Monarchy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Encyclopedia
The monarchy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is the constitution
al system of government in which a hereditary
monarch
is the sovereign
and head of state
of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
, forming the core of the country's Westminster-style
parliamentary
democracy
. The Crown is thus is the foundation of the executive
, legislative
, and judicial
branches of the Vincentian government
. While Royal Assent
and the royal sign-manual
are required to enact laws, letters patent
, and orders in council, the authority for these acts stems from the Vincentian populace, and, within the conventional stipulations of constitutional monarchy
, the sovereign's direct participation in any of these areas of governance is limited, with most related powers entrusted for exercise by the elected and appointed parliamentarians
, the ministers of the Crown
generally drawn from amongst them, and the judges and Justices of the Peace
.
The Vincentian monarchy has its roots in the French and British crowns
, from which it has evolved over numerous centuries to become a distinctly Vincentian institution represented by unique symbols. The Vincentian monarch since 27 October 1979, Elizabeth II
is today shared
equally with fifteen other countries
within the Commonwealth of Nations
, all being independent and the monarchy of each legally distinct. For Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the monarch is officially titled Queen of Vincent and the Grenadines, and she, her consort, and other members of the Royal Family undertake various public and private functions across the country. However, the Queen is the only member of the Royal Family with any constitutional role. While several powers are the sovereign's alone, because she lives predominantly in the United Kingdom, most of the royal constitutional and ceremonial duties in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are carried out by the Queen's representative, the Governor-General.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines shares the same monarch with each of 15 monarchies in the 54-member Commonwealth of Nations
, a grouping known informally as the Commonwealth realm
s. Upon its independence from the United Kingdom
, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines entered into this arrangement that had earlier emerged following the passage of the Statute of Westminster
in 1931, since when the pan-national Crown has had both a shared and separate character, and the sovereign's role as monarch of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has been distinct to his or her position as monarch of the United Kingdom. The monarchy thus ceased to be an exclusively British institution, though it is still often misnomered as "British" in both legal and common language, for reasons historical, political, and of convenience; this conflicts with not only the Royal Household's recognition and promotion of a distinctly Vincentian Crown, but also the sovereign's distinct Vincentian title, Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth
, Defender of the Faith
.
Effective with the Constitution of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, no British or other realm government can advise the sovereign on any matters pertinent to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, meaning that on all matters of the Vincentian state, the monarch is advised solely by Vincentian Ministers of the Crown
. As the monarch lives predominantly outside of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, one of the most important of these state duties carried out on the advice of the Vincentian Prime Minister is the appointment of the viceroy
, who is titled as Governor-General, and performs most of the Queen's domestic duties in her absence.
governed by both the Act of Settlement, 1701
, and Bill of Rights, 1689
, legislation that limits the succession to the natural (i.e. non-adopted
), legitimate descendants of Sophia, Electress of Hanover
, and stipulates that the monarch cannot be a Roman Catholic, nor married to one, and must be in communion with the Church of England
upon ascending the throne. Though, via adopting the Statute of Westminster, these constitutional laws as they apply to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines now lie within the full control of the Vincentian parliament
, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines also agreed not to change its rules of succession without the unanimous consent of the other realms, unless explicitly leaving the shared monarchy relationship; a situation that applies symmetrically
in all the other realms, including the United Kingdom, and has been likened to a treaty
amongst these countries. Thus, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' line of succession remains identical to that of the United Kingdom
; however, the rules for succession are not fixed, but may be changed within Saint Vincent and the Grenadines by a constitutional amendment by the Vincentian parliament.
Upon a demise of the Crown
(the death or abdication of a sovereign), the late sovereign's heir immediately and automatically succeeds, without any need for confirmation or further ceremony hence arises the phrase "The King is dead. Long live the King!
." Following an appropriate period of mourning
, the monarch is also crowned
in the United Kingdom in an ancient ritual, but one not necessary for a sovereign to reign. After an individual ascends the throne, he or she typically continues to reign until death, being unable to unilaterally abdicate per the tenets of constitutional monarchy.
of the Crown
, the sovereign is regarded as the personification, or legal personality, of the Vincentian state
, with the state therefore referred to as Her Majesty in right of Her Government in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, The Queen (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), or simply The Queen. As such, the monarch is the owner of all state property for instance, prisons in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are called Her Majesty's Prisons though, this is all in his or her position as sovereign, and not as an individual; all such property is held by the Crown in perpetuity and cannot be sold by the sovereign without the proper advice and consent of his or her ministers.
of government wherein the role of the Queen is both legal and practical. The Crown is regarded as a corporation
, with the sovereign, vested as she is with all powers of state, as the centre of a construct in which the power of the whole is shared by multiple institutions of government acting under the sovereign's authority. Though her authority stems from the people, all Vincentians live under the authority of the monarch. The vast powers that belong to the Crown are collectively known as the Royal Prerogative
, the exercise of which does not require parliamentary approval, though it is not unlimited; for example, the monarch does not have the prerogative to impose and collect new taxes without the authorization of an Act of Parliament
. Also, per convention, the sovereign reigns according to Vincentian law; this is illustrated in the sovereign's Coronation
Oath, wherein he or she promises to govern her peoples "according to their respective laws and customs."
The Crown also sits at the pinnacle of the Royal Saint Vincent Police Force
. All new recruits into the force must swear allegiance to the monarch as the embodiment of the state and its authority, the oath including the words: "I, [name], do swear that I will well and truly serve Our Sovereign Lady the Queen as a member of the Police Force in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines without favour or affection, malice or ill will; and that I will cause Her Majesty's Peace to be preserved..."
is the Queen's government, and is defined by the constitution as the Queen acting on the advice of her Cabinet
a committee charged with advising
the Crown on the exercise of the Royal Prerogative. One of the main duties of the Crown is to appoint a prime minister
to thereafter head this group; the Queen is informed by her viceroy of the swearing-in and resignation of prime ministers and other members of the ministry, remains fully briefed through regular communications from her Vincentian ministers, and holds audience with them whenever possible.
In the construct of constitutional monarchy
and responsible government
, the ministerial advice tendered is typically binding, meaning the monarch reigns but does not rule; this has been the case in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines since the Treaty of Paris
ended the reign of the territory's last absolute monarch
, King Louis XV
. It is important to note, however, that the Royal Prerogative belongs to the Crown and not to any of the ministers, and the royal and viceroyal figures may unilaterally use these powers in exceptional constitutional crisis
situations. There are also a few duties which must be specifically performed by, or bills that require assent by, the Queen; these include applying the royal sign-manual
and Great Seal to the appointment papers of governors general, the creation of Vincentian honours, and the approval of any change in her Vincentian title.
, and all laws are the monarch's laws, as illustrated in the enacting formula for Vincentian acts of parliament, which reads: "BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and by the authority of the same as follows." The monarch and viceroy do not, however, participate in the legislative process, save for the granting of Royal Assent
, which is necessary for a bill to be enacted as law.
As the judges and courts are the sovereign's judges and courts, and as all law in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines derives from the Crown, the monarch stands to give legitimacy to courts of justice, and is the source of their judicial authority. An image of the Queen and/or the Arms of Her Majesty in Right of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
is always displayed in Vincentian federal courtrooms.
, toured the country to mark its anniversary of independence while other royals will be asked to participate in lesser occasions. Apart from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Queen and other members of the Royal Family regularly perform public duties in the other fifteen nations of the Commonwealth in which the Queen is head of state.
initiated in 2002, the year of Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee, a republican movement against what he deemed to be "the remnants of colonialism," eventuating in a constitutional referendum in 2009
, just days before the Queen was in the Caribbean for a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
. Despite heavy campaigning by the Ministers of the Crown, the referendum was defeated with only 43.13% of voters supporting the idea, well short of the required two-thirds threshold.
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
al system of government in which a hereditary
Heredity
Heredity is the passing of traits to offspring . This is the process by which an offspring cell or organism acquires or becomes predisposed to the characteristics of its parent cell or organism. Through heredity, variations exhibited by individuals can accumulate and cause some species to evolve...
monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
is the sovereign
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
and head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country in the Lesser Antilles chain, namely in the southern portion of the Windward Islands, which lie at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean....
, forming the core of the country's Westminster-style
Westminster System
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
parliamentary
Parliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
. The Crown is thus is the foundation of the executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
, legislative
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
, and judicial
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
branches of the Vincentian government
Politics of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Politics of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines takes place in the framework of an independent parliamentary democratic Commonwealth Realm with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state, represented by a Governor General, who acts on the advice of the prime minister and the cabinet...
. While Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
and the royal sign-manual
Royal sign-manual
The royal sign manual is the formal name given in the Commonwealth realms to the autograph signature of the sovereign, by the affixing of which the monarch expresses his or her pleasure either by order, commission, or warrant. A sign-manual warrant may be either an executive actfor example, an...
are required to enact laws, letters patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
, and orders in council, the authority for these acts stems from the Vincentian populace, and, within the conventional stipulations of constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
, the sovereign's direct participation in any of these areas of governance is limited, with most related powers entrusted for exercise by the elected and appointed parliamentarians
House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
The House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a unicameral legislature that serves as the legislative body for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines....
, the ministers of the Crown
Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...
generally drawn from amongst them, and the judges and Justices of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
.
The Vincentian monarchy has its roots in the French and British crowns
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
, from which it has evolved over numerous centuries to become a distinctly Vincentian institution represented by unique symbols. The Vincentian monarch since 27 October 1979, Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
is today shared
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
equally with fifteen other countries
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
within the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
, all being independent and the monarchy of each legally distinct. For Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the monarch is officially titled Queen of Vincent and the Grenadines, and she, her consort, and other members of the Royal Family undertake various public and private functions across the country. However, the Queen is the only member of the Royal Family with any constitutional role. While several powers are the sovereign's alone, because she lives predominantly in the United Kingdom, most of the royal constitutional and ceremonial duties in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are carried out by the Queen's representative, the Governor-General.
International and domestic aspects
- Further information: Commonwealth realm > Relationship of the realms
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines shares the same monarch with each of 15 monarchies in the 54-member Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
, a grouping known informally as the Commonwealth realm
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
s. Upon its independence from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines entered into this arrangement that had earlier emerged following the passage of the Statute of Westminster
Statute of Westminster 1931
The Statute of Westminster 1931 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Passed on 11 December 1931, the Act established legislative equality for the self-governing dominions of the British Empire with the United Kingdom...
in 1931, since when the pan-national Crown has had both a shared and separate character, and the sovereign's role as monarch of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has been distinct to his or her position as monarch of the United Kingdom. The monarchy thus ceased to be an exclusively British institution, though it is still often misnomered as "British" in both legal and common language, for reasons historical, political, and of convenience; this conflicts with not only the Royal Household's recognition and promotion of a distinctly Vincentian Crown, but also the sovereign's distinct Vincentian title, Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth
Head of the Commonwealth
The Head of the Commonwealth heads the Commonwealth of Nations, an intergovernmental organisation which currently comprises 54 sovereign states. The position is currently occupied by the individual who serves as monarch of each of the Commonwealth realms, but has no day-to-day involvement in the...
, Defender of the Faith
Fidei defensor
Fidei defensor is a Latin title which translates to Defender of the Faith in English and Défenseur de la Foi in French...
.
Effective with the Constitution of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, no British or other realm government can advise the sovereign on any matters pertinent to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, meaning that on all matters of the Vincentian state, the monarch is advised solely by Vincentian Ministers of the Crown
Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...
. As the monarch lives predominantly outside of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, one of the most important of these state duties carried out on the advice of the Vincentian Prime Minister is the appointment of the viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
, who is titled as Governor-General, and performs most of the Queen's domestic duties in her absence.
Succession
Succession is by male-preference primogeniturePrimogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
governed by both the Act of Settlement, 1701
Act of Settlement 1701
The Act of Settlement is an act of the Parliament of England that was passed in 1701 to settle the succession to the English throne on the Electress Sophia of Hanover and her Protestant heirs. The act was later extended to Scotland, as a result of the Treaty of Union , enacted in the Acts of Union...
, and Bill of Rights, 1689
Bill of Rights 1689
The Bill of Rights or the Bill of Rights 1688 is an Act of the Parliament of England.The Bill of Rights was passed by Parliament on 16 December 1689. It was a re-statement in statutory form of the Declaration of Right presented by the Convention Parliament to William and Mary in March 1689 ,...
, legislation that limits the succession to the natural (i.e. non-adopted
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
), legitimate descendants of Sophia, Electress of Hanover
Sophia of Hanover
Sophia of the Palatinate was an heiress to the crowns of England and Ireland and later the crown of Great Britain. She was declared heiress presumptive by the Act of Settlement 1701...
, and stipulates that the monarch cannot be a Roman Catholic, nor married to one, and must be in communion with the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
upon ascending the throne. Though, via adopting the Statute of Westminster, these constitutional laws as they apply to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines now lie within the full control of the Vincentian parliament
House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
The House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a unicameral legislature that serves as the legislative body for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines....
, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines also agreed not to change its rules of succession without the unanimous consent of the other realms, unless explicitly leaving the shared monarchy relationship; a situation that applies symmetrically
Symmetry
Symmetry generally conveys two primary meanings. The first is an imprecise sense of harmonious or aesthetically pleasing proportionality and balance; such that it reflects beauty or perfection...
in all the other realms, including the United Kingdom, and has been likened to a treaty
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
amongst these countries. Thus, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' line of succession remains identical to that of the United Kingdom
Succession to the British Throne
Succession to the British throne is governed both by common law and statute. Under common law the crown is currently passed on by male-preference primogeniture. In other words, succession passes first to an individual's sons, in order of birth, and subsequently to daughters, again in order of birth....
; however, the rules for succession are not fixed, but may be changed within Saint Vincent and the Grenadines by a constitutional amendment by the Vincentian parliament.
Demise of the Crown
In relation to the shared monarchy of the Commonwealth realms and other monarchies, the demise of the Crown is the legal term for the end of a reign by a king, queen, or emperor, whether by death or abdication....
(the death or abdication of a sovereign), the late sovereign's heir immediately and automatically succeeds, without any need for confirmation or further ceremony hence arises the phrase "The King is dead. Long live the King!
The King is dead. Long live the King!
The King is dead. Long live the King. is a traditional proclamation made following the accession of a new monarch in various countries, such as the United Kingdom....
." Following an appropriate period of mourning
Mourning
Mourning is, in the simplest sense, synonymous with grief over the death of someone. The word is also used to describe a cultural complex of behaviours in which the bereaved participate or are expected to participate...
, the monarch is also crowned
Coronation of the British monarch
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
in the United Kingdom in an ancient ritual, but one not necessary for a sovereign to reign. After an individual ascends the throne, he or she typically continues to reign until death, being unable to unilaterally abdicate per the tenets of constitutional monarchy.
Personification of the state
As the living embodimentMetaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
of the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
, the sovereign is regarded as the personification, or legal personality, of the Vincentian state
Sovereign state
A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...
, with the state therefore referred to as Her Majesty in right of Her Government in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, The Queen (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), or simply The Queen. As such, the monarch is the owner of all state property for instance, prisons in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are called Her Majesty's Prisons though, this is all in his or her position as sovereign, and not as an individual; all such property is held by the Crown in perpetuity and cannot be sold by the sovereign without the proper advice and consent of his or her ministers.
Constitutional role
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' constitution is made up of a variety of statutes and conventions that are either British or Vincentian in origin, and together give Saint Vincent and the Grenadines a parliamentary systemParliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
of government wherein the role of the Queen is both legal and practical. The Crown is regarded as a corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
, with the sovereign, vested as she is with all powers of state, as the centre of a construct in which the power of the whole is shared by multiple institutions of government acting under the sovereign's authority. Though her authority stems from the people, all Vincentians live under the authority of the monarch. The vast powers that belong to the Crown are collectively known as the Royal Prerogative
Royal Prerogative
The royal prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognized in common law and, sometimes, in civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the sovereign alone. It is the means by which some of the executive powers of government, possessed by and...
, the exercise of which does not require parliamentary approval, though it is not unlimited; for example, the monarch does not have the prerogative to impose and collect new taxes without the authorization of an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
. Also, per convention, the sovereign reigns according to Vincentian law; this is illustrated in the sovereign's Coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
Oath, wherein he or she promises to govern her peoples "according to their respective laws and customs."
The Crown also sits at the pinnacle of the Royal Saint Vincent Police Force
Law enforcement in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Law enforcement in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is the responsibility of the Royal Saint Vincent Police. The force maintains a coast guard and a Special Services Unit ....
. All new recruits into the force must swear allegiance to the monarch as the embodiment of the state and its authority, the oath including the words: "I, [name], do swear that I will well and truly serve Our Sovereign Lady the Queen as a member of the Police Force in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines without favour or affection, malice or ill will; and that I will cause Her Majesty's Peace to be preserved..."
Executive
The government of Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesPolitics of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Politics of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines takes place in the framework of an independent parliamentary democratic Commonwealth Realm with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state, represented by a Governor General, who acts on the advice of the prime minister and the cabinet...
is the Queen's government, and is defined by the constitution as the Queen acting on the advice of her Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
a committee charged with advising
Advice (constitutional)
Advice, in constitutional law, is formal, usually binding, instruction given by one constitutional officer of state to another. Especially in parliamentary systems of government, Heads of state often act on the basis of advice issued by prime ministers or other government ministers...
the Crown on the exercise of the Royal Prerogative. One of the main duties of the Crown is to appoint a prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
to thereafter head this group; the Queen is informed by her viceroy of the swearing-in and resignation of prime ministers and other members of the ministry, remains fully briefed through regular communications from her Vincentian ministers, and holds audience with them whenever possible.
In the construct of constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
and responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
, the ministerial advice tendered is typically binding, meaning the monarch reigns but does not rule; this has been the case in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines since the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
ended the reign of the territory's last absolute monarch
Absolute monarchy
Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government in which the monarch exercises ultimate governing authority as head of state and head of government, his or her power not being limited by a constitution or by the law. An absolute monarch thus wields unrestricted political power over the...
, King Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
. It is important to note, however, that the Royal Prerogative belongs to the Crown and not to any of the ministers, and the royal and viceroyal figures may unilaterally use these powers in exceptional constitutional crisis
Constitutional crisis
A constitutional crisis is a situation that the legal system's constitution or other basic principles of operation appear unable to resolve; it often results in a breakdown in the orderly operation of government...
situations. There are also a few duties which must be specifically performed by, or bills that require assent by, the Queen; these include applying the royal sign-manual
Royal sign-manual
The royal sign manual is the formal name given in the Commonwealth realms to the autograph signature of the sovereign, by the affixing of which the monarch expresses his or her pleasure either by order, commission, or warrant. A sign-manual warrant may be either an executive actfor example, an...
and Great Seal to the appointment papers of governors general, the creation of Vincentian honours, and the approval of any change in her Vincentian title.
Parliament
The sovereign is one of the two components of parliamentHouse of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
The House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a unicameral legislature that serves as the legislative body for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines....
, and all laws are the monarch's laws, as illustrated in the enacting formula for Vincentian acts of parliament, which reads: "BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and by the authority of the same as follows." The monarch and viceroy do not, however, participate in the legislative process, save for the granting of Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
, which is necessary for a bill to be enacted as law.
Courts
The sovereign is responsible for rendering justice for all her subjects, and is thus traditionally deemed the fount of justice. However, she does not personally rule in judicial cases; instead the judicial functions of the Royal Prerogative are performed in trust and in the Queen's name by Officers of Her Majesty's Court. Extending from this is the notion in common law that the sovereign "can do no wrong"; the monarch cannot be prosecuted in her own courts for criminal offences. Civil lawsuits against the Crown in its public capacity (that is, lawsuits against the Queen-in-Council) are permitted; however, lawsuits against the monarch personally are not cognizable. The monarch, and by extension the Governor General, also grants immunity from prosecution, exercises the Royal Prerogative of Mercy, and may pardon offences against the Crown, either before, during, or after a trial.As the judges and courts are the sovereign's judges and courts, and as all law in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines derives from the Crown, the monarch stands to give legitimacy to courts of justice, and is the source of their judicial authority. An image of the Queen and/or the Arms of Her Majesty in Right of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Coat of arms of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
The coat of arms of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is surmounted by a cotton plant and bears the text "Peace and Justice" in Latin. The centerpiece is based on the colonial badge in use from 1907 to 1979 and features two women in classical Roman dress...
is always displayed in Vincentian federal courtrooms.
Cultural role
Members of the Royal Family undertake official royal tours. Usually important milestones, anniversaries, or celebrations of Vincentian culture will warrant the presence of the monarch such as when Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of EdinburghPrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
, toured the country to mark its anniversary of independence while other royals will be asked to participate in lesser occasions. Apart from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Queen and other members of the Royal Family regularly perform public duties in the other fifteen nations of the Commonwealth in which the Queen is head of state.
Debate
There had been little debate on the monarchy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines before Prime Minister Ralph GonsalvesRalph Gonsalves
Ralph Everard Gonsalves , also known as "Comrade Ralph", is the fourth and current Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and leader of the Unity Labour Party . Gonsalves became Prime Minister after his party won a majority government in the 2001 general election...
initiated in 2002, the year of Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee, a republican movement against what he deemed to be "the remnants of colonialism," eventuating in a constitutional referendum in 2009
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines constitutional referendum, 2009
A constitutional referendum was held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on 25 November 2009, which would have replaced the constitution in force since independence in 1979. The proposal was supported by only 43.13% of voters in the referendum, well short of the required two-thirds threshold...
, just days before the Queen was in the Caribbean for a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, , is a biennial summit meeting of the heads of government from all Commonwealth nations. Every two years the meeting is held in a different member state, and is chaired by that nation's respective Prime Minister or President, who becomes the...
. Despite heavy campaigning by the Ministers of the Crown, the referendum was defeated with only 43.13% of voters supporting the idea, well short of the required two-thirds threshold.
See also
- Current Commonwealth realms
- Prime Ministers of Queen Elizabeth IIPrime Ministers of Queen Elizabeth IIQueen Elizabeth II has been head of state of 32 different Commonwealth realms since 1952. Currently, there are 16 realms. The Queen has had 12 British Prime Ministers, second only to George III, who had 14, and two more than the number had by Queen Victoria. She has also had 14 New Zealand Prime...
- List of Commonwealth visits made by Queen Elizabeth II
- Monarchies in the AmericasMonarchies in the AmericasThere are currently 13 monarchies in the Americas; that is: self-governing states and territories in North and South America where supreme power resides with an individual, who is recognised as the head of state...
- List of monarchies