs. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who will crown King Charles, will call upon "all persons of goodwill" in Britain and the 14 other realms "to make their homage, in heart and voice, to their undoubted king, defender of all".