The Governor of the Pitcairn Islands is the representative of the British crown in the Pitcairn Islands

Pitcairn Islands

The Pitcairn Islands , officially named the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, form a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The islands are a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Pacific...

, which are the last remaining British territory

British overseas territories

The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories of the United Kingdom which, although they do not form part of the United Kingdom itself, fall under its jurisdiction. They are remnants of the British Empire that have not acquired independence or have voted to remain British territories...

 in the Pacific Ocean. They have considerable local autonomy, but are under the authority of the colonial Governor.

Because of the dependency's small population (it peaked at 233 in the 1930s, and has since dwindled to 47), the British never considered it worthwhile to station a resident Governor on Pitcairn. Instead, the Governor of Fiji

Fiji

Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...

 doubled as Governor of Pitcairn from 1898 onwards. When Fiji became independent in 1970, the governorship of Pitcairn was transferred to the British High Commissioner to New Zealand. The office is currently held by Victoria Treadell

Victoria Treadell

Victoria "Vicki" Marguerite Treadell, CMG, MVO is the current British High Commissioner to New Zealand and Samoa, and the current Governor of Pitcairn....

.

Throughout most of its history, the authority of the British Governor was, in practice, nominal. However, Richard Fell

Richard Fell

Richard Taylor Fell CVO was the British High Commissioner to New Zealand and the colonial Governor of the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands from 2001 to 2006....

, Governor of the Pitcairn Islands between 2001 and 2006, used the authority vested in him to dismiss the Mayor Steve Christian

Steve Christian

Steven Raymond Christian is a political figure from the Pacific territory of the Pitcairn Islands.-Mayor:...

, involved in the Pitcairn rape trial of 2004

Pitcairn sexual assault trial of 2004

On 30 September 2004, seven men living on Pitcairn Island , went on trial facing 55 charges relating to sexual offences. On 24 October, all but one of the defendants were found guilty on at least some of the charges they faced...

.

See also

• List of rulers of the Pitcairn Islands, for local rulers since 1790
• List of Governors of Fiji, for governors from 1898 until 1970
• List of British High Commissioners to New Zealand, for governors since 1970