Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference

The first British Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference was held 1–16 May 1944 in order to coordinate the war effort.

In attendance were: The British Commonwealth leaders agreed to support the Moscow Declaration and reached agreement regarding their respective roles in the overall Allied war effort.

Conferences consisted of the prime ministers or presidents of independent states as well as the premiers of some senior colonies.

This policy changed with the 1964 Prime Ministers' Conference which was confined to independent states and thus excluded Southern Rhodesia whose prime ministers had attended Imperial and Commonwealth conferences since the 1930s.

While the growing number of Commonwealth states was given as the reason for this change, it coincided with the emergence of white minority rule in Rhodesia as a major issue.

The heads of government of five members of the Commonwealth of Nations at the 1944 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference
(L-R: King , Smuts , Churchill , Fraser , Curtin )
A formal group of Elizabeth in tiara and evening dress with eleven politicians in evening dress or national costume.
Queen Elizabeth II and Commonwealth leaders, at the 1960 conference, Windsor Castle.