Monarchies in the Americas

  American monarchies

  Non-American monarchies

The crown of Elizabeth II. Although part of the British Crown Jewels the crown is used in American heraldry and Royal StandardsGovernors..

There are ten monarchies in America today; these are states whose head of state (a monarch) inherits his or her office, and usually keeps it for life or until they abdicate. Currently all ten of these monarchies share Elizabeth II as head of state and are Commonwealth realms. Historically monarchies existed among the indigenous peoples of the Americas long before the European colonisation. Pre-Columbian titles used in the New World included Cacique, Ajaw, Sapa Inca and Morubixaba.

America's monarchies are:

• the Antigua and Barbuda
• the The Bahamas
• the Barbados
• the Belize
• the Canada
• the Grenada
• the Jamaica
• the Saint Kitts and Nevis
• the Saint Lucia
• the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

The Age of Discovery and European colonisation brought extensive territory to European monarchs. Some colonies broke off and declared independence. Examples are the American Revolution in the United States of Ameica and the Hispanic American wars of independence in Latin America. Canada and most colonies in British West Indies, become self-governing while keeping monarchy as Commonwealth realms.

In South America Augustin I declared himself Emperor of Mexico in 1822, after colonisation. Maximilian I ruled as Mexican emperor from 1863 to 1867. Two members of the House of Braganza, Pedro I and Pedro II, ruled Brazil as emperors from 1822 to 1889.

As Commonwealth realms the monarchies in America are constitutional monarchies, which means that the monarch does not influence the politics of the state: this means either the monarch is legally prohibited from doing so, or the monarch does not utilise the political powers vested in the office by convention. There is currently no major campaign to abolish the monarchy (see monarchism and republicanism) in any of the ten states, although there is a minority of republicans in many of them.

Current

Elizabeth II is the reigning monarch Antigua and Barbuda. As such she is Antigua and Barbuda's Sovereign and head of state and officially called Queen of Antigua and Barbuda. Elizabeth and her husband, the royal consort the Duke of Edinburgh, included the Antigua and Barbuda in their Caribbean tour of 1966, and in the Silver Jubilee tour of October, 1977. The Queen visited again in 1985.

The Earl of Wessex opened Antigua and Barbuda's new parliament building on the country's twenty fifth anniversary of independence, October 30, 2006, reading a message from his mother, the Queen.

Elizabeth II is the hereditary monarch and sovereign of the Bahamas, who has reigned since 10 July 1973. The former Prime Minister Owen Arthur called for a referendum on becoming a republic to be held in 2005; the referendum had been pushed back to "at least 2006" in order to speed up Barbados' integration into the CARICOM Single Market and Economy; it was assumed the referendum would be held in 2007, but it was announced on 2007-11-26 that the referendum would be held in 2008 together with the general election. The referendum was then postponed to a later point due to administrative concerns.

Elizabeth II, currently the only reigning monarch in America.

The Crown in Barbados has grown over the centuries since the Barbados was claimed under King James IV of Scotland and I of England in 1625, though not colonised until 1627, when, in the name of King Charles I, Governor Charles Wolferstone established the first settlement on the island. By the 18th century, Barbados became the one of the main seats of British authority in the British West Indies, and then, after attempting in 1958 a federation with other West Indian colonies, similar to that of fellow Commonwealth realms Canada and Australia, continued as a self-governing colony under the Colonial Office, until independence came with the signing of the Barbados Independence Order by Queen Elizabeth II.

In the same year, Elizabeth's cousin, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, opened the second session of the first parliament of the newly established country, before the Queen herself, along with her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, toured Barbados, opening Barclays Park, in Saint Andrew, amongst other events. Elizabeth returned for her Silver Jubilee in 1977, arriving on the Concorde, which was the Queen's first supersonic flight, after which she addressed the new session of parliament. She also was in Barbados in 1989, to mark the 350th anniversary of the establishment of the Barbados parliament, where she sat to receive addresses from both houses.

The monarchy of Belize developed from the former colonial relationship to Britain. Belize is now independent from Britain and its monarchy is legally distinct. The Belizean monarchy was formed on 21 September 1981.

The Crown in Canada specifically has grown over the centuries since parts of the territories that today comprise Canada were claimed under King Francis I in 1534,, while others were claimed by Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1583; both of whom are blood relatives of the current monarch. Though the first French and British colonisers of Canada interpreted the hereditary nature of some indigenous North American chieftainships as a form of monarchy, it is generally accepted that Canada has been the territory of a monarch, or a monarchy in its own right, only since the establishment of New France.

Throughout the 18th century, via war and treaties, the Canadian colonies of France were ceded to King George III. The colonies were confederated by Queen Victoria in 1867 to form Canada as a kingdom in its own right, the Crown became uniquely Canadian after the passage of the Statute of Westminster in 1931, and the country was proclaimed fully independent, via constitutional patriation, by Queen Elizabeth II in 1982.

The present monarch of Grenada is Elizabeth II.. As with other Commonwealth realm monarchies, Grenada shares a head of state with the United Kingdom as it is a former colony.

In Jamaica the monarch is legally styled as 'King/Queen of Jamaica'. The present monarch of Jamaica has reigned since 6 August 1962. Though the Jamaican Crown has its roots in the British Crown, it has evolved to become a distinctly Jamaican institution, represented by it own unique symbols. In 1966 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by his son, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, toured Jamaica as part of his visit there to open that year's Commonwealth Games.

The Queen herself visited Jamaica in 2002. Despite republican sentiments in the country she was given an enthusiastic welcome. In September 2003, the former Prime Minister of Jamaica, P.J. Patterson advocated making Jamaica into a republic by 2007.

See also

• Canadian Confederation

References

Other references

• Central Intelligence Agency (2006-07-11). "CIA — The World Factbook". The World Factbook. Retrieved 2008-11-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Central Intelligence Agency (2006-07-18). "World Leaders". World Leaders. Retrieved 2008-11-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)