Queen Elizabeth II and the Commonwealth of Nations |
Queen Elizabeth II
is recognised as Head of the Commonwealth in those members of the Commonwealth of Nations of which she is not head of state, a formula first having been devised when
India became a republic within the Commonwealth in 1950, recognising George
VI as the symbol of the free association, but not as its head of state. The title is not vested in the British Crown, and the
Commonwealth's members may not agree that Charles,
Prince of Wales, should automatically succeed the Queen as Head of the Commonwealth on his accession to the British
throne.
When she took the Coronation Oath, Elizabeth II swore "to govern the
Peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa,
Pakistan, and Ceylon, and of [her] Possessions and the other Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to
their respective laws and customs".
She remains Queen of Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with the other countries mentioned
in the Coronation Oath having since become republics.
South Africa and Ceylon were the first Commonwealth realms to recognise Elizabeth II as Queen of their respective countries,
rather than of the United Kingdom.
Africa
During the Queen's reign many of the former British colonies in Africa became independent countries. When independence was
granted to these nations, as is the British colonial practice, they became constitutional monarchies by default, with Queen
Elizabeth as Head of State. The new African leaders usually proceeded to quickly abolish the monarchy (and usually the
parliamentary system, as well) and establish executive presidencies in its place. However, Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia) became a republic on independence in 1964,
as did Botswana in 1966, formerly the British
protectorate of Bechuanaland.
Queen Elizabeth was briefly:
From 1965 to 1970 she was also proclaimed 'Queen
of Rhodesia' by the White minority government in Southern Rhodesia, although she
never accepted this office.
Caribbean
When independence was granted to the British Caribbean colonies, Queen Elizabeth became Queen of the West Indies Federation. When the Federation broke up in
1962, she eventually became Queen of each former member state.
Queen Elizabeth's other titles in the Caribbean include:
The Queen's position as Queen of Grenada remained unaffected by the overthrow of Prime Minister Eric Gairy by the
left-wing Maurice Bishop in 1979,
and the Governor General remained in office. Following the United States-led Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada in October 1983, in the wake of Bishop's violent overthrow, the Governor General oversaw the holding of new
elections and the restoration of parliamentary democracy.
The Queen was also previously:
Unlike other British colonies in the region, Dominica became a republic at
independence in 1978 with its own elected President as head of state.
Oceania
When Papua New Guinea became independent of Australia in
1975, Queen Elizabeth was styled "Queen of Papua New Guinea", the first time she became
Queen of a nation that was never a British colony in its entirety. Her other Pacific titles include:
Her role as Queen of Fiji (1970-1987) was ended by a military coup. Even after Fiji was declared a republic, the Queen's portrait
remained on the country's banknotes and, unlike the United Kingdom, her official birthday remained a public holiday.
When Fiji was readmitted to the Commonwealth in 1997, consideration was given to restoring
her as head of state, but the idea was not pursued further. However, the Council of Chiefs continues to recognise the Queen as
its "Great Chief", though she no longer has any formal constitutional power.
Other former Commonwealth realms
The Queen was also previously
Titles
In Canada, the Queen's official title is Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth,
Defender of the Faith.
In Australia, the Queen's official title is Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the
Commonwealth", omitting the line "Defender of the Faith."
In New Zealand, the Queen's official title is Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of New Zealand and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of
the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.
All other Commonwealth realms follow the Australian form, and give the Queen the title Elizabeth the Second, by the
Grace of God Queen of ____________ and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
The only exception is Papua New Guinea, which gives the Queen
her shortest title, simply Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Papua New Guinea and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head
of the Commonwealth, omitting both the "Defender of the Faith" as well as "By the Grace of God".
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