Barbados to remove Queen Elizabeth II as head of state

Barbados has announced its intention to remove Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and become a republic by November next year, as the Caribbean island nation seeks to move fully beyond its colonial past.

The decision was formalized in the so-called Throne Speech, delivered on behalf of Prime Minister Mia Mottley by the island’s Governor-General Sandra Mason to mark the state opening of parliament on Tuesday.

More than half a century after attaining independence from Britain, “the time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind,” Mason said.

“Barbadians want a Barbadian Head of State,” she said. “This is the ultimate statement of confidence in who we are and what we are capable of achieving.”

BBC