HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The monarchy of the Bahamas is a system of government in which a hereditary
monarch A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...
is the sovereign and
head of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The current Bahamian monarch and head of state since 8 September 2022, is
King Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...
. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Bahamian Crown. Although the person of the sovereign is equally shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations, each country's monarchy is separate and legally distinct. As a result, the current monarch is officially titled ''King of the Bahamas'' and, in this capacity, he and other members of the
royal family A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term ...
undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of the Bahamian state. However, the King is the only member of the Royal Family with any constitutional role. All
executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dir ...
authority In the fields of sociology and political science, authority is the legitimate power of a person or group over other people. In a civil state, ''authority'' is practiced in ways such a judicial branch or an executive branch of government.''The N ...
is vested in the monarch, and
royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in other ...
is required for the Bahamian Parliament to enact laws and for
letters patent Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, titl ...
and
Orders in Council An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council ('' Ki ...
to have legal effect. Most of the powers are exercised by the elected members of parliament, the ministers of the Crown generally drawn from amongst them, and the judges and justices of the peace. Other powers vested in the monarch, such as the appointment of a prime minister, are significant but are treated only as
reserve power In a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government, a reserve power, also known as discretionary power, is a power that may be exercised by the head of state without the approval of another branch or part of the government. Unlike in a ...
s and as an important security part of the role of the monarchy. The Crown today primarily functions as a guarantor of continuous and stable governance and a nonpartisan safeguard against the
abuse of power Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other t ...
. While some powers are exercisable only by the sovereign, most of the monarch's operational and ceremonial duties are exercised by his representative, the
governor-general of the Bahamas The governor-general of the Bahamas is the vice-regal representative of the Bahamian monarch, currently King Charles III, in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The governor-general is appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prim ...
.


Origin

In 1629, King Charles I granted Robert Heath, attorney general of England, territories in America including "Bahama and all other Isles and Islands lying southerly there or neare upon the foresayd continent". Charles Towne was settled in 1660 and named for King Charles II, but its name was changed to Nassau after William III came to the throne; the German region Nassau was a holding of William's family. The Bahamas became a
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
crown colony A Crown colony or royal colony was a colony administered by The Crown within the British Empire. There was usually a Governor, appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the UK Government, with or without the assistance of a local Counci ...
in 1718, when the British clamped down on
piracy Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...
. In August 1940, the
Duke of Windsor Duke of Windsor was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 8 March 1937 for the former monarch Edward VIII, following his abdication on 11 December 1936. The dukedom takes its name from the town where Windsor Castle, a ...
was appointed
Governor of the Bahamas This is a list of governors of the Bahamas. The first English settlement in the Bahamas was on Eleuthera. In 1670, the king granted the Bahamas to the lords proprietors of the Province of Carolina, but the islands were left to themselves. The loc ...
. He arrived in the colony with his wife
Wallis, Duchess of Windsor Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (born Bessie Wallis Warfield, later Simpson; June 19, 1896 – April 24, 1986), was an American socialite and wife of the former King Edward VIII. Their intention to marry and her status as a divorcée caused ...
. The Duke was praised at the time for his efforts to combat poverty on the islands. In May 1963, a conference was held in London to consider a new constitution for the islands. The islands were granted full internal self-government, with the governor retaining reserved powers only for foreign affairs, defense, and internal security. On 10 July 1973,
Charles, Prince of Wales Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...
delivered the official documents to
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Lynden Pindling Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, NH, KCMG, PC, JP (22 March 193026 August 2000) was a Bahamian politician who is regarded as the "Father of the Nation" of the Bahamas, having led it to majority rule on 10 January 1967 and to independence on 10 Jul ...
, officially declaring the Bahamas a fully independent nation, within the
Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...
. Shortly after independence, Sir John Paul was appointed the first
governor-general of the Bahamas The governor-general of the Bahamas is the vice-regal representative of the Bahamian monarch, currently King Charles III, in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The governor-general is appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prim ...
, the vice-regal representative of
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
, Queen of the Bahamas.


The Bahamian Crown and its aspects

The Bahamas is one of fifteen independent nations, known as Commonwealth realms, which shares its sovereign with other monarchies in the
Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...
, with the monarch's relationship with the Bahamas completely independent from his position as monarch of any other realm. Despite sharing the same person as their respective monarch, each of the Commonwealth realms – including the Bahamas – is sovereign and independent of the others. The Bahamian monarch is represented by a
viceroy A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning "k ...
—the governor-general of the Bahamas—in the Bahamian realm.The Queen's role in the Bahamas
/ref> Since Bahamian independence in 1973, the pan-national Crown has had both a shared and a separate character and the sovereign's role as monarch of Bahamas is distinct to his or her position as monarch of any other realm, including the United Kingdom. The monarchy thus ceased to be an exclusively British institution and in the Bahamas became a Bahamian, or "domesticated" establishment. This division is illustrated in a number of ways: The sovereign, for example, holds a unique Bahamian title and, when he is acting in public specifically as a representative of the Bahamas, he uses, where possible, Bahamian symbols, including the country's
national flag A national flag is a flag that represents and symbolizes a given nation. It is flown by the government of that nation, but usually can also be flown by its citizens. A national flag is typically designed with specific meanings for its colours ...
, unique royal symbols, and the like. Only Bahamian
government ministers A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ‘prime minister’, ...
can advise the sovereign on matters of the Bahamian state. In the Bahamas, the legal personality of the
State State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...
is referred to as "His Majesty the King in Right of The Bahamas".


Title

In the Bahamas, the King's official title is: Charles the Third'', by the Grace of God, King of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and of His other Realms and Territories,
Head of the Commonwealth The head of the Commonwealth is the ceremonial leader who symbolises "the free association of independent member nations" of the Commonwealth of Nations, an intergovernmental organisation that currently comprises 56 sovereign states. There is ...
''. This style communicates the Bahamas's status as an independent monarchy, highlighting the Monarch's role specifically as Sovereign of the Bahamas, as well as the shared aspect of the Crown throughout the realms. Typically, the Sovereign is styled "King of the Bahamas," and is addressed as such when in the Bahamas, or performing duties on behalf of the Bahamas abroad.


Oath of allegiance

As the embodiment of the state, the monarch is the locus of oaths of Allegiance. This is done in reciprocation to the sovereign's
Coronation A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...
Oath, wherein they promise to govern the peoples of their realms, "according to their respective laws and customs". The oath of allegiance in the Bahamas is:


Succession

Like some realms, the Bahamas defers to United Kingdom law to determine the line of succession. Succession is by
absolute primogeniture Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...
governed by the provisions of the
Succession to the Crown Act 2013 The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 (c. 20) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that altered the laws of succession to the British throne in accordance with the 2011 Perth Agreement. The Act replaced male-preference primogeniture ...
, as well as the
Act of Settlement, 1701 The Act of Settlement is an Acts of the Parliament of England, Act of the Parliament of England that settled the order of succession, succession to the English Monarchs, English and List of Irish monarchs, Irish crowns to only Protestants, whic ...
, and the Bill of Rights, 1689. This legislation limits the succession to the natural (i.e. non-
adopted Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from ...
), legitimate descendants of Sophia, Electress of Hanover, and stipulates that the monarch cannot be a
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
, and must be in communion with the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
upon ascending the throne. Though these constitutional laws, as they apply to the Bahamas, still lie within the control of the
British parliament The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative supremacy ...
, both the United Kingdom and the Bahamas cannot change the rules of succession without the unanimous consent of the other realms, unless explicitly leaving the shared monarchy relationship; a situation that applies identically in all the other realms, and which has been likened to a
treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations An international organization or international o ...
amongst these countries. Upon a
demise of the Crown Demise of the Crown is the legal term in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms for the transfer of the Crown upon the death of the monarch. The Crown transfers automatically to the monarch's heir. The concept evolved in the kingdom of En ...
(the death or abdication of a sovereign), it is customary for the accession of the new monarch to be publicly proclaimed by the governor-general in the capital, Nassau, after the accession. Regardless of any proclamations, the late sovereign's heir immediately and automatically succeeds, without any need for confirmation or further ceremony. An appropriate period of mourning also follows, during which flags across the country are flown at half-mast to honour the late monarch. The day of the funeral is likely to be a public holiday.


Constitutional role and royal prerogative

The Bahamian constitution is made up of a variety of statutes and conventions which gives the Bahamas a parliamentary system of government under a constitutional monarchy, wherein the role of the monarch and governor-general is both legal and practical, but not political. The Crown is regarded as a corporation, in which several parts share the authority of the whole, with the sovereign as the person at the centre of the constitutional construct,Cox, Noel; ''Murdoch University Electronic Journal of Law'': Black v Chrétien: Suing a Minister of the Crown for Abuse of Power, Misfeasance in Public Office and Negligence; Volume 9, Number 3 (September 2002)
/ref> meaning all powers of state are constitutionally reposed in the Bahamian monarch. The government of Bahamas is also thus formally referred to as ''
His Majesty's Government ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal Arms , date_es ...
''. Most of the monarch's domestic duties are performed by the governor-general, appointed by the monarch on the advice of the
Prime Minister of the Bahamas The prime minister of the Bahamas is the head of government of the Bahamas. The prime minister is formally appointed into office by the governor-general of the Bahamas, who represents Charles III, the king of the Bahamas (the Bahamian head of s ...
. All institutions of government act under the sovereign's authority; the vast powers that belong to the Bahamian Crown are collectively known as the
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 and which have become widely vested in th ...
. Parliamentary approval is not required for the exercise of the Royal Prerogative; moreover, the consent of the Crown is must before either of the houses of parliament may even debate a bill affecting the sovereign's prerogatives or interests.


Executive

One of the main duties of the Crown is to appoint a
prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
, who thereafter heads the Bahamian cabinet and advises the monarch or governor-general on how to execute their executive powers over all aspects of government operations and foreign affairs. The monarch's, and thereby the viceroy's role is almost entirely symbolic and cultural, acting as a symbol of the legal authority under which all governments and agencies operate, while the Cabinet directs the use of the Royal Prerogative, which includes the privilege to declare war, maintain the King's peace, and direct the actions of the
Royal Bahamas Defence Force The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) is the military of The Bahamas. Since The Bahamas does not have an army or an air force, its navy composes the entirety of its armed forces. Under The Defence Act, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force has been m ...
, as well as to summon and prorogue parliament and call elections. However, it is important to note that the Royal Prerogative belongs to the Crown and not to any of the ministers, though it might have sometimes appeared that way, and the constitution allows the governor-general to unilaterally use these powers in relation to the dismissal of a prime minister, dissolution of parliament, and removal of a judge in exceptional,
constitutional crisis In political science, a constitutional crisis is a problem or conflict in the function of a government that the political constitution or other fundamental governing law is perceived to be unable to resolve. There are several variations to this d ...
situations. There are also a few duties which are specifically performed by the monarch, such as appointing the governor-general. The governor-general, to maintain the stability of the Bahamian government, appoints as prime minister the individual most likely to maintain the support of the
Bahamian House of Assembly The Parliament of the Bahamas is the bicameralism, bicameral national parliament of the The Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The parliament is formally made up of Queen of the Bahamas, the sovereign (represented by the Governor-General of th ...
. The governor-general additionally appoints a Cabinet, at the direction of the prime minister, at least eight other
ministers of the Crown Minister of the Crown is a formal constitutional term used in Commonwealth realms to describe a minister of the reigning sovereign or viceroy. The term indicates that the minister serves at His Majesty's pleasure, and advises the sovereign or ...
. The monarch is informed by his viceroy of the acceptance of the resignation of a prime minister and the swearing-in of a new prime minister and other members of the ministry, and he remains fully briefed through regular communications from her Bahamian ministers. Members of various executive agencies and other officials are appointed by the Crown. The appointment of senators, and
Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
justices also falls under the Royal Prerogative.


Foreign affairs

The Royal Prerogative further extends to foreign affairs: the governor-general ratifies treaties, alliances, and international agreements. As with other uses of the Royal Prerogative, no parliamentary approval is required. However, a treaty cannot alter the domestic laws of the Bahamas; an Act of Parliament is necessary in such cases. The governor-general, on behalf of the monarch, also accredits Bahamian High Commissioners and ambassadors and receives diplomats from foreign states. In addition, the issuance of passports falls under the Royal Prerogative and, as such, all
Bahamian passport The Bahamian passport is issued to citizens of the Bahamas for international travel. As of March 2019, Bahamian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 154 countries and territories, ranking the Bahamian passport 26th in terms of trav ...
s are issued in the governor-general's name, the monarch's representative in the Bahamas.


Parliament

The sovereign, along with the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
and the House of Assembly, is one of the three components of the
Bahamian parliament The Parliament of the Bahamas is the bicameral national parliament of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The parliament is formally made up of the sovereign (represented by the governor-general), an appointed Senate, and an elected House of Assemb ...
. The monarch does not, however, participate in the legislative process; the viceroy does, though only in the granting of
royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in other ...
. Further, the constitution outlines that the governor-general alone is responsible for appointing senators. The viceroy must make nine senatorial appointments on the advice of the prime minister, four on the advice of leader of the opposition, and three on the advice of both. The viceroy additionally summons, prorogues, and dissolves parliament; after the latter, the writs for a general election are usually dropped by the governor-general at Government House, Nassau. The new parliamentary session is marked by the Opening of Parliament, during which the monarch or the governor-general reads the
Speech from the Throne A speech from the throne, or throne speech, is an event in certain monarchies in which the reigning sovereign, or a representative thereof, reads a prepared speech to members of the nation's legislature when a session is opened, outlining th ...
. All laws in the Bahamas are enacted only with the viceroy's granting of
royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in other ...
in the monarch's name. The royal assent, and proclamation, are required for all acts of parliament, usually granted or withheld by the governor-general, with the Public Seal of the Bahamas.


Courts

Within the Commonwealth realms, the sovereign is responsible for rendering justice for all his subjects, and is thus traditionally deemed the ''fount of justice''. In the Bahamas, criminal offences are legally deemed to be offences against the sovereign and proceedings for
indictable In many common law jurisdictions (e.g. England and Wales, Ireland, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore), an indictable offence is an offence which can only be tried on an indictment after a preliminary hearing ...
offences are brought in the sovereign's name in the form of ''The King versus
ame #REDIRECT AME #REDIRECT AME {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous page ...
{{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous page ...
'. Hence, the common law holds that the sovereign "can do no wrong"; the monarch cannot be prosecuted in his or her own courts for criminal offences. The governor-general, on behalf of the Bahamian monarch, can also grant immunity from prosecution, exercise the ''
royal prerogative of mercy In the English and British tradition, the royal prerogative of mercy is one of the historic royal prerogatives of the British monarch, by which they can grant pardons (informally known as a royal pardon) to convicted persons. The royal preroga ...
'', and pardon offences against the Crown, either before, during, or after a trial. The exercise of the 'Prerogative of mercy' to grant a pardon and the commutation of prison sentences is described in section 90 of the Constitution. All justices of the Supreme Court are appointed by the governor-general. All Bahamian judges have to swear that they will "well and truly serve" the monarch of the Bahamas, on taking office. Under the ''Official Oaths Act'', the Judicial Oath is: The monarch does not, however, personally rule in judicial cases; instead, judicial functions are performed in his name. In international cases, as a
sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin , meaning 'above'. The roles of a sovereign vary from monarch, ruler or ...
and under established principles of
international law International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognized as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for ...
, the King of the Bahamas is not subject to suit in foreign courts without his express consent. In addition, the monarch also serves as a symbol of the legitimacy of courts of justice and of their judicial authority. An image of the monarch or the
Coat of arms of Bahamas The coat of arms of the Bahamas contains a shield with the national symbols as its focal point. Official description The blazon of the coat of arms is described in Bahamas law: Arms: Upon a representation of the Santa Maria on a base barry wa ...
is always displayed in Bahamian courtrooms.


Cultural role

The Bahamian monarch sends congratulatory messages to Bahamian citizens celebrating their 100th birthday, and to married couples on their 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries.


The Crown and Honours

Within the Commonwealth realms, the monarch is deemed the
fount of honour The fount of honour ( la, fons honorum) is a person, who, by virtue of his or her official position, has the exclusive right of conferring legitimate titles of nobility and orders of chivalry on other persons. Origin During the High Middle Ages, ...
. Similarly, the monarch, as Sovereign of the Bahamas, confers awards and honours in the Bahamas in his name. Most of them are often awarded on the advice of "His Majesty's Bahamas Ministers". Through the passage of the ''National Honours Act 2016'', the Bahamas established seven national orders on 27 January 2016. The monarch's vice-regal representative, the governor-general, serves as the Chancellor of all these orders.


The Crown and the Defence Force

The Crown sits at the pinnacle of the Bahamian Defence Force. It is reflected in Bahamas's naval vessels, which bear the prefix ''HMBS'', i.e., ''His Majesty's Bahamian Ship''. The Defence Force of the Bahamas is known as " The Royal Bahamas Defence Force". The monarch is the Head of the RBDF. In September 1979, Princess Anne visited the Bahamas Defence Force Base at Coral Harbour, and unveiled a plaque designating the Base as "Her Majesty's Bahamian Ship Coral Harbour". The Princess officially conferred the title "Royal" on the Force, making it known thereafter as the "Royal Bahamas Defence Force". Every member of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force has to swear allegiance to the Bahamian monarch on taking office. The oath is:


The Crown and the Police Force

The national police force of the Bahamas is known as " The Royal Bahamas Police Force". The
St. Edward's Crown St Edward's Crown is the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Named after Saint Edward the Confessor, versions of it have traditionally been used to crown English and British monarchs at Coronation of the British monarch, the ...
appears on the Bahamian Police's badges and rank insignia, which illustrates the monarchy as the locus of authority. Every member of the Royal Bahamas Police Force has to swear allegiance to the monarch of the Bahamas, on taking office. Under the Bahamian ''Police Service Act'', the oath of office, which is to be taken after the oath of allegiance, is:


Bahamian royal symbols

The main symbol of the Bahamian monarchy is the sovereign himself. Thus, framed portraits of him are displayed in public buildings and government offices. Banknotes in the Bahamas feature the monarch's portrait on the obverse. The monarch also appears on commemorative Bahamian stamps. A crown is also used to illustrate the monarchy as the locus of authority, appearing on police force, postal workers, prison officers rank insignia. ''
God Save The King "God Save the King" is the national anthem, national and/or royal anthem of the United Kingdom, most of the Commonwealth realms, their territories, and the British Crown Dependencies. The author of the tune is unknown and it may originate in ...
'' is the royal anthem of the Bahamas. Under the Bahamian Oath of Citizenship, new Bahamian citizens have to take a pledge of allegiance to the monarch of the Bahamas, and his heirs and successors.


Royal visits

The Sovereign and members of the Royal Family have toured the Bahamas on several occasions. As part of larger Caribbean tours, the islands were visited by the Queen and her husband
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from El ...
, in February 1966. In July 1973, the Prince of Wales represented the Queen at the Bahamian independence celebrations in Nassau. The Queen and her husband returned to the islands in February 1975, and again during her Silver Jubilee tour in October 1977.The Queen and the Bahamas: Royal Visits
/ref> Princess Anne visited the Bahamas in 1979 with her husband Captain Mark Phillips to commemorate 250 years of Bahamian parliamentary democracy. The Prince and Princess of Wales visited in 1982 for a 10-day vacation. The Queen and Prince Philp visited Nassau for the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM; or) is a biennial summit meeting of the governmental leaders from all Commonwealth nations. Despite the name, the head of state may be present in the meeting instead of the head of go ...
in October 1985. The Queen and the Duke visited again in March 1994.
Prince Harry Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, (Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984) is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger son of Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. He is fifth in the line of succ ...
visited the Bahamas in March 2012, during his tour of the Caribbean to mark the
Queen's Diamond Jubilee The year 2012 marked the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II being the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. The only diamond jubilee celebration for any of Elizabeth's predecessors was in 1897, for the 60th an ...
. In a speech he said that the country's motto "encapsulates The Queen's extraordinary life-long commitment to service and community: 'Forward, Upward, Onward, Together'". The Princess Royal visited the Bahamas in 2015. The Earl and Countess of Wessex visited in 2016. The
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
and
Duchess of Cambridge Duke of Cambridge, one of several current royal dukedoms in the United Kingdom , is a hereditary title of specific rank of nobility in the British royal family. The title (named after the city of Cambridge in England) is heritable by male de ...
toured the country in March 2022, to mark the
Queen's Platinum Jubilee The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II was the international celebration in 2022 marking the Platinum jubilee, 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952, the first British monarch to ever celebrate one. In the Un ...
.


Republicanism

The monarchy is not a major topic of debate in the Bahamas. The Constitutional Commission, which recommends making the governor-general president, has found "mixed feelings" on the matter, with a significant number of respondents being indifferent. In 2020, former Attorney General Sean McWeeney stated the Bahamas' transition to a republic may be "inevitable" at some point, but that there is no real appetite or momentum among the Bahamian public for it yet, nor is there mainstream political will. There are some minor and new republican parties such as
Coalition of Independents Political parties in the Bahamas may be "classified", "nonclassified", or "unclassified". Classified parties are "major" or "minor" depending on electoral performance and competitive ability. Parties represented in Parliament Classification of ...
(COI). Following the
proclamation of accession of Charles III Charles III acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom and the thrones of the other Commonwealth realms upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, on the afternoon of 8 September 2022. Royal succession in the realms occurs immediately upon ...
, Prime Minister Philip Davis announced his government's intention to hold a referendum on becoming a republic.


List of Bahamian monarchs


See also

*
Lists of office-holders These are lists of incumbents (individuals holding offices or positions), including heads of states or of subnational entities. A historical discipline, archontology, focuses on the study of past and current office holders. Incumbents may also ...
*
List of prime ministers of Elizabeth II From becoming queen on 6 February 1952, Elizabeth II was head of state of 32 States headed by Elizabeth II, independent states; at the time of her death, there were 15 states, called Commonwealth realms. Within the Westminster system in each r ...
* List of prime ministers of Charles III *
List of Commonwealth visits made by Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II became Head of the Commonwealth upon the death of her father, King George VI, on 6 February 1952 and remained Head of the Commonwealth until her death on 8 September 2022. During that time, she toured the Commonwealth of Na ...
*
Monarchies in the Americas There are 12 monarchies in the Americas (self-governing states and territories that have a monarch as head of state). Each is a constitutional monarchy, wherein the sovereign inherits his or her office, usually keeping it until death or abdica ...
* List of monarchies


References

{{Navboxes , title = Articles related to the Bahamian monarchy , list1 = {{Bahamas topics {{Commonwealth realms {{Monarchies {{American monarchies {{Elizabeth II {{Charles III {{Heads of state and government of North America Government of the Bahamas Politics of the Bahamas
Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...
Heads of state of the Bahamas 1973 establishments in the Bahamas Monarchies of North America Kingdoms