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I vaguely remember a story taking place in a near-future setting in which one or more of The UK's component nations left the union, precipitating the final break up of The UK. These events also resulted in the royal family leaving England for (I think) Australia. England is subsequently accepted into The United States as the 51st state. All of this takes place prior to the action of the story.

I am pretty sure that I read this story in a multi-author anthology. I think I read it within the last 15 years. I remember very little else about it.

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    As a Brit, can I just say: over my dead body!
    – Rand al'Thor ♦
    Commented Mar 23, 2016 at 23:55
  • 3
    You wouldn't be my first choice of 51st state either, sunshine.
    – Politank-Z
    Commented Mar 23, 2016 at 23:56
  • @randal'thor Might still be a better deal than a province of the EU.
    – user14111
    Commented Mar 24, 2016 at 9:50

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Could it be The Light of Other Days, a 2000 science fiction novel by Stephen Baxter based on a synopsis written by Arthur C Clarke?

From this Wikipedia page:

In The Light of Other Days (2000), a novel by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter, Britain joins the United States, with the Prime Minister serving as governor and the Royal Family exiled to Australia.

Curiously the Wikipedia page for the novel itself doesn't mention anything about this, but apparently it

explores the development of wormhole technology to the point where information can be passed instantaneously between points in the space-time continuum.

Ring any bells?

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  • It is possible. If the AC Clark piece was ever published, I think it is likelier to be that.
    – Politank-Z
    Commented Mar 23, 2016 at 23:41
  • On reading a bit on the original AC Clark work, probably not that. I have read Baxter, though, so it is distinctly possible.
    – Politank-Z
    Commented Mar 23, 2016 at 23:42

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