Monarchy of South Africa

For traditional monarchies of South Africa, see List of current constituent African monarchs#South Africa.
Monarchy of South Africa

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on a South African stamp, commemorating their tour of 1947
Details
Style His Majesty
1910–1952
Her Majesty
1952–1961
First monarch King George V
Last monarch Queen Elizabeth II
Formation 31 May 1910
Abolition 31 May 1961
Residence United Kingdom United Kingdom
Buckingham Palace
Union of South Africa Union of South Africa
Government House
Appointer Hereditary

The monarchy of South Africa was the system of government in which a hereditary monarch was the sovereign of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961. South Africa shared the Sovereign with the United Kingdom, other Dominions, and latterly other Commonwealth realms. The monarch's constitutional roles were mostly delegated to the Governor-General of the Union of South Africa. The royal succession was the same as the succession to the British throne.

The monarchy was abolished on 31 May 1961, when South Africa became a republic and left the Commonwealth. On 1 June 1994 South Africa rejoined the Commonwealth as a republic, after the end of Apartheid.

History

The monarchy was created by the South Africa Act 1909 which united four British colonies in southern Africa: Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Orange River Colony and Transvaal. The Act also made provisions for admitting Southern Rhodesia as a fifth province of the Union in the future, but Southern Rhodesian voters rejected this option in a referendum held in 1922. South-West Africa became a League of Nations mandate of the Union in 1915. Following a referendum on the subject, South Africa adopted a new constitution in 1961 which abolished the monarchy.

List of monarchs

House of Windsor
Portrait Name Birth Death Monarch from Monarch until Consort Heir
King George V 3 June 1865 20 January 1936 31 May 1910 20 January 1936 Queen Mary Son: Edward, Prince of Wales
King Edward VIII 23 June 1894 28 May 1972 20 January 1936 10 December 1936[1]
(Abdicated)		 None Brother: Prince Albert, Duke of York
King George VI 14 December 1895 6 February 1952 10 December 1936 6 February 1952 Queen Elizabeth Daughter: Princess Elizabeth
(Duchess of Edinburgh from 1947)
Queen Elizabeth II 21 April 1926 6 February 1952 31 May 1961 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Son: Charles, Prince of Wales
Titles
George V
31 May 1910 – 13 May 1927
By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India
13 May 1927 – 20 January 1936
His Majesty George V, 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
Edward VIII
20 January 1936 – 10 December 1936
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
George VI
10 December 1936 – 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 – 31 May 1961
By the Grace of God, Queen of South Africa and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth

Visits

King George VI, his wife Queen Elizabeth, and their daughters Elizabeth and Margaret, visited South Africa in 1947. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited South Africa, after it became a republic, in 1995 and 1999.

See also

References

  1. ↑ His Majesty King Edward the Eighth's Abdication Act, 1937 (Act No. 2 of 1937)
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