Barbados to remove Queen Elizabeth as head of state in 2021

Barbados announced its plans to remove Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and eventually become a republic. Prime Minister Mia Mottley said this in a written speech that was read by the island nation's governor general, Sandra Mason on Tuesday.

Speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister, Mason said Barbados intends to seek full sovereignty by November 2021 as it can "be in no doubt about its capacity for self-governance."

"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. Hence, Barbados will take the next logical step toward full sovereignty and become a Republic by the time we celebrate our 55th Anniversary of Independence," Mason said.

BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymon reports that sources at Buckingham Palace are not surprised with the island government's decision as this has been "mooted and publicly talked about many times." This was not something that popped out of the blue.

Should this decision come into play for Barbados, this would make the nation the first country to drop the monarch since Mauritius enacted the same three decades ago in 1992. There are 16 countries that uphold Queen Elizabeth as the head of state being part of the Commonwealth. These countries include the United Kingdom and other former British colonies. In 1996, Barbados gained its independence from British rule.

Guyana took the same road in 1970, four years after gaining its independence from Britain. In 1976 and 1978, former British colonies Trinidad and Tobago along with Dominica followed suit.
The role of the queen in Barbados is more ceremonial and symbolic. Although she holds the title as Queen of Barbados, the monarch is not involved in day-to-day governance of the island nation.

Upon advice of the ministers of Barbados, Queen Elizabeth gets to appoint its governor general to represent her at formal occasions by which Gov. Gen. Sandra Mason currently holds position.
In the same Throne Speech, a warning from Barbados' first prime minister Errol Barrow was quoted saying that the country should not "loiter on colonial premises."

Despite these intents to move away from the monarchical system, many of the remaining 16 countries under the Queen's realm still value much of the relationship it provides with the United Kingdom. Even with the absence of legal obligations to one another, these Commonwealth nations remain connected through language and historical ties.