Deadline for submission to Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition is April 30

THE ROYAL COMMONWEALTH SOCIETY (RCS) is calling on young writers in St Vincent and the Grenadines and across the Commonwealth to submit their entries to The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition 2026, which has an April 30, 2026 submission deadline.

The competition is open to all Commonwealth nationals and residents aged 18 and under, and this year’s theme is ‘Common Ground: Better Together’. The Society is inviting young people to explore the shared values, mutual challenges and collective aspirations that unite the Commonwealth’s 56 member nations. Entries of up to 1,000 words can be submitted in any creative written form, including essays, poems, short stories, speeches and letters.

Now in its 143rd year, the competition has undergone an important evolution. Formerly known as The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition, it was rebranded earlier this year as The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition to reflect a broader, more inclusive approach to written expression. The updated structure introduces regional recognition with one winner celebrated from each of the five regions of the Commonwealth and the overall winner selected from these regional winners, ensuring excellence in writing is represented across all corners of the Commonwealth community.

The competition is supported by Her Majesty The Queen,Vice-Patron of the Royal Commonwealth Society and a longstanding advocate for literacy and education. Last year’s competition attracted a record-breaking 53,434 entries from across all 56 Commonwealth nations, a 53% increase on the previous year, reflecting the extraordinary appetite among young people to have their voices heard on the world stage.

Since 2010, the competition has engaged over 278,000 young people, more than 5,700 schools, and thousands of volunteer judges across the Commonwealth. With two weeks left, RCS is urging teachers, parents and young people across the Commonwealth to make the most of this opportunity.

Entries can be submitted online at www.royalcwsociety. org/writing-competition/ qcwc2026 .The deadline is 30 April 2026 23:59 BST.