Billboards are going up around the country this week as campaigners prepare to step up their challenge to the monarchy.

Campaign group Republic has commissioned 12 billboards to go up this week, with a further 15 planned for September and more to follow later in the year.

The billboards carry a very clear message: Secretive, Divisive, Undemocratic. Abolish the Monarchy.

The first batch of billboards will be seen in Portsmouth, Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

Graham Smith, speaking for Republic, said today:

"The monarchy is wrong in principle, wrong in practice and it's bad for British politics. That's the message we want the country to hear."

"The Queen's long reign has sustained support for the royals for decades. The Queen is the monarchy, the monarchy is the Queen. King Charles may inherit the throne, but he won't inherit the respect and deference enjoyed by his mother."

"With polls showing young people wanting an elected head of state, the succession of King Charles will be a major turning point in the monarchy's history and in the growth of Britain's republican movement."

"An appeal was launched earlier this month and so far Republic has raised more than £16,000, so we can start getting these billboards up right around the country. More will follow in Cardiff, Swansea, Bristol and across London."

"We have been campaigning for the abolition of the monarchy for a long time but now we are at a crossroads. As the Queen’s reign draws to an end, it is time to demand a say in who should be our head of state."

"Historians have said the monarchy is more secretive than MI5 and the CIA. It is more divisive now than ever, with a widening gap in levels of support between young and old. And clearly when we're being told we'll have no say in who our head of state is, the monarchy is undemocratic. That's not right for modern Britain."

"The royals are on collision course with British values. The 2020s should be the decade when we finally get to decide who we have as our elected head of state."

More details of the appeal and billboards, including locations, are at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/republic