The monarchy of Saint Lucia 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. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power i ...
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
Saint Lucia. The current 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 Saint Lucian 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 Saint Lucia'' and, in this capacity, he and other members of the Royal Family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of the Saint Lucian 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 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 oth ...
is required for the Parliament of Saint Lucia to enact laws and for
letters patent 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 (''King ...
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 ...
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. 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 Saint Lucia
The governor-general of Saint Lucia is the representative of the Saint Lucian monarch, currently Charles III. The official residence of the governor-general is Government House.
The position of governor-general was established when Saint Luci ...
.
Origins
![Timbre SteLucie E2 couronnement 1953](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Timbre_SteLucie_E2_couronnement_1953.jpg)
The French were the first Europeans to settle on the island. They signed a treaty with the native
Island Caribs in 1660. England took control of the island from 1663 to 1667. In ensuing years, it was at war with France fourteen times, and the rule of the island changed frequently. Saint Lucia was finally ceded to Britain in 1814 by the
Treaty of Paris Treaty of Paris may refer to one of many treaties signed in Paris, France:
Treaties
1200s and 1300s
* Treaty of Paris (1229), which ended the Albigensian Crusade
* Treaty of Paris (1259), between Henry III of England and Louis IX of France
* Trea ...
, after which it became a crown colony. During 1838–85, together with the other islands of the Windward group, it was administered by the governor of Barbados. Representative government was obtained by the constitution of 1924.
After attempting
a federation with other West Indian colonies in 1958, Saint Lucia continued as a
self-governing colony
In the British Empire, a self-governing colony was a colony with an elected government in which elected rulers were able to make most decisions without referring to the colonial power with nominal control of the colony. This was in contrast to ...
and later assumed a status of association with the United Kingdom on 1 March 1967. Saint Lucia achieved full independence on 22 February 1979, as an independent realm within the Commonwealth, with Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state and Queen of Saint Lucia.
Princess Alexandra represented the Queen at the independence celebrations in 1979. She opened the first session of the new parliament on 22 February, on behalf of the Queen.
The Saint Lucian Crown and its aspects
Saint Lucia 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 ...
, with the monarch's relationship with Saint Lucia 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 Saint Lucia — is sovereign and independent of the others. The 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 " ...
—the governor-general of Saint Lucia—in the country.
[The Queen's role in St Lucia]
/ref>
Since the independence of Saint Lucia in 1979, the pan-national Crown has had both a shared and a separate character and the sovereign's role as monarch of Saint Lucia 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 Saint Lucia became a Saint Lucian, or "domesticated" establishment.
This division is illustrated in a number of ways: The sovereign, for example, holds a unique Saint Lucian title and, when he is acting in public specifically as a representative of Saint Lucia, he uses, where possible, symbols of Saint Lucia, including the country's national flag, unique royal symbols, and the like. Also, only Saint Lucia 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 country.[
In Saint Lucia, 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 "The Crown in right of Saint Lucia".
Title
In Saint Lucia, the monarch's official title is: ''Charles the Third, by the Grace of God King of Saint Lucia 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 Saint Lucia's status as an independent monarchy, highlighting the monarch's role specifically as sovereign of Saint Lucia, as well as the shared aspect of the Crown throughout the realms. Typically, the sovereign is styled "''King of Saint Lucia"'', and is addressed as such when in Saint Lucia, or performing duties on behalf of Saint Lucia abroad.
Succession
Like some realms, Saint Lucia defers to United Kingdom law to determine the line of succession.
Succession is by absolute primogeniture governed by the provisions of the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, 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), 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 let ...
, 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 Britai ...
upon ascending the throne. Though these constitutional laws, as they apply to Saint Lucia, 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 suprem ...
, both the United Kingdom and Saint Lucia 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, individuals, business entities, and other legal pe ...
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 proclaimed by the governor-general in the capital, Basseterre, 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.
Constitutional role
The Constitution of Saint Lucia is made up of a variety of statutes and conventions which gives Saint Lucia 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 monarch. The government of Saint Lucia 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_est ...
of Saint Lucia''.
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 Saint Lucia.
All institutions of government act under the sovereign's authority; the vast powers that belong to the Saint Lucian 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 i ...
, who thereafter heads the 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, and maintain the King's peace, 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 ...
situations.
There are also a few duties which are specifically performed by the monarch, such as appointing the governor-general.[The Queen's role in St Lucia]
/ref>
The governor-general, to maintain the stability of the government of Saint Lucia, appoints as prime minister the individual most likely to maintain the support of the Saint Lucian House of Assembly. The governor-general additionally appoints other ministers, at the direction of the prime minister. 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 his Saint Lucian ministers.[
]
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 Saint Lucia; an Act of Parliament is necessary in such cases. The governor-general, on behalf of the monarch, also accredits Saint Lucian 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 Saint Lucian passports are issued in the monarch's name.
Parliament
The sovereign, along with the Senate and the House of Assembly
House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level.
Historically, in British Crown colonies as the colony gained more internal responsible gove ...
, is one of the three components of the Parliament of Saint Lucia
The Parliament of Saint Lucia consists of
*the House of Assembly with 17 members, elected for a five-year term in single-seat constituencies.
*the Senate with 11 appointed members.
*the King of Saint Lucia, currently Charles III.
See also
...
.
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 oth ...
. Further, the constitution outlines that the governor-general alone is responsible for appointing senators. The viceroy must make six senatorial appointments on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of leader of the opposition, and two at his or her own discretion. 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, Castries.
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.
All laws in Saint Lucia 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 oth ...
in the monarch's name. Thus, bills begin with the phrase: "Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the House of Assembly and the Senate of Saint Lucia, and by the authority of the same, as follows". 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 Saint Lucia.
Courts
The Sovereign is deemed the "fount of justice," and is responsible for rendering justice for all subjects. The Sovereign does not personally rule in judicial cases; instead, judicial functions are performed in his or her name. In Saint Lucia, 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 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 highest court of appeal for Saint Lucia is the Judicial Committee of the King's Privy Council.
The governor-general, on behalf of the monarch of Saint Lucia, 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 prer ...
'', 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 74 of the Constitution.
The monarch does not, however, personally rule in judicial cases; instead, judicial functions are performed in his name. In international cases, as a sovereign 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 Saint Lucia 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.
Cultural role
The Crown and Honours
Within the Commonwealth realms, the monarch is deemed the fount of honour. Similarly, the monarch, as Sovereign of Saint Lucia, confers awards and honours in Saint Lucia in his name. Most of them are often awarded on the advice of "His Majesty's Saint Lucia Ministers".
Saint Lucia's own order of chivalry, called the Order of Saint Lucia
The Order of Saint Lucia is an order of chivalry established in 1986 by Elizabeth II. The Order comprises seven classes. In decreasing order of seniority, these are:
* ''Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Lucia'' (GCSL)
* ''Knight/Dame Commander ...
, was established on 13 December 1986 by warrant of the Queen of Saint Lucia under a royal sign manual. The Saint Lucian monarch is the Sovereign of the order, while the governor-general serves as the chancellor. In 2016, for the first time in the Order's history, the Queen approved the awarding of the knighthood
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the ...
s and damehoods within the Order of Saint Lucia.
The Crown and the Police Force
The national police force of Saint Lucia is known as " The Royal Saint Lucia 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 Police's badges and rank insignia, which illustrates the monarchy as the locus of authority.
Every member of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force has to swear allegiance to the monarch of Saint Lucia, on taking office. Under the ''Police Act'' of Saint Lucia, every police officer has to make the following declaration on being appointed:
Saint Lucian royal symbols
The main symbol of the Saint Lucian monarchy is the sovereign himself. Thus, framed portraits of him are displayed in public buildings and government offices.
The former Queen also appears on commemorative stamps of Saint Lucia. A crown is also used to illustrate the monarchy as the locus of authority, appearing on police force, postal workers, prison officers, and Royal Saint Lucia Police Force badges and rank insignia.[
Flag of the Governor-General of Saint Lucia.svg, The flag of the Saint Lucian governor-general featuring ]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 their coronations since the 13th cen ...
Royal Saint Lucia Police Force emblem.svg, The emblem of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force featuring the Crown
Gates of Government House, Castries.jpg, The arch above the gates of Government House featuring an inscription marking the Queen's first ever visit to Saint Lucia on 16 February 1966
Saint Lucia stamp type 2.jpg, A Saint Lucian meter stamp featuring the Crown
Royal visits
Queen Elizabeth II first visited Saint Lucia as part of her Caribbean tour of 1966. During her visit she opened the new Winban Research Centre. She 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 E ...
, travelled on HMY Britannia
Her Majesty's Yacht ''Britannia'', also known as the Royal Yacht ''Britannia'', is the former royal yacht of the British monarchy. She was in service from 1954 until 1997. She was the 83rd such vessel since King Charles II acceded to the th ...
. They were treated to traditional Saint Lucian Dances and a firework display. In 1979 Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy represented the Queen at the independence celebrations. In 1985, the Queen laid the foundation stone for the new Red Cross headquarters and visited residential homes for the elderly and schools. They also visited the Girls' Vocational School where they met children involved with The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme.[Royal Visits]
/ref>
The Prince of Wales visited in 1989 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of these celebrations.[ The Duke of Edinburgh visited in 1998 as chairman of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The Duke of York visited Saint Lucia in 2004 to celebrate 25 years of the island's independence. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall visited in March 2008. In 2012, the ]Earl
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form '' jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particula ...
and Countess of Wessex, visited the country to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and took part in the independence anniversary celebrations. 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 in 2016, when he watched a cricket match, attended a street market and visited conservation projects.
The Prince of Wales visited in 2019 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Saint Lucia's independence, and watched a ceremony and military parade in Castries. The Earl and Countess of Wessex visited in April 2022 to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. During the visit, they attended a Jubilee church service, visited Morne Fortune, met locals in Soufrière, and met pupils from six separate Saint Lucian schools.
List of Saint Lucian monarchs
See also
* History of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia was inhabited by the Arawak and Kalinago Caribs before European contact in the early 16th century. It was colonized by the British and French in the 17th century and was the subject of several possession changes until 1814, when it w ...
* Lists of office-holders
* 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
* List of monarchies
References
External links
St Lucia
at the website of The Royal Family
Office of the Governor-General of Saint Lucia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monarchy of Saint Lucia
Government of Saint Lucia
Politics of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Heads of state of Saint Lucia
1979 establishments in Saint Lucia
Monarchies of North America
Kingdoms