Queen of Malta

Queen of Malta

Elizabeth II on a Maltese stamp, 1954
Details
Style Her Majesty
Formation 21 September 1964
Abolition 13 December 1974

From 1964 to 1974, Elizabeth II was Queen of Malta. The State of Malta was an independent sovereign state and the Queen was also monarch of the other Commonwealth realms, including the United Kingdom. The Queen's constitutional roles in Malta were mostly delegated to a Governor-General.

Malta became a republic within the Commonwealth in 1974, and the Queen was replaced as head of state by the President of Malta.

History

Queen Elizabeth II reviewing British naval personnel in Malta, 1954

Elizabeth II became Queen of Malta with the passage of the Malta Independence Act 1964. The Act transformed the British Crown Colony of Malta into the State of Malta, an independent Commonwealth realm. The Queen's executive powers were delegated to and exercised by the Governor-General of Malta.

Elizabeth II remained the head of state of Malta until the amendment of the Constitution of Malta on 13 December 1974, which abolished the monarchy and established the Republic of Malta and the office of President of Malta.

Elizabeth II officially visited the Crown Colony of Malta in 1954 (3–7 May) and the State of Malta in 1967 (14–17 November).[1] She referenced her 1967 visit in her Christmas Broadcast that year, saying: "Today Malta is independent, with the Crown occupying the same position as it does in the other self-governing countries of which I am Queen. This is the opening of a new and challenging chapter for the people of Malta and they are entering it with determination and enthusiasm."[2]

Prior to becoming queen she stayed on the islands four times between 1949 and 1951 to visit her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who was stationed in Malta as a serving officer in the Royal Navy.[3][4]

Queen
Portrait Name Birth Death Consort Heir apparent
Elizabeth II 21 April 1926 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Charles, Prince of Wales
Titles
Elizabeth II
21 September 1964 – 18 January 1965: Għall-Grazzja t’Alla tar-Renju Unit tal-Britannja l-Kbira u ta’ l-Irlanda ta’ Fuq u tar-Renji u t-Territorji l-Oħra Tagħha, Reġina, Kap tal-Commonwealth u Difenditriċi tal-Fidi (By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith)[5]
18 January 1965 – 13 December 1974: Għall-Grazzja t’Alla, Reġina ta’ Malta u tar-Renji u t-Territorji l-Oħra Tagħha, Kap tal-Commonwealth (By the Grace of God, Queen of Malta and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth)[5]

Later visits

Elizabeth II visited Malta after it became a republic in 1992 (28–30 May), 2005 (23–26 November), and 2007 (20 November).[1] She attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2015 in Malta on 26–28 November 2015.[6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Commonwealth visits since 1952". Official website of the British monarchy. Royal Household. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  2. ↑ "Christmas Broadcast 1967". Official website of the British monarchy. Royal Household. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "Accession and Coronation". Official website of the British monarchy. Royal Household. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  4. ↑ "60 facts". Official website of the British monarchy. Royal Household. Archived from the original on October 8, 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  5. 1 2 Malta: Heads of State: 1964-1974
  6. ↑ "State Visit to Malta and CHOGM". Official website of the British monarchy (Press release). Royal Household. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
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