Elaine Lawler

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Elaine Lawler (born 1973) became the first white Queen in Ghana after a ceremony in Ghana in July 2006.

Queen Elaine Lawler is from Gateshead, England. Her husband John Lawler was made a chief in 1998 after helping set up a school in the village of Shia during a gap year. When Elaine and John Lawler got married in June 2006, the village decided to bestow the honour on Mrs Lawler. The ceremony, just 24 hours after their marriage, was blessed in front of chiefs and elders from across Ghana. Elaine Lawler was made queen in front of thousands of well-wishers. In a tradition known as the Enstoolment Ceremony, Queen Elaine received blessings before being presented with her official tribal clothing - golden slippers, a Kente woven toga and her golden crown. Elaine then sat on her golden stool for the first time. Queen Elaine Lawler was also given a Ghanaian name Mama Amenyo Nyowu Sika. This translates as "people are more important than gold". After Queen Elaine Lawler was crowned she said "It was totally overwhelming, but the people were so friendly and it was a wonderful privilege to be made queen". Queen Elaine, studying to be a nutritionist at Northumbria University, says her main responsibilities will be to lead youth development in the village and fill in for her husband John if he is unable to attend special occasions.