The number of states headed by Elizabeth II varied during her 70 years as queen, altogether seeing her as sovereign of a total of 32 independent countries during this period.
Andrew Michie wrote in 1952 that "Elizabeth II embodies in her own person many monarchies: she is Queen of Great Britain, but she is equally Queen of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Ceylon [...]
Until her death, Queen Elizabeth II was the monarch of 15 countries in the Commonwealth that are home to around 150 million people. The U.K. also currently holds an additional 14 overseas territories that are home to another 300,000 people.
Ireland and Zimbabwe are the only republic states to have withdrawn from the Commonwealth entirely. In 1948 and 2003 respectively. Here is a list of Commonwealth republics and the year they first joined the Commonwealth: Bangladesh (1972)
Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, 1900: Original Public Record Copy (1900). The Australian Constitution does not contemplate any state or territory leaving Australia. The only legal path to secession would be by a national referendum.
It was first applied to Fiji during the 1987 Fijian coups d'état which resulted in its democratic institutions being overthrown. Pakistan has been suspended twice, Fiji three times, and Zimbabwe withdrew from the Commonwealth.
Thus, the British Commonwealth became the Commonwealth of Nations in 1949. Over time, membership has expanded. Today, the Commonwealth includes fifty-four countries, largely in Asia and Africa, including nearly all of the world's English speaking countries.
Elizabeth became Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon upon the death of her father, George VI, on 6 February 1952.
Some would say the empire officially came to an end in February of that year when—utterly drained by the two world wars—the British cabled Washington that they no longer had the money or troops to defend Greece or Turkey as the Soviet Union threatened to extend its influence in the early Cold War.
Commonwealth member countries benefit from being part of a mutually supportive community of independent and sovereign states, aided by more than 80 Commonwealth organisations. The Commonwealth Secretariat, established in 1965, supports Commonwealth member countries to achieve development, democracy and peace.
Introduction. Australia is a constitutional monarchy with The Queen as Sovereign. As a constitutional monarch, The Queen, by convention, is not involved in the day-to-day business of the Australian Government, but she continues to play important ceremonial and symbolic roles.
Australia became a nation on 1 January 1901, when the British Parliament passed legislation enabling the six Australian colonies to collectively govern in their own right as the Commonwealth of Australia. It was a remarkable political accomplishment that had taken many years and several referenda to achieve.
In 1913, 412 million people lived under the control of the British Empire, 23 percent of the world's population at that time. It remains the largest empire in human history and at the peak of its power in 1920, it covered an astonishing 13.71 million square miles - that's close to a quarter of the world's land area.
The two events that are usually used by historians to signify the end of the British Empire are the Independence of India in 1947 or the end of British rule in Hong Kong in 1997.
Contrary to public rumors, at no time do Canadians "pay money" to Britain or to the Royal Family. The only tax dollars that are spent on the monarchy are for the Vice Regal offices and Royal Visits, much like we would spend on visits of other international dignitaries.
Elizabeth I was the last monarch of the Tudor dynasty, which ruled England between 1485 and 1603.
Australia's Head of State is the King of Australia, His Majesty King Charles III. Under the Australian Constitution, executive power is exercised by the Governor‑General as the King's representative.
British colonies were established in 1788 and on 1 January 1901 these colonies united to become the nation of Australia. This event is known as Federation and resulted in the creation of Australia as a constitutional monarchy with the monarch as our Head of State.
United Kingdom (Britain) The British Empire was the largest of its kind in history, and once covered about one quarter of all the land on Earth.
According to the book "All the Countries We've Ever Invaded: And the Few We Never Got Round To", there are only 22 countries Britain never invaded throughout history. There aren't many gaps on the map, but some of the more notable include Sweden, Belarus and Vatican City.
Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth in 1987, after a race-based military coup that overthrew the country's first democratically-elected government led by an ethnic Indian. The island nation was re-admitted to the Commonwealth 10 years later after democracy was restored.
Australia is the third-largest contributor to the Commonwealth budget. We are represented on the Commonwealth Secretariat's Board of Governors, and its Executive Committee, by the High Commissioner for Australia to the United Kingdom.
The transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997 ended the territory's status as a part of the Commonwealth through the United Kingdom. Non-sovereign states or regions are not permitted to become members of the Commonwealth. The government of the People's Republic of China has not pursued membership.
1) The British Empire was the largest empire the world has ever seen. The British Empire covered 13.01 million square miles of land - more than 22% of the earth's landmass.
Caesar Augustus (Reign: 27 B.C. to 14 A.D.)
Gaius Octavius Thurinus, also known as Octavian or “Augustus,” served as the first official emperor of the Roman Empire, and is often seen by historians as the greatest.