Queen Elizabeth II of Britain will lose a new country from the British crown on Monday, as Barbados announces the end of its last ties to it. Barbados is an island nation located in the Caribbean, with a population of no more than 300,000 people living on an area of 460 square kilometers. The former British colony gained independence in 1966 and revived its plan to transition to a republic last September, meaning the decision marks the end of the British queen as a symbol of the state.
Barbados' Governor-General Sandra Mason stated, "It is time to leave our colonial past behind us." Mason (73 years old) will later on Monday take the oath of office as the first president of Barbados, with the celebration coinciding with the country's 55th independence anniversary. The British heir apparent, Prince Charles, will attend the inauguration ceremony.
According to British Sky News, the Prince of Wales will reaffirm "the countless links between the peoples of our two countries" during the event. The British heir had arrived in Barbados earlier to participate in the ceremony, at the invitation of Prime Minister Mia Mottley.
Barbados is the first country to separate from the British crown in nearly three decades, following Mauritius in 1992. The American news network CNN quoted a source described as "royal" in Britain, stating that the decision to separate was made by the government and people of Barbados. The source noted that the decision was not surprising and had been discussed publicly before. It is worth mentioning that Queen Elizabeth II is considered the queen of 15 countries, including Canada and Australia.
