The monarchy of Belize is a system of government in which a hereditary

monarch A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...

is the sovereign and

head of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and ...

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wa ...

. The current Belizean monarch and head of state since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Belizean Crown. Although the person of the sovereign is shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations, each country's monarchy is separate and legally distinct. As a result, the current monarch is officially titled ''King'' ''of Belize'' and, in this capacity, he and other members of the

royal family A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term pa ...

undertake public and private functions as representatives of the Belizean state. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role. All

executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive di ...

authority is vested in the monarch, and

royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in oth ...

is required for the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the r ...

to enact laws and for

letters patent Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, tit ...

and Orders in Council to have legal effect. Most of the powers are exercised by the elected members of parliament, government ministers, and judges. Other powers vested in the monarch are significant but are treated only as reserve powers and as an important security part of the role of the monarchy. The Crown today primarily functions as a guarantor of continuous and stable governance and a nonpartisan safeguard against the

abuse of power Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other t ...

. While some powers are exercisable only by the sovereign, most of the monarch's operational and ceremonial duties are exercised by his representative, the governor-general of Belize.

Origins

In 1836, after the emancipation of Central America from Spanish rule, the British claimed the right to administer the region nowadays known as

. In 1862, the Settlement of Belize in the

Bay of Honduras The Gulf or Bay of Honduras is a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea, indenting the coasts of Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. From north to south, it runs for approximately 200 km (125 miles) from Dangriga, Belize, to La Ceiba, Honduras. ...

was declared a British colony called

British Honduras British Honduras was a British Crown colony on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, from 1783 to 1964, then a self-governing colony, renamed Belize in June 1973,

, and the crown's representative was elevated to a

lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

, subordinate to the

governor of Jamaica This is a list of viceroys in Jamaica from its initial occupation by Spain in 1509, to its independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. For a list of viceroys after independence, see Governor-General of Jamaica. For context, see History of Jama ...

.Bolland, Nigel. "Belize: Historical Setting". I
''A Country Study: Belize''
(Tim Merrill, editor).

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The libra ...

Federal Research Division The Federal Research Division (FRD) is the research and analysis unit of the United States Library of Congress. The Federal Research Division provides directed research and analysis on domestic and international subjects to agencies of the Unit ...

(January 1992). ''This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable. Because those rights have expired ...

.'' Under a new constitution, Britain granted British Honduras self-governance in 1964. On 1 June 1973, British Honduras was officially renamed Belize. Independence from Britain was granted on 21 September 1981, following the signing of the Belize Independence Order in 1981 by Queen Elizabeth II, which made Belize a sovereign state and an independent constitutional monarchy.

Prince Michael of Kent Prince Michael of Kent, (Michael George Charles Franklin; born 4 July 1942) is a member of the British royal family, who is 51st in the line of succession to the British throne as of September 2022. Queen Elizabeth II and Michael were firs ...

represented the Queen at the independence celebrations. In the capital, Belmopan, in the morning of 21 September, Prince Michael handed the instruments of independence to George Price, who became the prime minister of independent Belize.

Minita Gordon Dame Elmira Minita Gordon (30 December 1930 – 1 January 2021) was a Belizean educator, psychologist and politician; she served as the first governor general of Belize from its independence in 1981 until 1993. She was the first Belizean to r ...

, a sociologist, was appointed governor-general by the Queen the same day.

The Belizean Crown and its aspects

The sovereign of Belize is shared with other monarchies in the

Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the C ...

, with the monarch's relationship with Belize completely independent from his position as monarch of any other realm. Despite sharing the same person as their respective national monarch, each of the Commonwealth realms is sovereign and independent of the others. Since independence in 1981, the Belizean Crown has had both a shared and a separate character and the sovereign's role as monarch of Belize is distinct to his or her position as monarch of any other realm, including the United Kingdom. Only Belizean ministers can advise the sovereign on matters of the Belizean state. The monarchy thus ceased to be an exclusively British institution and in Belize became a Belizean, or "domesticated" establishment. This division is illustrated in a number of ways: The sovereign, for example, holds a unique Belizean title and, when he is acting in public specifically as a representative of Belize, he uses, where possible, Belizean symbols, including the country's

national flag A national flag is a flag that represents and symbolizes a given nation. It is flown by the government of that nation, but usually can also be flown by its citizens. A national flag is typically designed with specific meanings for its colours a ...

and the like. In Belize, the legal personality of the state is referred to as the "Crown in Right of Belize", or "His Majesty in right of His Government in Belize", or the "Crown in right of His Majesty's Government in Belize".

Title

In Belize, the King's official title is: ''Charles the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Belize and of His Other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth''. This style communicates Belize's status as an independent monarchy, highlighting the sovereign's role specifically as Sovereign of Belize, as well as the shared aspect of the Crown throughout the Commonwealth realms. Typically, the sovereign is styled "King of Belize", and is addressed as such when in Belize.

Succession

Like some realms, Belize defers to United Kingdom law to determine the line of succession. Succession is by

absolute primogeniture Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...

governed by the provisions of the

Succession to the Crown Act 2013 The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 (c. 20) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that altered the laws of succession to the British throne in accordance with the 2011 Perth Agreement. The Act replaced male-preference primogenit ...

, as well as the Act of Settlement, 1701, and the Bill of Rights, 1689. This legislation limits the succession to the natural (i.e. non-

adopted Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from ...

), legitimate descendants of

Sophia, Electress of Hanover Sophia of Hanover (born Princess Sophia of the Palatinate; 14 October 1630 – 8 June 1714) was the Electress of Hanover by marriage to Elector Ernest Augustus and later the heiress presumptive to the thrones of England and Scotland (later Gre ...

, and stipulates that the monarch cannot be a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

, and must be in communion with the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Brit ...

upon ascending the throne. Though these constitutional laws, as they apply to Belize, still lie within the control of the

British parliament The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprem ...

, both the United Kingdom and Belize cannot change the rules of succession without the unanimous consent of the other realms, unless explicitly leaving the shared monarchy relationship; a situation that applies identically in all the other realms, and which has been likened to a

treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal per ...

amongst these countries. Upon a

demise of the Crown Demise of the Crown is the legal term in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms for the transfer of the Crown upon the death of the monarch. The Crown transfers automatically to the monarch's heir. The concept evolved in the kingdom of En ...

(the death or abdication of a sovereign), it is customary for the accession of the new monarch to be proclaimed by the governor-general in the capital, Belmopan, after the accession. Regardless of any proclamations, the late sovereign's heir immediately and automatically succeeds, without any need for confirmation or further ceremony. An appropriate period of mourning also follows, during which flags across the country are flown at half-mast to honour the late monarch. The day of the funeral is likely to be a public holiday.

Constitutional role and royal prerogative

The Belizean Constitution gives Belize a similar parliamentary system of government as the other Commonwealth realms, in which all powers of the state are constitutionally reposed in the monarch, who is represented by the governor-general of Belize; appointed by the monarch upon the advice of the prime minister of Belize. The monarch's domestic duties are performed by this vice-regal representative. The role of the monarch and the governor-general is both legal and practical; the Crown is regarded as a corporation, in which several parts share the authority of the whole, with the monarch as the person at the centre of the constitutional construct.

Executive

The governor-general is responsible for appointing a prime minister, who thereafter heads the

Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filin ...

and advises the monarch or governor-general on how to execute their executive powers over all aspects of government operations and foreign affairs. The monarch is informed by the governor-general of the acceptance of the resignation of a prime minister and the swearing-in of a new prime minister and members of the ministry. The governor-general also appoints and dismisses ministers, members of various executive agencies, and other officials, including senators. There are also a few duties which must be specifically performed by the monarch, such as signing the appointment papers of governors-general. As all executive authority of Belize is vested in the sovereign, the institutions of government are said to act under his authority; hence, the government of Belize is formally referred to as "His Majesty's Government in Belize".

Foreign affairs

The Royal Prerogative also extends to foreign affairs: the sovereign or the governor-general may negotiate and ratify treaties, alliances, and international agreements; no parliamentary approval is required. However, a treaty cannot alter the domestic laws of Belize; an Act of Parliament is necessary in such cases. The governor-general, on behalf of the monarch, also accredits Belizean High Commissioners and ambassadors, and receives diplomats from foreign states. In addition, the issuance of passports falls under the Royal Prerogative and, as such, all

Belizean passport Belizean passports are issued to Belizean citizens to travel outside Belize. The passport is a Caricom passport as Belize is a member of the Caribbean Community. Appearance and issuance The issuance of passports is governed by the Passports Act ( ...

s are issued in the governor-general's name, the monarch's vice-regal representative.

National Assembly

The governor-general is responsible for summoning the two Houses of the

and may at any time

prorogue Prorogation in the Westminster system of government is the action of proroguing, or interrupting, a parliament, or the discontinuance of meetings for a given period of time, without a dissolution of parliament. The term is also used for the peri ...

or dissolve the National Assembly. At the opening of a new parliamentary session, the governor-general reads the

Speech from the Throne A speech from the throne, or throne speech, is an event in certain monarchies in which the reigning sovereign, or a representative thereof, reads a prepared speech to members of the nation's legislature when a session is opened, outlining t ...

, outlining the government's legislative agenda. A general election follows dissolution, the writs for which are dropped by the governor-general at Belize House. The authority of the Crown is embodied in the mace of the House of Representatives, which bears a crown at its apex; unlike other bicameral realms, however, the Belizean legislature only has a mace for the lower house. Because the Belizean monarchy is a constitutional one, the powers that are constitutionally the monarch's are exercised almost wholly upon the advice of her prime minister and the ministers of the Crown in Cabinet, who are, in turn, accountable to the democratically elected House of Representatives, and through it, to the people. The monarch's role, and thereby the

viceroy A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning " ...

's role, is almost entirely symbolic and cultural, acting as a symbol of the legal authority under which all governments and agencies operate. In exceptional circumstances, however, the monarch or viceroy can act against such advice based upon his or her reserve powers.Cox, Noel; ''Murdoch University Electronic Journal of Law'': Black v Chrétien: Suing a Minister of the Crown for Abuse of Power, Misfeasance in Public Office and Negligence; Volume 9, Number 3 (September 2002)
/ref> All laws in Belize are enacted with the viceroy's signature. The granting of a signature to a bill is known as

Royal Assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in oth ...

; it, and proclamation, are required for all acts of parliament, usually granted or withheld by the governor-general, with the Public Seal of Belize.

Courts

The sovereign is responsible for rendering justice to all his subjects, and is thus traditionally deemed the ''fount of justice''. In Belize, criminal offences are legally deemed to be offences against the sovereign and proceedings for indictable offences are brought in the sovereign's name in the form of ''The King versus ame'. Hence, the common law holds that the sovereign "can do no wrong", and the monarch cannot be prosecuted in his or her own courts for criminal offences. The appointment of the chief justice of Belize, and other justices of the Supreme Court also falls under the Royal Prerogative, and these duties are assigned to the governor-general by the Constitution. The governor-general can also grant immunity from prosecution, exercise the "prerogative of mercy", and pardon offences against the Crown. Pardons may be awarded before, during, or after a trial. The exercise of the 'Prerogative of Mercy' to grant a pardon and the commutation of prison sentences in described in section 52 of the Belizean Constitution.

Cultural role

Belize celebrates the birthday of its monarch every year in May. The day is known as ''Sovereign's Day'', and is marked by parades in Belize City, although it is not an official public holiday, like in the UK. 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 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 Crown and honours

Within the Commonwealth realms, the monarch is deemed the

fount of honour The fount of honour ( la, fons honorum) is a person, who, by virtue of his or her official position, has the exclusive right of conferring legitimate titles of nobility and orders of chivalry on other persons. Origin During the High Middle Age ...

. Similarly, the monarch, as Sovereign of Belize, confers awards and honours in Belize in his name. Most of them are often awarded on the advice of "His Majesty's Belize Ministers". Through the passage of the ''National Honours and Awards Act'', Belize established three national orders on 16 August 1991: the

Order of Belize The Order of Belize is the second highest honour awarded to foreigners in Belize by the government of Belize. It was instituted on 16 August 1991. Recipients * Felipe Calderón * Fidel Castro * Vicente Fox * Philip Goldson * Ma Ying-jeou * Le ...

, the

Order of Distinction The Order of Distinction is a national order in the Jamaican honours system. It is the sixth in order of precedence of the Orders of Societies of Honour, which were instituted by an Act of Parliament (''The National Honours and Awards Act'') ...

, and the Order of the National Hero. The monarch of Belize is the sovereign of all three orders, while the governor-general serves as the chancellor.

The Crown and the Defence Force

The Crown sits at the pinnacle of the Belize Defence Force. The monarch is the Commander-in-Chief of the entire Forces. The

Crown of St. Edward St Edward's Crown is the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Named after Saint Edward the Confessor, versions of it have traditionally been used to crown English and British monarchs at their coronations since the 13th cent ...

appears on Belize Defence Force badges and rank insignia, which illustrates the monarchy as the locus of authority. Under the Belizean ''Defence Act'', every member of the Belize Defence Force must swear allegiance to the monarch of Belize, on taking office. The current oath is:

The Crown and the Police Force

St Edward's Crown St Edward's Crown is the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Named after Saint Edward the Confessor, versions of it have traditionally been used to crown English and British monarchs at their coronations since the 13th cen ...

also appears on the rank insignia of the Belize Police Department. All riot proclamations are issued in the monarch's name and end with the phrase "God Save the King". Every member of the Belize Police Department has to swear allegiance to the monarch of Belize, on taking office. Under the Police Act of Belize, every police officer must make the following declaration on joining the Department:

Belizean royal symbols

The main symbol of the Belizean monarchy is the sovereign himself. Thus, framed portraits of him are displayed in public buildings and government offices. Many Belizeans also keep portraits of the royal family in their homes. All Belizean coins feature a crowned effigy of the monarch. All banknotes of the

Belizean dollar The Belize dollar is the official currency in Belize (currency code ''BZD''). It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign ''$'', or alternatively ''BZ$'' to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 cen ...

feature the monarch's portrait on the obverse. The monarch also appears on commemorative Belizean stamps. A crown is also used to illustrate the monarchy as the locus of authority, appearing on police force, postal workers, prison officers, and Belize Defence Force regimental and maritime badges and rank insignia. ''

God Save the King "God Save the King" is the national and/or royal anthem of the United Kingdom, most of the Commonwealth realms, their territories, and the British Crown Dependencies. The author of the tune is unknown and it may originate in plainchant, ...

'' is the royal anthem of Belize. Under the Belizean Oath of Citizenship, new Belizean citizens have to take a pledge of allegiance to the monarch of Belize, and his heirs and successors. BLZ001.JPG, The Queen of Belize on a Belizean 50-cent coin, 1991 Flag of the Governor-General of Belize.svg, The flag of the Belizean governor-general featuring the

Belize Police Department badge.svg, The emblem of the Belize Police Department featuring the Crown Vokesimurex cabritii, Belize postage stamp.jpg, A Belizean postage stamp featuring the royal cypher of Queen Elizabeth II Belize - Government House Entrance.jpg, A post box in Belize featuring the royal cypher of Queen Elizabeth II

Royal visits

20th century

Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth ...

visited Belize in 1958. The

Duke of Edinburgh Duke of Edinburgh, named after the city of Edinburgh in Scotland, was a substantive title that has been created three times since 1726 for members of the British royal family. It does not include any territorial landholdings and does not prod ...

visited in 1962.

represented the Queen at the independence celebrations in September 1981. Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states durin ...

, visited Belize in October 1985. She was welcomed by the mayor and given the key to Belize City. She spent the night in Government House before flying to Dangriga the following day where they watched a Junkanoo Dance by children and received a painting from the people of the Stann Creek District. She also met British Servicemen and women stationed in Belize. During the visit, the Queen was served the famous gibnut during an official dinner. The next day, the British press in London ran headlines: "Queen Eats Rat in Belize". Ever since, the gibnut has often been referred to as "The Royal Rat", or "The Queen's Rat" in Belize. The Duke of Edinburgh returned in 1988 for a solo visit in his capacity as President of the World Wide Fund for Nature. The Queen visited again in 1994. On her arrival at the airport in Belize City, she was greeted by 90% of the city's population. The Queen also visited the towns of San Ignacio and Punta Gorda. The Queen attended a special sitting of the National Assembly, addressed the body for the first time and spoke of Belize's "robust democracy". She also visited Cahal Pech, one of Belize's many Mayan archaeological sites.

21st century

The Princess Royal Princess Royal is a style customarily (but not automatically) awarded by a British monarch to their eldest daughter. Although purely honorary, it is the highest honour that may be given to a female member of the royal family. There have been sev ...

visited Belize in April 2001. The Princess visited the National Assembly of Belize at Belmopan, and the Belize Defence Force, Price Barracks, Ladyville, Belize City. During her visit, The Princess also visited San Lazaro Village Roman Catholic Primary School at Orange Walk, the Mennonite Community at Blue Creek Village, the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area, Marla's House of Hope, NOPCA Saves – Children's Home (National Organisation for the Prevention of Child Abuse), Belize Zoo, and the Commonwealth War Graves at Lord's Ridge Cemetery at Belize City. In 2012,

Prince Harry Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, (Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984) is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger son of Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. He is fifth in the line of succ ...

visited on the Queen's behalf to mark her Diamond Jubilee. During his visit, the Prince visited the remains of the ancient Mayan city of Xunantunich, launched a canoe named in honour of the Queen, and attended officially naming of the 'Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Boulevard' in Belmopan. The

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are r ...

and

Duchess of Cambridge Duke of Cambridge, one of several current royal dukedoms in the United Kingdom , is a hereditary title of specific rank of nobility in the British royal family. The title (named after the city of Cambridge in England) is heritable by male de ...

visited in March 2022 on the occasion of the

Queen's Platinum Jubilee The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II was the international celebration in 2022 marking the Platinum jubilee, 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952, the first British monarch to ever celebrate one. In the Un ...

. The couple's planned visor to a Maya village in southern Belize was cancelled due to local protests. The couple visited historic Mayan sites, explored Belize's world-famous Maya chocolate making, and celebrated the rich culture of the Garifuna community in Hopkins. The Duke and Duchess also learned about the restoration efforts of Belize's barrier reef being led by communities across the country. They also scuba-dived to learn more about the second-largest barrier reef in the world. At the reception hosted by Governor-General

Dame Froyla Tzalam Dame Froyla Tzalam, , is a Belizean Mopan Maya anthropologist and community leader, who has served as the Governor-General of Belize since 27 May 2021. She is the first indigenous person of Maya descent to serve as governor-general of any cou ...

in celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, the Duke said, "Now we know why Belize is so lovingly referred to as the Jewel. We hope to return again soon and to show our children this wonderful country. They are rather jealous that they're not here with us now". Several days after the visit concluded, the government of Belize indicated that they were creating a new body, the People's Constitutional Commission to consult the public on the

decolonisation Decolonization or decolonisation is the undoing of colonialism, the latter being the process whereby imperial nations establish and dominate foreign territories, often overseas. Some scholars of decolonization focus especially on independence ...

and becoming a republic.

List of Belizean monarchs

Footnotes

External links

Belize
at The Royal Family website

Constitution of Belize
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monarchy of Belize * Government of Belize Politics of Belize Heads of state of Belize 1981 establishments in Belize Monarchies of North America

Kingdoms