Monarchy of Ceylon
| Monarchy of Ceylon | |
|---|---|
|
Coat of Arms of Ceylon | |
|
Queen Elizabeth II of Ceylon | |
| Details | |
| Style |
His Majesty 1948–1952 Her Majesty 1952–1972 |
| First monarch | King George VI |
| Last monarch | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Formation | 4 February 1948 |
| Abolition | 22 May 1972 |
| Residence |
 United KingdomBuckingham Palace .svg.png){kind=small} CeylonKing's House, Colombo 1948–1952 Queen's House 1952–1972 |
| Appointer | Hereditary |
| Pretender(s) | Title abolished |
The Monarchy of Ceylon (the Ceylonese monarchy) was the system of government in which a hereditary monarch was the sovereign of British Ceylon (1815–1948) and then the Dominion of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) from 1948 to 1971. Ceylon shared the Sovereign with the other Commonwealth realms. The monarch's constitutional roles were mostly delegated to the Governor-General of Ceylon. The Royal succession was governed by the English Act of Settlement of 1701.
The monarchy was abolished in 22 May 1972, when Ceylon became a republic within the Commonwealth, and its name was changed to Sri Lanka.
History
In 1796 British gained control of the coastal areas from the Dutch and in 1815 the entire island. The Kandyan Convention of 1815 recognized the King of England as the King of Kandy, hence the British Monarchs from 1796 to 1948 were the monarchs of Ceylon.
List of monarchs
Monarchs of British Ceylon (1815–1948)
House of Hanover (1815–1901)
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Death | Monarch From | Monarch Until | Relationship with Predecessor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | George III | 4 June 1738 | 29 January 1820 | 18 March 1815 | 29 January 1820 | *Son of Frederick, Prince of Wales and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha |
 | George IV | 12 August 1762 | 26 June 1830 | 29 January 1820 | 26 June 1830 | *Son of George III |
 | William IV | 21 August 1765 | 20 June 1837 | 26 June 1830 | 20 June 1837 | *Son of George III |
 | Queen Victoria | 24 May 1819 | 22 January 1901 | 20 June 1837 | 22 January 1901 | *Daughter of Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld |
House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1901–1910)
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Death | Monarch From | Monarch Until | Relationship with Predecessor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Edward VII | 9 November 1841 | 6 May 1910 | 22 January 1901 | 6 May 1910 | *Son of Victoria |
House of Windsor (1910–1948)
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Death | King From | King Until | Relationship with Predecessor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | George V | 3 June 1865 | 20 January 1936 | 6 May 1910 | 20 January 1936 | *Son of Edward VII |
 | Edward VIII | 23 June 1894 | 28 May 1972 | 20 January 1936 | 11 December 1936 | *Son of George V |
 | George VI | 14 December 1895 | 6 February 1952 | 11 December 1936 | 4 February 1948 | *Son of George V |
Monarch of Ceylon (1948–1972)
House of Windsor (1948–1972)
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Death | Monarch From | Monarch Until | Relationship with Predecessor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George VI | 14 December 1895 | 6 February 1952 | 4 February 1948 | 6 February 1952 | *Son of George V |
 | Elizabeth II | 21 April 1926 | 6 February 1952 | 22 May 1972 | *Daughter of George VI |
Titles
| Titles |
|---|
| George VI 4 February 1948 – 22 June 1948 By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India 22 June 1948 – 6 February 1952 By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith |
| Elizabeth II 6 February 1952 – 29 May 1953 By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith 29 May 1953 – 22 May 1972 By the Grace of God, Queen of Ceylon and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth |
Visits
- 1954 (10-21 April): as Queen of Ceylon
- 1981 (21-25 October): as Head of the Commonwealth