LONDON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May announced details Monday of a summit meeting of Commonwealth heads next year in London with Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle as the venues.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Amber Rudd will lead a new ministerial group on the summit which takes place next April, when Britain is likely to be halfway through its Brexit negotiations with the European Union.
The summit will see Britain take over as chair of the Commonwealth until 2020.
May was Monday meeting Prime Minister Joseph Muscat of Malta, the current Commonwealth chair, to discuss shared commitment to the commonwealth and preparations for next year's summit.
She will also join the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, which will be attended by Queen Elizabeth.
May said from Downing Street the 2018 Commonwealth Summit will set out the future for a vibrant and diverse Commonwealth as Britain joins nations around the world to mark the Commonwealth Day.
A government spokesman in London said: "Leaders from more than 50 countries are expected to attend next year's summit, which will take place during the week of April 16 2018 in London and Windsor. For the first time, Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle will be among the summit venues."
May said: "As we look to create a truly global Britain, the deep partnerships that we share through a 21st Century Commonwealth can help us strengthen the prosperity and security of our own citizens, and those of our many friends and allies across the world."
The Commonwealth is made up of 52 members spanning six continents with a combined population of around 2.4 billion people, almost half of whom are under 25.
The network includes established economies such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand, as well as emerging markets like India, Malaysia, and South Africa. Trade between Commonwealth countries projected to be worth a trillion U.S. dollars by 2020.
