Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

was Queen of Sierra Leone from 1961 to 1971, when

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...

was an independent

constitutional monarchy Constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy or democratic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in making decisions. ...

. She was also the monarch of other

Commonwealth realm A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations that has the same constitutional monarch and head of state as the other realms. The current monarch is King Charles III. Except for the United Kingdom, in each of the re ...

s, including the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. Her constitutional roles in Sierra Leone were mostly delegated to the governor-general of Sierra Leone.

History

Sierra Leone became an independent realm by the Sierra Leone Independence Act 1961, which transformed the British Crown Colony of Sierra Leone into an independent member of the

Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the British Commonwealth or simply the Commonwealth, is an International organization, international association of member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, 56 member states, the vast majo ...

. Queen Elizabeth II became the

head of state A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 "

he head of state He or HE may refer to: Language * He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter cal ...

being an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...

and Queen of Sierra Leone, and was represented by the

governor-general Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...

who resided at the State House. The

Duke of Kent Duke of Kent is a title that has been created several times in the peerages of Great Britain and the United Kingdom, most recently as a royal dukedom for the fourth son of King George V. Since 1942, the title has been held by Prince Edwa ...

represented the Queen at the independence celebrations.

Princess Alexandra of Kent Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy (Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel; born 25 December 1936) is a member of the British royal family and the only daughter of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and D ...

represented the Queen at a Thanksgiving Service held in London on Sierra Leone's Independence Day. At Freetown, the Duke of Kent opened the new Parliament Building on 26 April. Sierra Leone became independent at midnight of 26-27 April and later that day the Duke took part in the State opening of Parliament, where the Duke handed over the constitutional instruments to Sir Milton Margai, which made Sierra Leone an independent nation. Later Sir Maurice Dorman, the Governor, was sworn in as the Governor-General, the Queen's representative, by Chief Justice Beoku Betts. The Queen sent a message to Sierra Leoneans, in which she said:

Constitutional role

Sierra Leone was one of the realms of the

that shared the same person as

Sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title that can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to ...

and head of state. Effective with the Sierra Leone Independence Act 1961, no British government minister could advise the sovereign on any matters pertaining to Sierra Leone, meaning that on all matters of Sierra Leone, the monarch was advised solely by Sierra Leonean

ministers of the Crown Minister of the Crown is a formal constitutional term used in Commonwealth realms to describe a minister of the reigning sovereign or viceroy. The term indicates that the minister serves at His Majesty's pleasure, and advises the sovereign o ...

. All Sierra Leonean bills required Royal assent. The Sierra Leonean monarch was represented in the country by the Governor-General of Sierra Leone, who was appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Sierra Leonean Prime Minister.

The Crown and Government

The Sierra Leonean monarch and the Sierra Leonean House of Representatives constituted the Parliament of Sierra Leone. All executive powers of Sierra Leone rested with the sovereign. All laws in Sierra Leone were enacted only with the granting of

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

, done by the Governor-General on behalf of the sovereign. The Governor-General was also responsible for summoning, proroguing, and

dissolving Dissolution may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Dissolution'', a 2002 novel by Richard Lee Byers in the War of the Spider Queen series * ''Dissolution'' (Sansom novel), by C. J. Sansom, 2003 * ''Dissolution'' (Binge novel), by Nicholas Bing ...

Parliament. The Governor-General had the power to choose and appoint the Council of Ministers and could dismiss them under his discretion. All Sierra Leonean ministers of the Crown held office at the pleasure of the Governor-General.

The Crown and Foreign affairs

Sierra Leonean representatives to foreign countries were

accredited Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

by the monarch in her capacity as Queen of Sierra Leone and Sierra Leonean envoys sent abroad required royal approval. The

letters of credence A letter of credence (, ) is a formal diplomatic letter that designates a diplomat as ambassador to another sovereign state. Commonly known as diplomatic credentials, the letter is addressed from one head of state to another, asking them to give ...

were formally issued in the name of the monarch.

The Crown and the Courts

All Sierra Leonean judges had to swear that they would "well and truly serve" the monarch of Sierra Leone and "do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of Sierra Leone without fear or favour, affection or ill will". The highest court of appeal for Sierra Leone was the Judicial Committee of the Queen's Privy Council. The monarch, and by extension the governor-general, could also grant immunity from prosecution, exercise the ''

royal prerogative of mercy In the English and British tradition, the royal prerogative of mercy is one of the historic royal prerogatives of the British monarch, by which they can grant pardons (informally known as a royal pardon) to convicted persons. The royal prer ...

'', and pardon offences against the Crown, either before, during, or after a trial.

Royal style and titles

The Royal Style and Titles Act, 1961 of the Sierra Leonean Parliament granted the monarch separate style and titles in her role as Queen of Sierra Leone. Elizabeth II had the following style and titles in her role as the monarch of Sierra Leone: *27 April 196128 December 1961: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith *28 December 196119 April 1971: Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Sierra Leone and of Her Other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth

Oath of allegiance

The oath of allegiance in Sierra Leone was:

A person could choose to replace the word ''swear'' with the phrase ''solemnly and sincerely affirm and declare'', and to omit the phrase ''so help me God''.

Cultural role

The Crown and Honours

Within the Commonwealth realms, the monarch is deemed the "fount of honour". Similarly, the monarch, as Sovereign of Sierra Leone, conferred awards and honours in Sierra Leone in her name. Most of them were awarded on the advice of "Her Majesty's Sierra Leone Ministers".

The Crown and the Defence Force

The Governor-General was the Commander-in-Chief of Sierra Leone. The Crown sat at the pinnacle of the Sierra Leonean Defence Force. It was reflected in the Sierra Leonean Military Forces, which were known as "Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces". The prefix "Royal" was dropped when the Sierra Leonean monarchy was abolished.

Queen's Personal Flag for Sierra Leone

Queen Elizabeth II had a personal flag for use in

. It was used for the first time when she visited the nation in 1961. The flag featured the

coat of arms of Sierra Leone The coat of arms of Sierra Leone (along with the flag), were developed by the College of Arms and granted in 1960. Design The shield on the arms depicts a lion beneath a zigzag border, representing the Lion Mountains, after which the country ...

in banner form, which depicts a lion beneath a zigzag border, representing the Lion Mountains, after which the country was named. It also shows three torches which are meant to symbolize peace and dignity. At the base are wavy bars depicting the sea. A blue disc of the letter "E" crowned surrounded by a garland of gold roses defaces the flag, which is taken from the Queen's Personal Flag. The Sierra Leonean standard also served as the inspiration for the design and layout of her personal standard for Canada.

Royal tour of 1961

The Queen said in her Christmas broadcast in 1958, that she and her husband would be visiting Sierra Leone in late 1959. But later the visit was postponed, as she had become pregnant in 1959. Queen Elizabeth II and her husband,

Prince Philip Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 19219 April 2021), was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he was the consort of the British monarch from h ...

, visited Sierra Leone from 25 November to 1 December 1961. They arrived in

Freetown Freetown () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country. Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial, cultural, e ...

on the royal yacht ''

Britannia The image of Britannia () is the national personification of United Kingdom, Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used by the Romans in classical antiquity, the Latin was the name variously appli ...

'', and Queen Elizabeth II Quay was so-named as a result. Elizabeth II was welcomed as the queen of Sierra Leone and she also used a distinct Sierra Leonean flag. Colloquially, she was referred to as ''Mama Queen II'' by the people of Sierra Leone. She was given a gold key to the city of

by its mayor, who wore red robes and a cocked hat. The Queen and her husband stayed at the governor-general's residence during their visit. The monarch also presented new colours to the Royal Sierra Leone Regiment at the Brookfields Stadium. The new Queen's Colour incorporated the new flag of Sierra Leone. The new colours, placed upon piled drums, were blessed by the imam of the Muslim Congress – ''"In thy holy name, O Allah, most gracious, most merciful"'' – by the Roman Catholic bishop of Freetown and Bo, by the president of the United Christian Council and by the Anglican bishop of Freetown. In Bo, a durbar of

paramount chiefs A paramount chief is the English-language designation for a king or queen or the highest-level political leader in a regional or local polity or country administered politically with a chief-based system. This term is used occasionally in anthr ...

was held for the Queen at the Bo Coronation field, where chiefs and their "Devil Dancers" performed for the royal couple. Each paramount chief was presented to the monarch and awarded a

commemorative medal A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be in ...

. The Queen and the Duke toured several places and attended a number of events, including the Bo Hospital, an agricultural show in

Kenema Based on the 2021 national mid-term census, Kenema has a population of 255,110. making it the second most populous city in Sierra Leone after Freetown, and the largest city in the country's Eastern Province, Sierra Leone, Eastern Province. Kenema ...

, the iron ore in Marampa, the Sierra Leone Press and Radio, a civic reception by the Freetown City Council, a gathering of chiefs and people at Port Loko, and the Children's Rally and Citizens' Parade in Freetown. In honour of the royal visit, an entire model village was laid out, so that the Queen could see how some of the people of Sierra Leone live in villages. She and her husband also attended a divine service at the St. George's Cathedral in Freetown, where they were received by the Bishop of Sierra Leone. The Duke of Edinburgh also visited the Guma Valley, where a

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...

was being built. At the

University of Sierra Leone The University of Sierra Leone is the name of the former unitary public university system in Sierra Leone. Established in February 1827, it is the oldest university in Africa. As of May 2005, the University of Sierra Leone was reconstituted into ...

, Queen Elizabeth II, being the

visitor A visitor, in English and Welsh law and history, is an overseer of an autonomous ecclesiastical or eleemosynary institution, often a charitable institution set up for the perpetual distribution of the founder's alms and bounty, who can interve ...

of the university, presented degrees to students, accompanied by her husband and the prime minister. At a dinner banquet, Prime Minister

Milton Margai Sir Milton Augustus Strieby Margai (7 December 1895 – 28 April 1964) was a Sierra Leonean physician and politician who served as the country's head of government from 1954 until his death in 1964. He was titled chief minister from 1954 to 196 ...

addressed the Queen and said, "your visit means above everything else that you are more to us than a distant Head of the Commonwealth. You are indeed Our Queen and we have a special claim on your interest, sympathy and affection". The Queen, speaking of Prime Minister

, said, "Sierra Leone can count herself truly fortunate, but while gaining her independence, she has found a leader wise, experienced and devoted to her people". In Freetown, she visited the

Parliament of Sierra Leone Parliament of Sierra Leone is the legislative branch of the government of Sierra Leone. It is principally responsible for making laws. The Sierra Leone parliament consists of 149 members, of which 135 members are directly elected from across S ...

, where she received a loyal address. At the end of the tour, a

garden party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature f ...

was given by Margai at his official residence. During her departure from Sierra Leone, the Queen was presented with an indigenous Sierra Leonean diamond by Margai, as a farewell gift.

Abolition

The Sierra Leonean monarchy was abolished in 1971, when the country became a

republic within the Commonwealth The republics in the Commonwealth of Nations are the sovereign states in the organisation with a republican form of government. , 36 out of the 56 member states were republics. While Charles III is the titular Head of the Commonwealth, the King ...

with a

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

as head of state.