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Queen Elizabeth II

Barbados to remove The Queen as head of state at the end of November

Queen Elizabeth II

With the election of Barbados’ first President, on 30 November, when the Caribbean island becomes a Republic, Queen Elizabeth II will no longer be the head of state.

The island’s Governor General Dame Sandra Mason was elected almost unanimously by the former British colony’s parliament with only one member declining to vote. Mason, a 72-year-old judge and former ambassador, will be sworn in on 30 November. The date also holds another historical milestone as it will mark the 55th anniversary of Barbados’ independence from Britain in 1966.

The Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, called the election a historic landmark for the island which is home to about 290,000 people. Mottley said in response to the election: “How can anyone deny the rightness of the moment? Dame Sandra has been and continues to be an exemplary daughter of the soil.”

Barbados announced its decision to part with the monarchy in September 2020 amid an intensifying global debate on the legacy of colonialism and racial injustice. Speaking at the time of the announcement, Mason argued: “Barbadians want a Barbadian head of state. This is the ultimate statement of confidence in who we are and what we are capable of achieving,” she said, reading comments prepared by the prime minister.

“Barbados is not the first Caribbean country to forsake the Queen. Guyana did so in 1970, four years after gaining independence from Britain, and was followed by Trinidad and Tobago in 1976 and, two years later, Dominica. Barbados may also not be the last. Its decision to become a republic has amplified a long-running debate in Jamaica over whether it should also turn away from the monarchy.”

Her Majesty will remain the monarch of 15 countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Belize. In the Caribbean, The Queen is the head of state in Antigua & Barbuda, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines. The last country to remove The Queen as their Head of State was Mauritius in 1992.

About author

My name is Sydney Zatz and I am a University of Iowa graduate. I graduated with a degree in journalism and sports studies, and a minor in sport and recreation management. A highlight of my college career was getting the chance to study abroad in London and experiencing royal history firsthand. I have a passion for royals, royal history, and journalism, which led me to want to write for Royal Central.