FP:Officials in at least six countries in the Caribbean where Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II is head of state have signaled they intend to remove the monarch as their sovereign. These countries follow Barbados, which removed the queen as its head of state to become the region’s newest republic in November 2021.
The calls, made over the course of the past two months, have come as members of the British royal family made two separate trips to the Caribbean this year, drawing protests at every stop. Prince Edward and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, will wrap up their leg of a six-day Caribbean trip Thursday after visiting Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A planned stop in Grenada was postponed, Buckingham Palace said in a statement. Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, visited Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas in March.
Local protesters in Belize and Jamaica called for a formal apology by the royals for their family’s role in the enslavement and brutalization of Africans and demanded reparations. An official has been appointed to oversee the process of decoupling in Jamaica, reported the Guardian, and the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, told Edward and Sophie in a meeting that his country intended to become a republic “one day.”
Why is the queen the head of state of these countries?
All six Caribbean countries that have indicated they plan to remove the queen as their head of state—Belize, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Kitts and Nevis—were colonized by the British. But when each nation gained independence from Britain during the second half of the 20th century, Elizabeth retained her post as sovereign, and each country remained a member of the Commonwealth, a grouping of 54 former British colonies.
There are 14 countries outside of the United Kingdom where the queen is head of state: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tuvalu. In these countries, known as Commonwealth realms, the queen appoints a representative—such as a governor general—recommended by the popularly elected leader, such as the prime minister or president.
Countries that are members of the Commonwealth—but are not Commonwealth realms—do not have the queen as their monarch, electing a head of state from among their own people.
All former British colonies-turned-republics, including Barbados, are still members of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth does not make laws but provides trade links between countries and, in some cases, a foundation for resolving disputes. While a majority of member countries have historical ties to the British Empire, the last two countries to join, Mozambique and Rwanda, never experienced British colonial rule. (ForeignPolicy.com)
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Simply, because royal and colonial rule is an abomination and is an OUTDATED relic of the past.
Many caucasians like keeping it (that’s why it still exists today), because it reminds them of their ancestral rule over people of colour back in the day.
However, we’ve woken up to this utter nonsense, and want change … NOW!
What utter shit – white people dont want slavery any more than anyone else. YOU my friend are the racist. Feel free to leave the monarchy. I think the British Spanish and Portuguese governments should DEFINITELY pay reparations to anyone living who has been a slave.
Otherwise where do you draw the line? I am British by birth but I wont be getting reparations from the Romans.
You live on a beautiful island and you were also sold by YOUR OWN PEOPLE!!!! Yet it’s the rich white countries that you want reparations from. Has China stopped giving money to Antigua? Is this why the change in attitude?
Hey Tim, yu cyaan play MAS If you fraid ah powder (words) …
If it is then why does it exist in the Middle East and Asia?
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