The secretary of state for Commonwealth relations was a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for dealing with the United Kingdom's relations with members of the Commonwealth of Nations (its former colonies). The minister's department was the Commonwealth Relations Office (CRO).

The position was created in 1947 out of the old positions of Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs and Secretary of State for India. In 1966, the position was merged with that of the Secretary of State for the Colonies to form that of Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs, which was in turn merged with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in 1968 to create the new position of Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. The equivalent position today is the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.

Secretaries of state for Commonwealth relations, 1947–1966

PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical partyMinistry
Christopher Addison 1st Viscount Addison7 July 19477 October 1947LabourAttlee (I & II)
Philip Noel-Baker MP for Derby7 October 194728 February 1950Labour
Patrick Gordon Walker MP for Smethwick28 February 195026 October 1951Labour
General Hastings Ismay 1st Baron Ismay28 October 195112 March 1952–Churchill III
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil 5th Marquess of Salisbury12 March 195224 November 1952Conservative
Philip Cunliffe-Lister 1st Viscount Swinton24 November 19527 April 1955Conservative
Alec Douglas-Home 14th Earl of Home7 April 195527 July 1960ConservativeEden
Macmillan (I & II)
Duncan Sandys MP for Streatham27 July 196016 October 1964Conservative
Douglas-Home
Arthur Bottomley MP for Middlesbrough East18 October 19641 August 1966LabourWilson (I & II)

Shadow secretaries of state for commonwealth relations

NameEntered officeLeft officePolitical partyShadow Cabinet
Patrick Gordon Walker MP for Smethwick15 July 195515 February 1956LabourAttlee
Gaitskell
Arthur Creech Jones MP for Wakefield15 February 195624 January 1958Labour
Arthur Bottomley MP for Rochester and Chatham24 January 1958November 1959Labour
Hilary Marquand MP for Middlesbrough EastNovember 1959November 1961Labour
John Strachey MP for Dundee WestNovember 196115 July 1963Labour
Brown
Wilson
Unknown15 July 196316 October 1964Labour
Duncan Sandys MP for Streatham16 October 19645 August 1965ConservativeDouglas-Home
Selwyn Lloyd MP for Wirral5 August 196519 April 1966ConservativeHeath
Reginald Maudling MP for Barnet19 April 19661 August 1966Conservative
History of English and British government departments with responsibility for foreign affairs and those with responsibility for the colonies, dominions and the Commonwealth
Northern Department 1660–1782 Secretaries — UndersecretariesSouthern Department 1660–1768 Secretaries — Undersecretaries—
Southern Department 1768–1782 Secretaries — Undersecretaries 1782: diplomatic responsibilities transferred to new Foreign OfficeColonial Office 1768–1782 Secretaries — Undersecretaries
Foreign Office 1782–1968 Secretaries — Ministers — UndersecretariesHome Office 1782–1794 Secretaries — Undersecretaries
War Office 1794–1801 Secretaries — Undersecretaries
War and Colonial Office 1801–1854 Secretaries — Undersecretaries
Colonial Office 1854–1925 Secretaries — UndersecretariesIndia Office 1858–1937 Secretaries — Undersecretaries
Colonial Office 1925–1966 Secretaries — Ministers — UndersecretariesDominions Office 1925–1947 Secretaries — Undersecretaries
India Office and Burma Office 1937–1947 Secretaries — Undersecretaries
Commonwealth Relations Office 1947–1966 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries
Commonwealth Office 1966–1968 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries
Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1968–2020 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Since 2020 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries