Naomi Campbell's appointment as ambassador for the Queen's Commonwealth Trust will keep the institution relevant amid pressure from countries to remove the monarch as head of state, according to the trust's boss.
Christopher Kelly, the chief executive of the charity, said the appointment of celebrities from more diverse backgrounds and women of colour will help the Commonwealth remain relevant.
The model, 51, has been announced as The Queen's Commonwealth Trust (QCT) Platinum Jubilee Global Ambassador, where she will be involved with championing the work of young leaders backed by the trust.
Her appointment comes after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had to relinquish their roles as president and vice-president of the QCT, which was only founded in 2018, when they decided to 'step back' as senior royals.
Christopher Kelly, chief executive of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust, said Naomi Campbell's (pictured) appointment as ambassador will strengthen the association
Mr Kelly said Ms Campbell could be a 'positive' asset for the wider Commonwealth as well as the trust itself, The Telegraph reported.
He told the publication: 'It will be very positive to have someone who not only transcends different countries and nationalities because she is a global superstar but who is also a British woman with Caribbean roots, who has got to the very top.'
Mr Kelly said he believes it 'positive thing' that Britain have people of colour across the 'top echelons' of the business, political and social spheres 'in a way that many other countries don't'.
Mr Kelly said Ms Campbell, whom Nelson Mandela has referred to as his 'honorary granddaughter', was in a position to represent a modern picture of the Commonwealth.
He added: 'We were looking for the right iconic person and actually the idea of race didn't come into that, but it's a really powerful thing.'
The chief executive said the trust also intends to raise the profile of other black and Asian role models within the association.
His comments come amid fears that the Commonwealth will be seen as irrelevant amid pressure from countries to remove the Queen as the head of state.
Last year, Barbados announced its intention to remove the Queen as its head of state and become a republic by November 2021.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had to relinquish their roles as president and vice-president of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust when they decided to 'step back' as senior royals
A speech written by Prime Minister Mia Mottley quoted the Caribbean island nation's first premier Errol Barrow's warning against 'loitering on colonial premises'.
In 1998, a Barbados
