215-502: The King's Official Birthday is the selected day in most Commonwealth realms on which the birthday of the monarch is officially celebrated in those countries. It does not necessarily correspond to the date of the monarch's actual birth. The sovereign's birthday was first officially marked in the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1748, for King George II . Since then, the date of the king or queen's birthday has been determined throughout
430-555: A court that encompassed mostly Britain and not the Commonwealth as a whole, was in favour of the idea, but it did not attract wide support. Another thought raised was that viceregal appointments should become trans-Commonwealth; the governor-general of Australia would be someone from South Africa, the governor-general of Ceylon would come from New Zealand, and so on. The prime ministers of Canada and Australia, John Diefenbaker and Robert Menzies , respectively, were sympathetic to
645-604: A prime minister to thereafter head the Cabinet —a committee of the Privy Council charged with advising the Crown on the exercise of the royal prerogative. The monarch is informed by his viceroy of the swearing-in and resignation of prime ministers and other members of the ministry, remains fully briefed through regular communications from his Canadian ministers, and holds audience with them whenever possible. By convention,
860-502: A royal proclamation issued on 5 February established the Queen's official birthday as the last Monday before 25 May, making the link between Victoria Day and the sovereign's official birthday permanent, though not expressed explicitly. Though the holiday was called Sovereign's Birthday , the 1957 proclamation itself designated the day as "the Queen's birthday". As such, in May 2023, following
1075-562: A royal proclamation . Otherwise, all royal powers, including the royal prerogative , are carried out on behalf of the sovereign by the relevant viceroy. In the United Kingdom, the king appoints Counsellors of State to perform his constitutional duties in his absence. Similarly, the monarch will perform ceremonial duties in the Commonwealth realms to mark historically significant events. Citizens in Commonwealth realms may request birthday or wedding anniversary messages to be sent from
1290-711: A state visit to the United States as king of Canada . While the idea was embraced in Canada as a way to "translate the Statute of Westminster into the actualities of a tour", throughout the planning of the trip that took place in 1939, the British authorities resisted at numerous points the idea that the King be attended by his Canadian ministers instead of his British ones. The Canadian prime minister (still Mackenzie King)
1505-515: A 'United Empire'." The meeting did produce a five-year trade agreement based upon a policy, first conceived in the 1900s, of Imperial Preference : the countries retained their import tariffs, but lowered these for other Commonwealth countries. During his tenure as Governor General of Canada, Lord Tweedsmuir urged the organisation of a royal tour of the country by King George VI, so that he might not only appear in person before his people, but also personally perform constitutional duties and pay
1720-402: A 24-hour news mode. As funerals for Canada's sovereigns, as well as for their consorts, take place in the United Kingdom, commemoration services are conducted by the federal and provincial governments across Canada. Such ceremonies may also be held for other recently deceased members of the royal family. The day of the sovereign's funeral is likely to be a federal holiday. The new monarch
1935-690: A British order-in-council, as the monarch has, since then, assumed the Canadian throne according to Canadian law. For the accession of Charles III, the first since the creation of the Canadian Heraldic Authority in 1989, the Chief Herald read the royal proclamation aloud. If Parliament is in session, the Prime Minister will announce the demise of the Crown there and move for a joint address of sympathy and loyalty to
2150-625: A Canadian event taking place abroad, the Canadian secretary to the King , officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and other Canadian officials will take over from whichever of their other realms' counterparts were previously escorting the King or other member of the royal family. The sovereign similarly only draws from Canadian funds for support in the performance of his duties when in Canada or acting as King of Canada abroad; Canadians do not pay any money to
2365-490: A challenge to the law on the basis that a change to the succession in Canada would require unanimous consent of all provinces under section 41(a) of the Constitution Act, 1982 , Quebec Superior Court Justice Claude Bouchard ruled that Canada "did not have to change its laws nor its constitution for the British royal succession rules to be amended and effective" and constitutional convention committed Canada to having
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#17327867041532580-422: A constitutional amendment passed with the unanimous consent of the provinces, applies only to the "office of the Queen", but not who holds that office, and that therefore "ending the principle of symmetry with the United Kingdom can be done with the general amending procedure, or even by Parliament alone under section 44 of the Constitution Act, 1982 ." Ted McWhinney , another constitutional scholar, argued that
2795-404: A constitutional crisis and ensure that normal democratic discourse can resume. Consequently, the Crown performs two functions: as a unifying symbol and a protector of democratic rights and freedoms, "tightly woven into the fabric of the Canadian constitution." At the same time, a number of freedoms granted by the constitution to all other Canadians are denied to, or limited for, the monarch and
3010-439: A corresponding succession of French and British sovereigns reigning over New France and British America , respectively. As a result of the conquest of New France , claims by French monarchs were extinguished and what became British North America came under the hegemony of the British monarchy which ultimately evolved into the Canadian monarchy of today. With the exception of Newfoundland from 1649 to 1660 , no part of what
3225-480: A dominion simply by including in any new law a clause claiming the dominion cabinet had requested and approved of the act, whether that was true or not. Further, the British parliament was not obliged to fulfil a dominion's request for legislative change. Regardless, in 1935 the British parliament refused to consider the result of the Western Australian secession referendum of 1933 without the approval of
3440-448: A few days after the UK's. Their example was followed more consistently by the other realms as further war was declared against Italy, Romania, Hungary, Finland and Japan. Ireland remained neutral, "shattering the illusion of imperial unity." At the war's end, it was said by F.R. Scott that "it is firmly established as a basic constitutional principle that, so far as relates to Canada, the King
3655-638: A line of succession symmetrical to those of other Commonwealth realms. The ruling was upheld by the Quebec Court of Appeal . The Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear an appeal in April 2020. Constitutional scholar Philippe Lagassé argues that, in light of the Succession to the Throne Act, 2013 , and court rulings upholding that law, section 41(a) of the Constitution Act, 1982 , which requires
3870-535: A monarchy with ... the UK, just as ... 16 other [ sic ] Commonwealth countries do now." Dennis Canavan , leader of Yes Scotland , disagreed and said a separate, post-independence referendum should be held on the matter. Following the Perth Agreement of 2011, the Commonwealth realms, in accordance with convention, together engaged in a process of amending the common line of succession according to each country's constitution, to ensure
4085-574: A motion proposing the country become a republic and leave the Commonwealth. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was told "His Majesty is genuinely alarmed at the feeling, which appears to be growing in Australia and may well be aggravated by further reverses in the Far East. He very much hopes, therefore, that it may be possible to adopt as soon as possible some procedure which will succeed in arresting these dangerous developments without impairing
4300-525: A natural person" and its actions as a natural person are, as with the actions of any natural person, subject to judicial review. Further, it was determined in R. v Secretary of State for Health the ex parte C that, "as a matter of capacity, no doubt, [the Crown] has power to do whatever a private person can do. But, as an organ of government, it can only exercise those powers for the public benefit, and for identifiably 'governmental' purposes within limits set by
4515-764: A positive note. George VI's official birthday in Canada was thereafter marked on various days between 20 May and 14 June. The first official birthday of Elizabeth II , daughter of George VI, was the last to be celebrated in June; the haphazard format was abandoned in 1952, when the Governor General-in-Council moved Empire Day and an amendment to the law moved Victoria Day both to the Monday before 25 May. The Canadian monarch 's official birthday in Canada was, by regular viceregal proclamations, made to fall on this same date every year between 1953 and 1957, when
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#17327867041534730-490: A public parade on Front Street in the City of Hamilton (with the first King's Birthday Parade since the death of King George VI held on 15 June, 2024), and by a Queen's Birthday Party at Government House . The Falkland Islands celebrate the actual day of King Charles III's birth, 14 November, as a public holiday. (November is a spring month in the southern hemisphere where the islands are located). In Saint Kitts and Nevis ,
4945-485: A regency law if the sovereign were incapacitated. Though input was sought from the Dominions on the matter, all declined to make themselves bound by the British legislation, agreeing with Simon. Tuvalu later incorporated this principle into its constitution . New Zealand included in its Constitution Act 1986 a clause specifying that, should a regent be installed in the United Kingdom, that individual would carry out
5160-477: A regency; though, such legislation would not be required until the occasion arose. This was because the governors-general could still perform viceregal functions during a regency in Britain, including giving royal assent to any Dominion law giving effect to a regency in that Dominion. In the United Kingdom, on the other hand, legislation was needed in advance because, otherwise, there would be no one to give assent to
5375-566: A representative of the monarch developed with a rise in Canadian nationalism following the end of the First World War culminating in the passage of the Statute of Westminster in 1931. Since then, the Crown has had both a shared and a separate character: the sovereign's role as monarch of Canada has been distinct from his or her position as monarch of any other realm, including the United Kingdom. Only Canadian federal ministers of
5590-525: A republic within 18 months if it won the election and polls suggested that 55 per cent of Jamaicans desired the country become a republic. The ruling Jamaica Labour Party , which had in 2016 promised a referendum it did not deliver, was reelected. Barbados , which had been a Commonwealth realm for 55 years since it gained independence in 1966, became a republic by vote of Parliament in October 2021, effective on 30 November 2021. Some Barbadians criticised
5805-499: A statute to authorise the recognition of Queen Victoria 's birthday, 24 May, as a public holiday. After Victoria died in 1901, 24 May became Victoria Day and the official date in Canada of the reigning monarch's birthday changed through various royal proclamations: for Edward VII , it continued by yearly proclamation to be observed on 24 May, but, was 3 June for George V and 23 June for Edward VIII (their actual birthdays). Edward VIII abdicated on 11 December 1936, three days before
6020-525: A symbol of national sovereignty . It is closely modelled after the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom , with French and distinctive Canadian elements replacing or added to those derived from the British version, which was employed in Canada before the granting of the Canadian arms in 1921. The royal standard is the monarch's official flag, which depicts the royal arms in banner form . It takes precedence above all other flags in Canada—including
6235-461: A then-future government of Canada could begin a process of phasing out the monarchy after the death of Elizabeth II "quietly and without fanfare by simply failing legally to proclaim any successor to the Queen in relation to Canada". This would, he claimed, be a way of bypassing the need for a constitutional amendment that would require unanimous consent by the federal Parliament and all the provincial legislatures. However, Ian Holloway, Dean of Law at
6450-576: Is crowned in the United Kingdom in an ancient ritual but one not necessary for a sovereign to reign. Under the federal Interpretation Act , officials who hold a federal office under the Crown are not affected by the death of the monarch, nor are they required to take the Oath of Allegiance again. In some provinces, though, those holding Crown offices must swear the Oath to the new sovereign. All references in federal legislation to previous monarchs, whether in
6665-417: Is Queen of Great Britain, but she is equally Queen of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Ceylon ... It is now possible for Elizabeth II to be, in practice as well as theory, equally Queen in all her realms." Still, Boyce holds the contrary opinion that the crowns of all the non-British realms are "derivative, if not subordinate" to the crown of the United Kingdom. Since each realm has
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6880-667: Is a public holiday in most British Overseas Territories (those parts of Britain's sovereign territory that lie outside the archipelago of the British Isles), including Anguilla , the Cayman Islands , Gibraltar , Montserrat , Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha and the Turks and Caicos Islands , and the Crown Dependencies (which are not parts of Britain's sovereign territory, but are dependencies of
7095-468: Is an official public holiday, sometimes aligning with the celebration of other events. Most Commonwealth realms release a Birthday Honours list at this time. Most Australian states and territories observe the King's Birthday on the second Monday in June, except in Western Australia and Queensland . As Western Australia celebrates Western Australia Day (formerly known as Foundation Day) on
7310-472: Is followed by sporting events and custom dancing, and the celebrations and parties go long into the night. The governor-general of Solomon Islands delivers a speech on the King's Birthday, and honours and medals are given to those who have done valiant things and great service for Solomon Islands and its people. The King's Official Birthday is a public holiday in Tuvalu. In Tuvalu, it is usually celebrated on
7525-419: Is generally agreed that any unilateral alteration of succession by the UK would not have effect in all the realms. Following the accession of George VI to the throne, the United Kingdom created legislation that provided for a regency if the monarch was not of age or incapacitated. During debate that law, Sir John Simon opined that each Dominion would have to decide if it needed to legislate with respect to
7740-410: Is held on the Monday after the second Saturday in June. Christmas Island has other holidays and does not hold a King's Birthday holiday at all. The day has been celebrated since 1788, when Governor Arthur Phillip declared a holiday to mark the birthday of the king of Great Britain. Until 1936, it was held on the actual birthday of the monarch, but, after King George V died, it was decided to keep
7955-404: Is illustrated by the great seal being entrusted by the governor general, the official keeper of the seal, to the minister of innovation, science, and economic development , who is ex officio the registrar general of Canada . Upon a change of government, the seal is temporarily returned to the governor general and then "lent" to the next incoming registrar general. The Crown is the pinnacle of
8170-483: Is illustrated in a number of ways: The sovereign, for example, holds a unique Canadian title and, when he and other members of the royal family are acting in public specifically as representatives of Canada, they use, where possible, Canadian symbols, including the country's national flag , unique royal symbols , armed forces uniforms , and the like, as well as Canadian Forces aircraft or other Canadian-owned vehicles for travel. Once in Canadian airspace, or arrived at
8385-675: Is in November, shortly after Remembrance Day . The King's Birthday weekend and Empire Day (24 May) were the traditional times for public fireworks displays in Australia. The sale of fireworks to the public was banned in various states through the 1980s and by the Australian Capital Territory on 24 August 2009. Only Tasmania and the Northern Territory allow the sale of fireworks to the public. The King's Birthday Honours List, in which new members of
8600-521: Is most accurate. Under the Balfour Declaration of 1926 , dominions were proclaimed to be "equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown" and the monarch is the leader "equally, officially, and explicitly of separate, autonomous realms". Andrew Michie wrote in 1952 that "Elizabeth II embodies in her own person many monarchies: she
8815-638: Is necessary. The federal cabinet and civil service follow the Manual of Official Procedure of the Government of Canada in carrying out various formalities around the transition. By custom, the accession of a new monarch is publicly proclaimed by the governor general- in-council , who meet at Rideau Hall immediately upon the previous monarch's death. Since the adoption of the Statute of Westminster it has been considered "constitutionally inappropriate" for Canada's accession proclamations to be approved by
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9030-493: Is normally limited, with the sovereign typically exercising executive authority only with the advice and consent of the Cabinet of Canada , and the sovereign's legislative and judicial responsibilities largely carried out through the Parliament of Canada as well as judges and justices of the peace . There are, though, cases where the sovereign or their representative would have a duty to act directly and independently under
9245-517: Is now Canada has been a republic or part of a republic; though, there have been isolated calls for the country to become one. The Crown, however, is considered to be "entrenched" into the governmental framework. The institution that is Canada's system of constitutional monarchy is sometimes colloquially referred to as the Maple Crown or Crown of Maples , Canada having developed a "recognizably Canadian brand of monarchy". Though not part of
9460-505: Is regulated by Canadian law and must act only on the advice and responsibility of Canadian ministers." The war had strained the alliance among the Commonwealth countries, which had been noted by the King. The Prime Minister of Australia, John Curtin , had stated in December 1941 "that Australia looks to America, free of any pangs about our traditional links of kinship with Britain." The Parliament of South Africa voted on 14 January 1942 on
9675-426: Is separate and legally distinct. As a result, the current monarch is officially titled King of Canada and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of Canada. However, the monarch is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role. The monarch lives in the United Kingdom and, while several powers are
9890-507: Is sometimes merged with the Spring bank holiday (last Monday in May) to create a four-day weekend. The King's birthday is the last remaining privilege day, the other 1.5 days having been abolished in 2014 and replaced by a 1.5 day increase in civil servants' annual leave. Parts of Scotland also mark Queen Victoria's birthday on the last Monday before or on 24 May. The King's official birthday
10105-473: Is the foundation of the executive ( King-in-Council ), legislative ( King-in-Parliament ), and judicial ( King-on-the-Bench ) branches of both federal and provincial jurisdictions. The current monarch is King Charles III , who has reigned since 8 September 2022. Although the sovereign is shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations , each country's monarchy
10320-464: Is therefore no longer an exclusively British institution. From a cultural standpoint, the sovereign's name, image and other royal symbols unique to each nation are visible in the emblems and insignia of governmental institutions and militia. Elizabeth II's effigy, for example, appears on coins and banknotes in some countries, and an oath of allegiance to the King is usually required from politicians, judges, military members and new citizens. By 1959, it
10535-440: Is to ensure that the political process remains intact and is allowed to function." The Great Seal of Canada "signifies the power and authority of the Crown flowing from the sovereign to [the] parliamentary government" and is applied to state documents such as royal proclamations and letters patent commissioning Cabinet ministers, senators, judges, and other senior government officials. The "lending" of royal authority to Cabinet
10750-472: Is vested in the sovereign, so the monarch's consent is necessary for letters patent and orders-in-council to have legal effect. As well, the monarch is part of the Parliament of Canada, so royal assent is required to allow for bills to become law. While the power for these acts stems from the Canadian people through the constitutional conventions of democracy, executive authority remains vested in
10965-782: The Demise of the Crown Act, 1901 , the Seals Act , the Governor General's Act , and the Royal Style and Titles Act, 1953 , from the schedule to the Constitution Act, 1982 . In response, Chrétien asserted that the schedule to the Constitution Act, 1982 , was not exhaustive, outlining that section 52(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982 , says "[t]he Constitution of Canada includes [...] the acts and orders referred to
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#173278670415311180-407: The 1953 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference that it was important to agree on a format that would "emphasise the fact that the Queen is Queen of Canada, regardless of her sovereignty over other Commonwealth countries." The result was a new Royal Style and Titles Act being passed in each of the seven realms then existing (excluding Pakistan ), which all identically gave formal recognition to
11395-614: The Act of Settlement was a part of the law in each Dominion. Thus, Order-in-Council P.C. 3144 was issued, expressing the Cabinet's request and consent for His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act, 1936 , to become part of the laws of Canada and the Succession to the Throne Act, 1937 , gave parliamentary ratification to that action, together bringing the Act of Settlement and Royal Marriages Act, 1772 , into Canadian law. The latter
11610-506: The Antarctic claims which would raise the figure to 26.8 million km (10.3 million sq mi)) and a population of more than 150 million. The Commonwealth realms are sovereign states . They are united only in their voluntary connection with the institution of the monarchy, the succession, and the King himself; the person of the sovereign and the Crown were said in 1936 to be "the most important and vital link" between
11825-535: The Australian states . These appointments are made on the advice of the prime minister of the country or the premier of the province or state concerned, though this process may have additional requirements. The extent to which specific additional powers are reserved exclusively for the monarch varies from realm to realm. On occasions of national importance, the King may be advised to perform in person his constitutional duties, such as granting royal assent or issuing
12040-569: The British Empire and, later, the Commonwealth of Nations , either by royal proclamations issued by the sovereign or viceroy, or by statute laws passed by the local parliament. The date of the celebration today varies as adopted by each country and is generally set around the end of May or start of June, to coincide with a higher probability of fine weather in the Northern Hemisphere for outdoor ceremonies. In most cases, it
12255-477: The Canadian Armed Forces , with the constitution placing the monarch in the position of commander-in-chief of the entire force , though the governor general carries out the duties attached to the position and also bears the title of Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada . The government of Canada —formally termed His Majesty's Government —is defined by the constitution as the King acting on
12470-494: The Church of Scotland and sends a Lord High Commissioner as his representative to meetings of the church's General Assembly , when he is not personally in attendance. Until the early part of the 20th century, the monarch's title throughout the British Empire was determined exclusively by the Parliament of the United Kingdom . As the dominions gained importance, the British government began to consult their governments on how
12685-530: The First World War . In 1919, Canadian prime minister Sir Robert Borden and South African minister of defence Jan Smuts demanded that, at the Versailles Conference , the dominions be given full recognition as "autonomous nations of an Imperial Commonwealth". As a result, although the King signed as High Contracting Party for the Empire as a whole, the dominions were also separate signatories to
12900-604: The Halibut Treaty in its own right in 1923. In the Chanak crisis of 1922, the Canadian government insisted that its course of action would be determined by the Canadian parliament, not the British government, and, by 1925, the dominions felt confident enough to refuse to be bound by Britain's adherence to the Treaty of Locarno . The Viscount Haldane said in 1919 that in Australia the Crown "acts in self-governing States on
13115-551: The Imperial Conference of 1926 for a reorganisation of the way the dominions related to the British government, resulting in the Balfour Declaration, which declared formally that the dominions were fully autonomous and equal in status to the United Kingdom. What this meant in practice was not at the time worked out; conflicting views existed, some in the United Kingdom not wishing to see a fracturing of
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#173278670415313330-475: The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council was left available as the last court of appeal for some dominions. Specific attention was given in the statute's preamble to royal succession, outlining that no changes to that line could be made by the parliament of the United Kingdom or that of any dominion without the assent of all the other parliaments of the UK and dominions, an arrangement a justice of
13545-455: The Kingdom of Canada . Although the dominions were capable of governing themselves internally, they remained formally—and substantively in regard to foreign policy and defence—subject to British authority, wherein the governor-general of each dominion represented the British monarch - in-Council reigning over these territories as a single imperial domain. It was held in some circles that
13760-488: The Letters Patent, 1947 , as justification for describing the governor general as head of state. However, the document makes no such distinction, nor does it effect an abdication of the sovereign's powers in favour of the viceroy, as it only allows the governor general to "act on the Queen's behalf". D. Michael Jackson, former Chief of Protocol of Saskatchewan, argued that Rideau Hall had been attempting to "recast"
13975-645: The Ontario Superior Court of Justice found that the Act of Settlement, 1701 , is "part of the laws of Canada" and the rules of succession are "by necessity incorporated into the Constitution of Canada". Another ruling of the Ontario Superior Court, in 2014, echoed the 2003 case, stating that the Act of Settlement "is an imperial statute which ultimately became part of the law of Canada." Upon dismissing appeal of that case,
14190-637: The Order of Australia and other Australian honours are named, is released around the date of the King's Birthday weekend each June. Belize celebrates the birthday of the King annually in May. The day is known as Sovereign's Day , and is marked by parades in Belize City. Horse races, conducted by the National Sports Council, are held in Belize City's National Stadium and Orange Walk Town's People's Stadium. A cycling race, also arranged by
14405-478: The Royal Style and Titles Act 1957 , which followed the example of Ceylon and South Africa by giving Elizabeth the title Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Ghana and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth . Each new realm thereafter did the same. In 1973 Australia removed reference to the United Kingdom, followed by New Zealand the next year. By the time of Elizabeth's death in 2022, aside from
14620-742: The Statute of Westminster , and before the term Commonwealth realm ever came into use. Due to a domestic financial and political crisis, the Newfoundland legislature petitioned the UK to suspend dominion status, the UK parliament passed the Newfoundland Act 1933 , and direct rule was implemented in 1934. Rather than reclaiming dominion status after the Second World War, it became a province of Canada in 1949. Six Commonwealth realms and dominions held referenda to consider whether they should become republics. As of January 2020, of
14835-467: The Treaty of Versailles . They also became, together with India, founding members of the League of Nations . In 1921 the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Lloyd George , stated that the "British dominions have now been accepted fully into the community of nations". The pace of independence increased in the 1920s, led by Canada, which exchanged envoys with the United States in 1920 and concluded
15050-583: The United Kingdom . While the Commonwealth of Nations has 56 independent member states , only these 15 have Charles III as head of state. He is also Head of the Commonwealth , a non-constitutional role. The notion of these states sharing the same person as their monarch traces back to 1867 when Canada became the first dominion , a self-governing nation of the British Empire; others, such as Australia (1901) and New Zealand (1907), followed. With
15265-555: The University of Western Ontario , criticized McWhinney's proposal for its ignorance of provincial input and opined that its implementation "would be contrary to the plain purpose of those who framed our system of government." Certain aspects of the succession rules have been challenged in the courts. For example, under the provisions of the Bill of Rights, 1689 , and the Act of Settlement, 1701 , Catholics are barred from succeeding to
15480-559: The advice of his Privy Council; what is technically known as the King-in-Council , or sometimes the Governor-in-Council , referring to the governor general as the King's stand-in, though, a few tasks must be specifically performed by, or bills that require assent from, the King. One of the main duties of the Crown is to "ensure that a democratically elected government is always in place," which means appointing
15695-456: The doctrine of necessity to prevent genuinely unconstitutional acts. In these respects, the sovereign and his viceroys are custodians of the Crown's reserve powers and represent the "power of the people above government and political parties". Put another way, the Crown functions as the guarantor of Canada's continuous and stable governance and as a nonpartisan safeguard against the abuse of power . Canada has been described as "one of
15910-570: The head of the Commonwealth ), religious (the words by the grace of God in the monarch's title , the Act of Settlement, 1701 , requiring the sovereign to be Anglican, and the monarch encouraging people "to tolerate, accept, and understand cultures, beliefs, and faiths different from our own"), and the welfare and service monarchy (seen in members of the royal family founding charities and supporting others, fundraising for charity, and giving royal patronage to civil and military organizations ). As in
16125-435: The headship of state being a part of all equally. The Crown thus links the various governments into a federal state, while it is simultaneously also "divided" into 11 legal jurisdictions, or 11 "crowns"—one federal and 10 provincial —with the monarch taking on a distinct legal persona in each. As such, the constitution instructs that any change to the position of the monarch or his or her representatives in Canada requires
16340-471: The militia was held on the King's birthday, in the most central or most convenient place in each district, and every able-bodied man between the ages of 18 and 60, aside from Quakers , Mennonites , and other pacifist sects, was to take part. The drill ended with three cheers for the King before the participants were free to mingle about; they were known to engage in horseshoe pitching contests , wrestling matches, and settling old scores by fights before, in
16555-419: The national flag and those of the other members of the royal family —and is typically flown from buildings, vessels, and vehicles in which the sovereign is present (although exceptions have been made for its use when the monarch is not in attendance). The royal standard is never flown at half-mast because there is always a sovereign: when one dies, his or her successor becomes the sovereign instantly. Elements of
16770-521: The reserve powers ), thereby allowing the monarch to make sure "the government conducts itself in compliance with the constitution"; he and the viceroys being guarantors of the government's constitutional, as opposed to democratic, legitimacy and must ensure the continuity of such. Use of the royal prerogative in this manner was seen when the Governor General refused his prime minister's advice to dissolve Parliament in 1926 and when, in 2008,
16985-499: The royal prerogative , leading the populace to be considered subjects of the Crown. However, as the sovereign's power stems from the people and the monarch is a constitutional one , he or she does not rule alone, as in an absolute monarchy . Instead, the Crown is regarded as a corporation sole , with the monarch being the centre of a construct in which the power of the whole is shared by multiple institutions of government —the executive , legislative , and judicial —acting under
17200-560: The "King's two bodies"—the body natural (subject to infirmity and death) and the body politic (which never dies). The Crown and the monarch are "conceptually divisible but legally indivisible [...] The office cannot exist without the office-holder", so, even in private, the monarch is always "on duty". The terms the state , the Crown , the Crown in Right of Canada , His Majesty the King in Right of Canada ( French : Sa Majesté le Roi du chef du Canada ), and similar are all synonymous and
17415-412: The "convention that statutory uniformity on these subjects would be maintained in the parts of the Commonwealth that continued to owe allegiance to the Crown". Today, some realms govern succession by their own domestic laws, while others, either by written clauses in their constitution or by convention, stipulate that whoever is monarch of the United Kingdom is automatically also monarch of that realm. It
17630-555: The 2011 Perth Agreement , which proposed changes to the rules governing succession to remove male preference and removal of disqualification arising from marriage to a Roman Catholic. As a result, the Canadian Parliament passed the Succession to the Throne Act, 2013 , which gave the country's assent to the Succession to the Crown Bill , at that time proceeding in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. In dismissing
17845-692: The Australian federal government or parliament. In 1937, the Appeal Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa ruled unanimously that a repeal of the Statute of Westminster in the United Kingdom would have no effect in South Africa, stating: "We cannot take this argument seriously. Freedom once conferred cannot be revoked." Others in Canada upheld the same position. At the 1932 British Empire Economic Conference , delegates from
18060-779: The British Crown), including Guernsey and Jersey in the Channel Islands , and the Isle of Man . Bermuda formerly marked the occasion with a public holiday but in 2008 the Progressive Labour Party government of the territory decided the day would be, beginning the following year, replaced by National Heroes' Day , despite protests from some residents of the island, who signed a petition calling for retention of The Queen's Official Birthday. The Queen's Official Birthday continues, nonetheless, to be marked by
18275-658: The British Dominions Beyond the Seas , or, more simply, King of all the British Dominions Beyond the Seas . The King favoured the latter suggestion, which was adopted as [Edward VII] of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King . By 1926, following the issuance of the Balfour Declaration , it was determined that the changes in the nature of
18490-548: The British notion of the supremacy of parliament —of which the monarch is a part—and it was carried into each of the provinces upon the implementation of responsible government . That, however, was superseded when the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (within the Constitution Act, 1982 ) introduced into Canada the American idea of the supremacy of the law . Still, the King remains the sovereign of Canada. Canada's monarchy
18705-416: The Cabinet ruling "in trust" for the monarch. This has been the case in Canada since the Treaty of Paris ended the reign of the territory's last absolute monarch , King Louis XV of France . However, 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 (an exercise of
18920-506: The Canadian monarchy, either past or present, Canada has an even older tradition of hereditary chieftainship in some First Nations , which has been likened to non-sovereign monarchy and today exists in parallel with the Canadian Crown and individual band governments . All three entities are components of the nation-to-nation relationship between the Crown and First Nations in upholding treaty rights and obligations developed over
19135-537: The Canadian provinces each have their own personal standards , as do the governors of the Australian states . The possibility that a colony within the British Empire might become a new kingdom was first mooted in the 1860s, when it was proposed that the British North American territories of Nova Scotia , New Brunswick and the Province of Canada unite as a confederation that might be known as
19350-526: The Colour , which is also known as the King's Birthday Parade. The list of Birthday Honours is also announced at the time of the Official Birthday celebrations. In British diplomatic missions, the day is treated as the national day of the United Kingdom. Although it is not celebrated as a specific public holiday in the UK, some civil servants are given a " privilege day " at this time of year, which
19565-463: The Commonwealth (Defender of the Faith) . The South African government objected, stating that did not express the equality of status among the realms. Canadian officials wanted the word queen to precede the name of the realm so as to form the term Queen of Canada , which they felt expressed Elizabeth's distinct role as Canada's sovereign. There was even discussion about the placement of a comma following
19780-406: The Constitution of Canada so that while we have certain things listed in the schedule which are clearly part of the constitution, that does not mean that there are not other things which are part of the constitution [...] [The schedule] is not an exhaustive list." Leslie Zines claimed in the 1991 publication, Constitutional Change in the Commonwealth , that, though the succession to Canada's throne
19995-548: The Court of Appeal of Ontario stated "[t]he rules of succession are a part of the fabric of the constitution of Canada and incorporated into it". In a meeting of the Special Joint Committee on the Constitution during the process of patriating the Canadian constitution in 1981, John Munro asked then-Minister of Justice Jean Chrétien about the "selective omissions" of the Succession to the Throne Act, 1937 ,
20210-428: The Crown and is only entrusted by the sovereign to the government on behalf of the people. This underlines the Crown's role in safeguarding the rights, freedoms, and democratic system of government of Canadians, reinforcing the fact that "governments are the servants of the people and not the reverse". Thus, within Canada's constitutional monarchy the sovereign's direct participation in any of these areas of governance
20425-485: The Crown may advise the sovereign on any and all matters of the Canadian state, of which the sovereign, when not in Canada, is kept abreast by weekly communications with the federal viceroy. The monarchy thus ceased to be an exclusively British institution and, in Canada, became a Canadian, or "domesticated", establishment, though it is still often denoted as "British" in both legal and common language, for reasons historical, political, and of convenience. This division
20640-429: The Crown was a monolithic element throughout all the monarch's territories; A.H. Lefroy wrote in 1918 that "the Crown is to be considered as one and indivisible throughout the Empire; and cannot be severed into as many kingships as there are dominions, and self-governing colonies". This unitary model began to erode when the dominions gained more international prominence as a result of their participation and sacrifice in
20855-468: The Crown would function as a personal union , akin to that which had earlier existed between the United Kingdom and Hanover (1801 to 1837), or between England and Scotland (1603 to 1707). Its first test came, though, with the abdication of King Edward VIII in 1936, for which it was necessary to gain the consent of the governments of all the dominions and the request and consent of the Canadian government, as well as separate legislation in South Africa and
21070-598: The Empire needed to be reflected in King George V 's title (something the King felt to be a "bore"). This led to the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 ; though, again, this applied one title to the King across the whole Empire. The preamble to the Statute of Westminster 1931 established the convention requiring the consent of all the dominions' parliaments, as well as that of the United Kingdom, to any alterations to
21285-469: The Irish Free State, before the resignation could take place across the Commonwealth. At the height of the crisis, press in South Africa fretted about the Crown being the only thing holding the empire together and the bond would be weakened if Edward VIII continued "weakening kingship". Afterward, Francis Floud , Britain's high commissioner to Canada, opined that the whole affair had strengthened
21500-820: The King or any other member of the royal family, either towards personal income or to support royal residences outside of Canada. There are five aspects to the monarchy of Canada: constitutional (such as the use of the royal prerogative in summoning and dissolving parliament, granting royal assent ), national (delivering the Speech from the Throne and the Royal Christmas Message , distributing honours, decorations, and medals, and partaking in Remembrance Day ceremonies), international (the monarch being head of state in other Commonwealth realms, and being
21715-541: The King's Birthday Honours List. The King's Official Birthday is a public holiday in Solomon Islands . In Solomon Islands, it is usually celebrated on the second Saturday of June every year. It is regarded as one of the most important events of the year in Solomon Islands. The day starts with the police marching band performing in the capital city of Honiara . Rallies are held all over the islands, which
21930-454: The King's Birthday Honours list and military ceremonies. There were proposals, with some political support, mainly affiliated with Labour , to replace the holiday with Matariki (Māori New Year) as an official holiday. In 2022, the Te Kāhui o Matariki Public Holiday Act declared Matariki as an official holiday separate from the Queen's Birthday, making said proposals obsolete. The idea of renaming
22145-433: The King's style outside of the United Kingdom. Then, in 1930 George V's Australian ministers employed a practice adopted by resolution at that year's Imperial Conference, directly advising the King to appoint Sir Isaac Isaacs as the Australian governor-general . Calls were also made for the empire to adopt new symbols less centred on the United Kingdom specifically, such as a new British Empire flag that would recognize
22360-408: The National Sports Council, is held between the cities of Belmopan and Cayo. There is a flag-raising ceremony among other events held at schools and universities to commemorate Sovereign's Day. The monarch 's birthday has been observed in Canada since the reign of King George III , when it, 4 June, was considered "the most important holiday of the year in early Upper Canada ." The annual muster of
22575-470: The Ontario Superior Court in 2003 likened to "a treaty among the Commonwealth countries to share the monarchy under the existing rules and not to change the rules without the agreement of all signatories". This was all met with only minor trepidation, either before or at the time, and the government of the Irish Free State was confident that the relationship of these independent countries under
22790-537: The Perth Agreement rather than judicially through the courts." Canada has no laws allowing for a regency , should the sovereign be a minor or debilitated; none have been passed by the Canadian Parliament and it was made clear by successive cabinets since 1937 that the United Kingdom's Regency Act had no applicability to Canada, as the Canadian Cabinet had not requested otherwise when the act
23005-489: The Prince of Wales, Princess Royal, Duke of York and Duke of Edinburgh also have one each for Canada . Those without their own standard use a specific ermine-bordered banner of either the British, Scottish, or, when in or acting on behalf of Canada, Canadian royal arms. The governors-general throughout the Commonwealth realms also each use a personal flag, which, like that of the sovereign, passes to each successive occupant of
23220-405: The Queen as head of state, a number up from 2002, when the results of an EKOS Research Associates survey showed only 5 per cent of those polled knew the Queen was head of state (69 per cent answered that it was the prime minister). The Arms of His Majesty the King in Right of Canada is the arms of dominion of the Canadian monarch and, thus, equally the official coat of arms of Canada and
23435-650: The Queen's Birthday weekend to Hillary weekend, after mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary , was raised in 2009. The King's Official Birthday is a public holiday in Papua New Guinea . In Papua New Guinea, it is usually celebrated on the second Monday of June every year. Official celebrations occur at hotels in Port Moresby , and much of the day is filled with sports matches, fireworks displays, and other celebrations and events. Honours and medals are given for public service to Papua New Guineans, who are mentioned in
23650-459: The Queen's name and regnal number , with the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations advising the use of punctuation was appropriate, as the term by the grace of God had been used in conjunction with the title king or queen since the reign of William II in the 11th century, whereas it had no such association with the position of head of the Commonwealth; so, Elizabeth II was queen by
23865-593: The Sovereign's Birthday determined by proclamation depending on the Interpretation Act, which requires the Sovereign's Birthday to be observed either on the day itself or on a day proclaimed for its observance) except for being appointed to be observed on the same day; it is a general holiday in Nunavut and New Brunswick (there prescribed as a day of rest on which retail businesses must be closed). Though
24080-457: The Statute of Westminster; the Australian prime minister, Robert Menzies , considered the government bound by the British declaration of war, while New Zealand coordinated a declaration of war to be made simultaneously with Britain's. As late as 1937, some scholars were still of the mind that, when it came to declarations of war, if the King signed, he did so as king of the empire as a whole; at that time, William Paul McClure Kennedy wrote: "in
24295-432: The UK, reflected this position, stating that the Act of Settlement was a part of the law in each dominion. Though today the Statute of Westminster is law only in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, the convention of approval from the other realms was reasserted by the Perth Agreement of 2011, in which all 16 realms at the time agreed in principle to change the succession rule to absolute primogeniture , to remove
24510-524: The United Kingdom itself, only Canada retained mention of the United Kingdom in the monarch's title and only Canada and New Zealand retained a reference to the monarch as Defender of the Faith . The Canadian parliament, in 2023, passed legislation that removed those references, The bill received royal assent on 22 June 2023; a proclamation of the new title was issued on January 8, 2024. Queen Elizabeth II employed various royal standards to mark her presence,
24725-467: The United Kingdom on 11 December; as the Canadian government had requested and consented to the act becoming part of Canadian law, and Australia and New Zealand had then not yet adopted the Statute of Westminster , the abdication took place in those countries on the same day. The parliament of South Africa passed its own legislation— His Majesty King Edward the Eighth's Abdication Act, 1937 —which backdated
24940-418: The United Kingdom, [Australia/Canada/New Zealand] and her other Realms and Territories Queen , keeping by the grace of God and defender of the faith . Pakistan's Royal Style and Titles Act simply titled the Queen as Queen of the United Kingdom and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth . After Ghana gained independence and became a Commonwealth realm in 1957, its parliament passed
25155-678: The United Kingdom, led by Stanley Baldwin (then Lord President of the Council ), hoped to establish a system of free trade within the British Commonwealth, to promote unity within the British Empire and to assure Britain's position as a world power. The idea was controversial, as it pitted proponents of imperial trade with those who sought a general policy of trade liberalisation with all nations. The dominions, particularly Canada, were also adamantly against dispensing with their import tariffs, which "dispelled any romantic notions of
25370-560: The abdication there to 10 December. The Irish Free State recognised the king's abdication with the Executive Authority (External Relations) Act 1936 on 12 December. According to Anne Twomey , this demonstrated "the divisibility of the Crown in the personal, as well as the political, sense". For E. H. Coghill, writing as early as 1937, it proved that the convention of a common line of succession "is not of imperative force" and Kenneth John Scott asserted in 1962 that it ended
25585-448: The accession of Charles III as King of Canada, a new proclamation declared "the celebration in Canada of the birthday of the sovereign to be Victoria Day", thus applying the official birthday to all future monarchs, regardless of gender, and, by replacing the Monday before 25 May with Victoria Day, making the connection with Victoria Day explicit. Nonetheless, the two holidays are entirely distinct in law (Victoria Day fixed by statute and
25800-434: The advice of the cabinet of that jurisdiction. This means that in different contexts, the term Crown may refer to the extra-national institution associating all 15 countries, or to the Crown in each realm considered separately. In Australia, it has been suggested that the Crown is further divided, with it possible that the monarchy in each of the states is a separate institution, equal in status to each other. The monarchy
26015-410: The assertion with de facto or effective ; Franks has hence recommended that the governor general be named officially as the head of state. Still others view the role of head of state as being shared by both the sovereign and his viceroys. Since 1927, governors general have been received on state visits abroad as though they were heads of state. Officials at Rideau Hall have attempted to use
26230-527: The birthday of his brother and successor, George VI. The new King expressed to his ministers his wish that his birthday not be publicly celebrated, in light of the recent circumstances. However, the Prime Minister at the time, William Lyon Mackenzie King , the rest of Cabinet , and the Lord Tweedsmuir , the Governor General , felt otherwise, seeing such a celebration as a way to begin George's reign on
26445-408: The centuries. The monarch is shared in a personal union with 14 other Commonwealth realms within the 56-member Commonwealth of Nations . As he resides in the United Kingdom, viceroys (the governor general of Canada in the federal sphere and a lieutenant governor in each province) represent the sovereign in Canada and are able to carry out most of the royal governmental duties, even when
26660-820: The concept, but, again, it was never put into practice. On 6 July 2010, Elizabeth II addressed the United Nations in New York City as queen of 16 Commonwealth realms. The following year, Portia Simpson-Miller , the Prime Minister of Jamaica , spoke of a desire to make that country a republic, while Alex Salmond , the First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party (which favours Scottish independence ), stated an independent Scotland "would still share
26875-551: The connections between the various nations; though, he felt the Crown could not suffer another shock. As the various legislative steps taken by the dominions resulted in Edward abdicating on different dates in different countries, this demonstrated the division of the Crown post-Statute of Westminster. The civil division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales later found in 1982 that the British parliament could have legislated for
27090-547: The consent of the Senate , the House of Commons , and the legislative assemblies of all the provinces. The Crown, being shared and balanced, provides the bedrock upon which all of Canada's different regions and peoples can live together peacefully and was said by David E. Smith, in 2017, to be the "keystone of the constitutional architecture" of Canada. The Crown is located beyond politics, existing to give authority to and protect
27305-466: The constitution and system of governance. Power, therefore, rests with an institution that "functions to safeguard it on behalf of all its citizens", rather than any singular individual. The sovereign and his representatives typically "act by 'not acting'" —holding power, but, not exercising it—both because they are unelected figures and to maintain their neutrality, "deliberately, insistently, and resolutely", in case they have to be an impartial arbiter in
27520-428: The content of these communications and meetings remains confidential so as to protect the impartiality of the monarch and his representative. The appropriateness and viability of this tradition in an age of social media has been questioned. In the construct of constitutional monarchy and responsible government , the ministerial advice tendered is typically binding, meaning the monarch reigns but does not rule ,
27735-408: The country as "the very centre of [Canada's] constitution and democracy." Although Canada is a federation, the Canadian monarchy is unitary throughout all jurisdictions in the country, the sovereignty of the different administrations being passed on through the overreaching Crown itself as a part of the executive, legislative, and judicial operations in each of the federal and provincial spheres and
27950-464: The country's royal succession, the convention does not apply. Agreement among the realms does not mean the succession laws cannot diverge. During the abdication crisis in 1936, the United Kingdom passed His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act with the approval of the parliament of Australia and the governments of the remaining dominions. (Canada, New Zealand and South Africa gave parliamentary assent later.) The act effected Edward's abdication in
28165-449: The date of the King's Official Birthday is set each year. The Cook Islands , a self-governing country in free association with New Zealand, also celebrates the holiday on the second Monday of June. Despite Fiji abolishing the monarchy in 1987, following a second military coup d'état , the Queen's Birthday continued to be celebrated each 12 June until 2012. That year, the military government of Commodore Frank Bainimarama announced
28380-478: The date on the second Monday in June. This has more evenly spaced out public holidays throughout the year. While George V's successor, Edward VIII , also celebrated his birthday in June, the three sovereigns since have not: George VI 's birthday was in December, very close to public holidays for Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Years; Elizabeth II's birthday fell shortly after holidays for Good Friday and Easter and very close to ANZAC Day , while Charles III 's birthday
28595-447: The dominions. Political scientist Peter Boyce called this grouping of countries associated in this manner "an achievement without parallel in the history of international relations or constitutional law." Terms such as personal union , a form of personal union , and shared monarchy , among others, have all been advanced as definitions since the beginning of the Commonwealth itself, though there has been no agreement on which term
28810-571: The efficiency of the existing machinery." Within three years following the end of the Second World War, India , Pakistan and Ceylon became independent dominions within the Commonwealth. India would soon move to a republican form of government. Unlike in Ireland and Burma, there was no desire on the part of India to leave the Commonwealth, prompting a Commonwealth Conference and the London Declaration in April 1949, which entrenched
29025-695: The eight held, three were successful: in Ghana, in South Africa and the second referendum in Gambia. Referenda that rejected the proposal were held in Australia, twice in Tuvalu, and in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Interest in holding a second referendum was expressed in Australia in 2010. During the 2020 Jamaican general election , the People's National Party promised to hold a referendum on becoming
29240-461: The elevated status of the dominions. Many unofficial designs were often displayed for patriotic celebrations such as coronations and Empire Day . These new developments were explicitly codified in 1931 with the passage of the Statute of Westminster , through which Canada, the Union of South Africa, and the Irish Free State all immediately obtained formal legislative independence from the UK, while in
29455-545: The elimination of the terms grace of God and defender of the faith ; by the will of the people was suggested as a replacement. All that was agreed at the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference in 1949 was that each of George VI's countries should have a different title, but with common elements, and it would be sufficient for each realm's parliament to pass a local law. The matter went unresolved until Elizabeth II became queen in 1952, upon which
29670-509: The federal Crown is immune from provincial law. Constitutional convention has also held that the Crown in right of each province is outside the jurisdiction of the courts in other provinces. This view, however, has been questioned. Lieutenant governors do not enjoy the same immunity as the sovereign in matters not relating to the powers of the viceregal office, as decided in the case of former Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Lise Thibault , who had been accused of misappropriating public funds. As
29885-498: The federal governor-in-council, at the recommendation of the minister of Crown–Indigenous relations , but, as the territories are not sovereign entities, the commissioners are not personal representatives of the sovereign. The Advisory Committee on Vice-Regal Appointments , which may seek input from the relevant premier and provincial or territorial community, proposes candidates for appointment as governor general, lieutenant governor, and commissioner. It has been held since 1918 that
30100-443: The federalist symmetry". This has been regarded as both a natural evolution and as a dishonest effort to alter the constitution without public scrutiny. In a poll conducted by Ipsos-Reid following the first prorogation of the 40th parliament on 4 December 2008, it was found that 42 per cent of the sample group thought the prime minister was head of state, while 33 per cent felt it was the governor general. Only 24 per cent named
30315-488: The final test of sovereignty—that of war—Canada is not a sovereign state... and it remains as true in 1937 as it was in 1914 that when the Crown is at war, Canada is legally at war," and, one year later, Arthur Berriedale Keith argued that "issues of war or neutrality still are decided on the final authority of the British Cabinet." In 1939, Canada and South Africa made separate proclamations of war against Germany
30530-564: The first Monday in June, the governor of Western Australia each year proclaims the day on which the state will observe the King's Birthday, based on school terms and the Perth Royal Show . There is no firm rule to determine this date, though it is usually the last Monday of September or the first Monday of October. Some regional areas of Western Australia celebrate the King's Birthday public holiday on alternative days for locally significant dates or events. In 2012, Queensland celebrated
30745-543: The functions of the head of state beyond the purely constitutional; the international monarchy, where the monarch is head of state in the 15 realms and holds the position of head of the Commonwealth; the religious monarchy, meaning the sovereign as head of the Church of England and his relationship with the Presbyterian Church of Scotland; and the welfare/service monarchy, wherein the sovereign and other members of
30960-444: The functions of the monarch of New Zealand. The sovereign resides in the oldest realm, the United Kingdom. The king appoints viceroys to perform most of the constitutional and ceremonial duties on his behalf in the other realms: in each, a governor-general as his personal national representative, as well as a lieutenant governor as his representative in each of the Canadian provinces and governor as his representative in each of
31175-430: The government's decision not to hold a referendum on the issue as being undemocratic. Monarchy of Canada The monarchy of Canada is Canada's form of government embodied by the Canadian sovereign and head of state . It is one of the key components of Canadian sovereignty and sits at the core of Canada's constitutional federal structure and Westminster-style parliamentary democracy . The monarchy
31390-540: The governments of the Dominions of the British Commonwealth—then Australia, New Zealand, the Irish Free State , the Union of South Africa , and Canada—regard whoever was monarch of the UK to automatically be monarch of their respective Dominion. As with the other Dominion governments, the Canadian Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King , refused to accept the idea and stressed that
31605-472: The governor general as head of state since the 1970s and doing so preempted both the Queen and all of the lieutenant governors. This caused not only "precedence wars" at provincial events (where the governor general usurped the lieutenant governor's proper spot as most senior official in attendance) and Governor General Adrienne Clarkson to accord herself precedence before the Queen at a national occasion, but also constitutional issues by "unbalancing [...]
31820-542: The governor general has the ability to remove themselves and appoint their viceregal successor in the monarch's name. While Lagassé argued that appears to be the case, both the Canadian Manual of Official Procedures , published in 1968, and the Privy Council Office took the opposite opinion. Lagassé and Patrick Baud claimed changes could be made to regulations to allow a governor general to appoint
32035-425: The governors-general now acted solely as a personal representative of the sovereign in right of that dominion. Though no formal mechanism for tendering advice to the monarch had yet been established—former Prime Minister of Australia Billy Hughes theorised that the dominion cabinets would provide informal direction and the British Cabinet would offer formal advice —the concepts were first put into legal practice with
32250-459: The grace of God, but her position as head of the Commonwealth was a secular arrangement. In the end, it was decided the common wording in the titles was to be Queen of her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth . Regardless, Ceylon and South Africa used Queen of [Ceylon/South Africa] and her other Realms and Territories , omitting by the grace of God and defender of the faith , while Australia, Canada, and New Zealand opted for of
32465-465: The growing independence of the dominions in the 1920s, the Balfour Declaration of 1926 established the Commonwealth of Nations and that the nations were considered "equal in status ... though united by a common allegiance to the Crown". The Statute of Westminster 1931 further set the relationship between the realms and the Crown , including a convention that any alteration to the line of succession in any one country must be voluntarily approved by all
32680-407: The head of state, while the governor general and lieutenant governors are all only representatives of, and thus equally subordinate to, that figure. Some governors general, their staff, government publications, and constitutional scholars like Ted McWhinney and C.E.S. Franks have, however, referred to the position of governor general as that of Canada's head of state; though, sometimes qualifying
32895-416: The holiday in October, as the June holiday was reserved to mark Elizabeth II 's Diamond Jubilee as Queen of Australia , after which the holiday then for three years reverted to its traditional date in line with the other eastern Australian states. However, starting in 2016, Queensland celebrates the holiday on the first Monday of October. Norfolk Island celebrates Bounty Day on 8 June, so King's Birthday
33110-409: The holiday would be abolished, despite Bainimarama being a monarchist himself. Commonwealth realm A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Charles III as its monarch and head of state. All the realms are independent of each other, although one person, resident in the United Kingdom , acts as monarch of each. Except for the UK, in each of
33325-471: The hope of good weather. King George VI , born on 14 December, celebrated his official birthday from 7 to 12 June. Queen Elizabeth II 's official birthday was (usually) the second Saturday in June. King Charles III 's first official birthday was on 17 June 2023, the third Saturday in June; and his second on 15 June 2024, also the third Saturday in June. The day is marked in London by the ceremony of Trooping
33540-433: The idea that republics be allowed in the Commonwealth so long as they recognised King George VI as Head of the Commonwealth and the "symbol of the free association of its independent member nations". Pakistan became a republic in 1956. As these constitutional developments were taking place, the dominion and British governments became increasingly concerned with how to represent the more commonly accepted notion that there
33755-631: The independence of former colonies and dependencies; Saint Kitts and Nevis is the youngest extant realm, becoming one in 1983. Some realms became republics; Barbados changed from being a realm to a republic in 2021. There are currently 15 Commonwealth realms scattered across three continents (nine in North America , five in Oceania , and one in Europe ), with a combined area of 18.7 million km (7.2 million sq mi) (excluding
33970-547: The initiative and advice of its own ministers in these States". Another catalyst for change came in 1926, when Field Marshal the Lord Byng of Vimy , then Governor General of Canada , refused the advice of his prime minister (William Lyon Mackenzie King) in what came to be known colloquially as the King–Byng Affair . Mackenzie King, after resigning and then being reappointed as prime minister some months later, pushed at
34185-439: The law." Similarly, use of the royal prerogative is justiciable, though, only when the "subject matter affects the rights or legitimate expectations of an individual". The governor general is appointed by the monarch on the advice of his federal prime minister and the lieutenant governors are appointed by the governor general on the advice of the federal prime minister. The commissioners of Canada's territories are appointed by
34400-435: The laws of succession were part of Canadian law and, as the Statute of Westminster 1931 disallowed the UK from legislating for Canada, including in relation to succession, altering them required Canada's request and consent to the British legislation ( His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act, 1936 ) becoming part of Canadian law. Sir Maurice Gwyer , first parliamentary counsel in the UK, reflected this position, stating
34615-427: The living embodiment of the Crown , the sovereign is regarded as the personification of the Canadian state and is meant to represent all Canadians, regardless of political affiliation. As such, he, along with his or her viceregal representatives, must "remain strictly neutral in political terms". The person of the reigning sovereign thus holds two distinct personas in constant coexistence, an ancient theory of
34830-439: The masculine (e.g. His Majesty ) or feminine (e.g. The Queen ), continue to mean the reigning sovereign of Canada, regardless of his or her gender. This is because, in common law, the Crown never dies . After an individual accedes to the throne, he or she usually continues to reign until death. The relationship between the Commonwealth realms is such that any change to the rules of succession to their respective crowns requires
35045-546: The media mention only Victoria Day and the public are therefore almost totally unaware of the existence of the official birthday, the sovereign's official birthday is marked by the firing of an artillery salute in the national and provincial capitals and the flying of the Royal Union Flag on buildings belonging to the federal Crown , if there is a second flag pole available. The Canadian monarch has been in Canada for his or her official birthday twice: The first time
35260-477: The monarch is in the country Nevertheless, the monarch can carry out Canadian constitutional and ceremonial duties abroad. The evolution of the role of the governor general from being both a representative of the sovereign and an "agent of the British government" who " in matters deemed to be of 'imperial' concern... acted on the instructions of the British Colonial Office " to being solely
35475-611: The monarch should be titled. Ahead of the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902, the British Secretary of State for the Colonies, Joseph Chamberlain , suggested the King have the title King of Great Britain and Ireland and of Greater Britain Beyond the Seas . Canadian officials preferred explicitly mention of the dominions: King of Great Britain and Ireland, Emperor of India, King of Canada, Australasia, South Africa and all
35690-469: The monarch's legal personality is sometimes referred to simply as Canada . The monarch is at the apex of the Canadian order of precedence and, as the embodiment of the state, is also the focus of oaths of allegiance, required of many of the aforementioned employees of the Crown, as well as by new citizens , as by the Oath of Citizenship . Allegiance is given in reciprocation to the sovereign's Coronation Oath, wherein he or she promises to govern
35905-577: The monarch's style and title. This first came into play when the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act was amended in 1948, by domestic law in Britain and each of the dominions, to remove George VI 's title Emperor of India . Within the year, discussions about rewording the monarch's title began again when Ireland repealed legislation conferring functions on the king. The governments of Pakistan and Canada this time wanted more substantial changes, leading South Africa and Ceylon to also, along with Pakistan, request
36120-428: The monarch, as head of state of two different realms, may be simultaneously at war and at peace with a third country, or even at war with themself as head of two hostile nations. The evolution of dominions into realms resulted in the Crown having a shared and a separate character, with one human equally monarch of each state and acting as such in right of a particular realm as a distinct legal person guided only by
36335-413: The motion to be seconded by the leader of the official opposition . The prime minister will then move to adjourn Parliament. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation keeps a regularly updated plan for a "broadcast of national importance", announcing the demise of a sovereign and covering the aftermath, during which all regular programming and advertising is cancelled and on-call commentators contribute to
36550-428: The new monarch. A period of mourning also follows, during which portraits of the recently deceased monarch are draped with black fabric and staff at government houses wear black armbands . The Manual of Official Procedure of the Government of Canada states the prime minister is responsible for convening Parliament, tabling a resolution of loyalty and condolence from Parliament to the new monarch, and arranging for
36765-428: The next governor general; Christopher McCreery, however, criticised the theory, arguing it is impractical to suggest that a governor general would remove him or herself on ministerial advice, with the consequence that, if a prolonged regency occurred, it would remove one of the checks and balances in the constitution. The intent expressed whenever the matter of regency came up among Commonwealth realm heads of government
36980-543: The office. Most feature a lion passant atop a St. Edward's royal crown with the name of the country across a scroll underneath, all on a blue background. The two exceptions are those of, since 1981, Canada (bearing on a blue background the crest of the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada ) and, since 2008, New Zealand (a St. Edward's Crown above the shield of the Coat of arms of New Zealand ). The lieutenant governors of
37195-595: The official birthday. Charles III , who was Prince of Wales and heir apparent to the throne at the time, and his wife, Camilla , in 2012 attended events in Saint John, New Brunswick , and Toronto , Ontario, marking the Queen's official birthday. In 2014, the couple attended a ceremony in Charlottetown , Prince Edward Island. Until 1936, New Zealand celebrated the actual birthday of the sovereign. After Edward VIII abdicated on 11 December 1936, and George VI
37410-561: The oldest continuing monarchies in the world" of today. Parts of what is now Canada have been under a monarchy since as early as the 15th century as a result of colonial settlement and often competing claims made on territory in the name of the English (and later British) and French crowns. Monarchical government has developed as the result of colonization by French and British empires competing for territory in North America and
37625-558: The order of precedence for the realms' high commissioners or national flags is set according to the chronological order of, first, when the country became a dominion and then the date on which the country gained independence. Conflicts of interest have arisen from this relationship amongst independent states. Some have been minor diplomatic matters, such as the monarch expressing on the advice of one of his/her cabinets views that counter those of another of his/her cabinets. More serious issues have arisen with respect to armed conflict, where
37840-410: The order would continue to be identical in every realm. In legislative debates in the United Kingdom, the term Commonwealth realm was employed, but, it remained unused in any law. In addition to the states listed above, the Dominion of Newfoundland was a dominion when the Statute of Westminster 1931 was given royal assent but effectively lost that status in 1934, without ever having assented to
38055-405: The other Commonwealth realms , the current heir apparent to the Canadian throne is William, Prince of Wales , who is followed in the line of succession by his eldest child, Prince George . Upon the death of the monarch, there is an immediate and automatic succession by the late sovereign's heir; hence the phrase, " the King is dead. Long live the King ". No confirmation or further ceremony
38270-428: The other dominions adoption of the statute was subject to ratification by the dominion's parliament. Australia and New Zealand did so in 1942 and 1947, respectively, with the former's ratification back-dated to 1939, while Newfoundland never ratified the bill and reverted to direct British rule in 1934. As a result, the parliament at Westminster was unable to legislate for any dominion unless requested to do so, although
38485-426: The other senior members of the royal family: freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom to travel, freedom to choose a career, freedom to marry, and freedom of privacy and family life. While the Crown is empowered by statute and the royal prerogative , it also enjoys inherent powers not granted by either. The Court of Appeal of British Columbia ruled in 1997 that "the Crown has the capacities and powers of
38700-405: The others. The modern Commonwealth of Nations was then formally constituted by the London Declaration in 1949 when India wanted to become a republic without leaving the Commonwealth ; this left seven independent nations sharing the Crown: Australia, Canada, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka ), New Zealand, Pakistan , South Africa , and the United Kingdom. Since then, new realms have been created through
38915-442: The particular one used depending on which realm she was in or acting on behalf of at the time. All are heraldic banners incorporating the arms for that state and, save for those of the UK, were defaced in the centre with the device from the Queen's Personal Flag . The Queen would use that personal flag in realms where she did not have a royal standard. Many other members of the royal family have their own personal standards ;
39130-411: The passage in 1927 of the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act , which implicitly recognised the Irish Free State as separate from the UK, and the King as king of each dominion uniquely, rather than as the British king in each dominion. At the same time, terminology in foreign relations was altered to demonstrate the independent status of the dominions, such as the dropping of the term "Britannic" from
39345-402: The people of Canada "according to their respective laws and customs". Although it has been argued that the term head of state is a republican one inapplicable in a constitutional monarchy such as Canada, where the monarch is the embodiment of the state and thus cannot be head of it, the sovereign is regarded by official government sources, judges, constitutional scholars, and pollsters as
39560-411: The realms issued their respective accession proclamations using different titles for their monarch. Debate ensued thereafter. The Australian government preferred that the monarch's title name all of the realms, but said it would accept Elizabeth II (by the Grace of God) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, [name of realm], and all of her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of
39775-428: The realms the monarch is represented by a governor-general . The phrase Commonwealth realm is an informal description not used in any law. As of 2024 , there are 15 Commonwealth realms: Antigua and Barbuda , Australia , The Bahamas , Belize , Canada , Grenada , Jamaica , New Zealand , Papua New Guinea , Saint Kitts and Nevis , Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , Solomon Islands , Tuvalu , and
39990-402: The restriction on the monarch being married to a Catholic, and to reduce the number of members of the Royal Family who need the monarch's permission to marry. These changes came into effect on 26 March 2015. Alternatively, a Commonwealth realm may choose to cease being such by making its throne the inheritance of a different royal house or by becoming a republic, actions to which, though they alter
40205-420: The royal arms have also been incorporated into the governor general's flag ; similarly, the flags of the lieutenant governors employ the shields of the relevant provincial coat of arms. Canada's constitution is based on the Westminster parliamentary model , wherein the role of the King is both legal and practical, but not political. The sovereign is vested with all the powers of state, collectively known as
40420-399: The royal family give their patronage to charities and other elements of civil society. To guarantee the continuity of multiple states sharing the same person as monarch, the preamble of the Statute of Westminster 1931 laid out a convention that any alteration to the line of succession in any one country must be voluntarily approved by the parliaments of all the realms. This convention
40635-405: The sacred unity of the Crown throughout the empire, and some in the dominions not wishing to see their jurisdiction have to take on the full brunt of diplomatic and military responsibilities. What did follow was that the dominion governments gained an equal status with the United Kingdom, a separate and direct relationship with the monarch, without the British Cabinet acting as an intermediary, and
40850-595: The same person as its monarch, the diplomatic practice of exchanging ambassadors with letters of credence and recall from one head of state to another does not apply. Diplomatic relations between the Commonwealth realms are thus at a cabinet level only, and high commissioners are exchanged between realms (though all other countries in the Commonwealth of Nations also follow this same practice, for traditional reasons). A high commissioner's full title will thus be High Commissioner Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for His Majesty's Government in [Country] . For certain ceremonies,
41065-400: The same person as the king or queen of the United Kingdom. If the British law were to be changed and we did not change our law [...] the person provided for in the new law would become king or queen in at least some realms of the Commonwealth; Canada would continue on with the person who would have become monarch under the previous law." Canada, with the other Commonwealth realms, committed to
41280-413: The schedule" and "[w]hen you use the word 'includes' [...] it means that if ever there is another thing related to the Canadian constitution as part of it, should have been there, or might have been there, it is covered. So we do not have to renumerate [sic] the ones that you are mentioning." In the same meeting, Deputy Attorney General Barry Strayer stated: "Clause 52(2) is not an exhaustive definition of
41495-447: The second Saturday of June every year. Tuvaluans celebrate it with church services and prayers, singing " God Save the King " and " Tuvalu mo te Atua ", flag hoisting, public speeches, a Royal Salute, and a parade. As the King's Birthday is a public holiday, all government offices, educational institutions, and most businesses are closed for the day. As of 2021, Tuvaluans also celebrated the birthday of Charles, Prince of Wales , who at
41710-426: The separateness and equality of the countries involved, and replaced the phrase "British Dominions Beyond the Seas" with "Her Other Realms and Territories", the latter using the word realm in place of dominion . Further, at her coronation, Elizabeth II's oath contained a provision requiring her to promise to govern according to the rules and customs of the realms, naming each one separately. The change in perspective
41925-462: The sovereign of Canada (sometimes representing other realms on the same visit): The origins of Canadian sovereignty lie in the early 17th century, during which time the monarch in England fought with parliament there over who had ultimate authority, culminating in the Glorious Revolution in 1688 and the subsequent Bill of Rights, 1689 , which, as mentioned elsewhere in this article, is today part of Canadian constitutional law. This brought to Canada
42140-461: The sovereign's alone, most of the royal governmental and ceremonial duties in Canada are carried out by the monarch's representative, the governor general of Canada . In each of Canada's provinces , the monarchy is represented by a lieutenant governor . As territories fall under the federal jurisdiction, they each have a commissioner, rather than a lieutenant governor, who represents the federal Crown-in-Council directly. All executive authority
42355-403: The sovereign's authority, which is entrusted for exercise by the politicians (the elected and appointed parliamentarians and the ministers of the Crown generally drawn from among them) and the judges and justices of the peace . The monarchy has thus been described as the underlying principle of Canada's institutional unity and the monarch as a "guardian of constitutional freedoms" whose "job
42570-405: The sovereign. This is available for 100th, 105th and beyond for birthdays; and 60th ("Diamond"), 65th, 70th ("Platinum") and beyond for wedding anniversaries. It is solely in England that the King plays a role in organised religion where he acts as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and nominally appoints its bishops and archbishops. In Scotland, he swears an oath to uphold and protect
42785-406: The summer night, the settlers and their families visited the houses of their neighbours or patronised the taverns; for the latter, it was their most profitable day all year. For the officers, a dinner was held, during which toasts were made to the King, the Duke of York (the Commander-in-Chief), the Army and Navy, and the ladies. It was in 1845 that the Parliament of the Province of Canada passed
43000-486: The throne; this prohibition has been upheld twice by Canadian courts, once in 2003 and again in 2014. Legal scholar Christopher Cornell of the SMU Dedman School of Law concluded "that the prohibition on the Canadian Monarch being Catholic, while discriminatory, is perfectly-if not fundamentally-constitutional" and that if the prohibition is "to be changed or removed it will have to be accomplished politically and legislatively through another multilateral agreement similar to
43215-432: The time was heir to the Tuvaluan Throne. Heir to the Throne Day was a public holiday in November. The monarch's birthday has been celebrated in the United Kingdom since 1748, during the reign of King George II. Even when their real birthday was in May or June, the celebration was often on a different date. Edward VII, who reigned from 1901 to 1910 and whose birthday was on 9 November, moved his official birthday to summer, in
43430-437: The unanimous consent of all the realms. Succession is governed by statutes, such as the Bill of Rights, 1689 , the Act of Settlement, 1701 , and the Acts of Union, 1707 . King Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 and any possible future descendants of his were excluded from the line of succession. The British government at the time, wishing for speed so as to avoid embarrassing debate in Dominion parliaments, suggested that
43645-458: Was 20 May 1939, when King George VI was on a coast-to-coast tour of Canada and his official birthday was celebrated with a Trooping the Colour ceremony on Parliament Hill . The second time was when Queen Elizabeth II was in Canada from 17 to 25 May 2005, to mark the centennial of the entries of Saskatchewan and Alberta into Confederation ; no government-initiated events, aside from those dictated by normal protocol, were organised to acknowledge
43860-415: Was being asserted by Buckingham Palace officials that the Queen was "equally at home in all her realms". Robert Hazell and Bob Morris argued in 2017 that there are five aspects to the monarchy of the Commonwealth realms: the constitutional monarchy, including the royal prerogative and the use thereof on the advice of local ministers or according to convention or statute law; the national monarchy, comprising
44075-442: Was changed after Elizabeth II became Queen through the Sovereign's Birthday Observance Act 1952. Although that act makes reference to "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second", it was still in place in 2023, the first time that New Zealand observed the King's Birthday for Charles III . The Holidays Act 2003 refers to the holiday as "the birthday of the reigning Sovereign". King's Birthday celebrations are mainly official, including
44290-406: Was deemed by the Cabinet in 1947 to be part of Canadian law. The Department of External Affairs included all succession-related laws in its list of acts within Canadian law. The Supreme Court of Canada declared unanimously in the 1981 Patriation Reference that the Bill of Rights, 1689 , is "undoubtedly in force as part of the law of Canada". Furthermore, in O'Donohue v. Canada (2003)
44505-408: Was established at Confederation, when its executive government and authority were declared, in section 9 of the Constitution Act, 1867 , to continue and be vested in the monarch. Placing such power, along with legislative power, with the tangible, living Queen, rather than the abstract and inanimate Crown, was a deliberate choice by the framers of the constitution. Still, the Crown is the foundation of
44720-473: Was first applied in 1936 when the British government conferred with the dominion governments during the Edward VIII abdication crisis . Prime Minister of Canada William Lyon Mackenzie King pointed out that the Statute of Westminster required Canada's request and consent to any legislation passed by the British parliament before it could become part of Canada's laws and affect the line of succession in Canada. Sir Maurice Gwyer , first parliamentary counsel in
44935-412: Was no distinction between the sovereign's role in the United Kingdom and his or her position in any of the dominions. Thus, at the 1948 Prime Ministers' Conference the term dominion was avoided in favour of Commonwealth country , to avoid the subordination implied by the older designation. The Commonwealth's prime ministers discussed the matter of the new monarch's title, with St. Laurent stating at
45150-407: Was outlined by common law and the Act of Settlement, 1701 , these were not part of the Canadian constitution, which "does not contain rules for succession to the throne." Richard Toporoski, writing three years later for the Monarchist League of Canada , stated, "there is no existing provision in our law, other than the Act of Settlement, 1701 , that provides that the king or queen of Canada shall be
45365-415: Was passed that year and again in 1943 and 1953. As the Letters Patent, 1947 , issued by King George VI permit the governor general of Canada to exercise almost all of the monarch's powers in respect of Canada, the viceroy is expected to continue to act as the personal representative of the monarch, and not any regent, even if the monarch is a child or incapacitated. This has led to the question of whether
45580-407: Was proclaimed king on his birthday, 14 December, two King's Birthday holidays were celebrated that year. The second holiday that year caused some industrial confusion and loss. This led the government to introduce the Sovereign's Birthday Observance Act 1937. It set the official birthday to be the first Monday in June (which it has been to this day), and this was first observed in 1937. The legislation
45795-518: Was summed up by Patrick Gordon Walker 's statement in the British House of Commons : "We in this country have to abandon... any sense of property in the Crown. The Queen, now, clearly, explicitly and according to title, belongs equally to all her realms and to the Commonwealth as a whole." In the same period, Walker also suggested to the British parliament that the Queen should annually spend an equal amount of time in each of her realms. Lord Altrincham , who in 1957 criticised Queen Elizabeth II for having
46010-402: Was that the relevant parliament (other than the United Kingdom's) would pass a bill if the need for a regency arose and the pertinent governor-general would already be empowered to grant royal assent to it. The governor general appointing their successor is not a power that has been utilized to date. The following state and official visits to foreign countries have been made by the monarch as
46225-434: Was ultimately the minister in attendance, and the King did in public throughout the trip ultimately act solely in his capacity as the Canadian monarch. The status of the Crown was bolstered by Canada's reception of George VI. When the Second World War began, there was some uncertainty in the dominions about the ramifications of Britain's declaration of war against Nazi Germany . Australia and New Zealand had not yet adopted
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