At midnight, this Tuesday, November 30, the royal standard was taken down, replaced by a new presidential flag in another. “I, Sandra Prunella Mason, with the help of God, take an oath to be faithful to the law and true allegiance to Barbados,” the new president said as he took the oath. The moment is historic: despite a curfew due to the coronavirus pandemic, Barbadians are exceptionally allowed to indulge in fireworks being fired across the island. The celebration is attended by a special guest: Prince Charles. However, it is not a happy moment for him. Elizabeth II, his mother, has lost one of the gems in her crown. She no longer managed the affairs of this lost microstate in the Caribbean Sea, having gained its independence just 55 years earlier – on November 30, 1966 – but still remained its sovereign. The monarchy is over, Barbados is now a republic! An admission of failure for the Queen who will soon celebrate her 70 years on the throne?

The divorce was approved by the local parliament a year ago. “It is time to end our colonial past”, was sworn in sandra mason, the then governor of the island, the evening of this vote. So should we invite a member of the royal family to the event? This question had divided the Barbadians. Many believed that Prince Charles’ arrival was an “insult” of the island’s new autonomy. “It is diplomacy. Friends above all, it is what we are that justifies government. Especially since Barbados remains a member of the Commonwealth under the auspices of Elizabeth II, affirmed by Boris Johnson: ” We will continue to be loyal friends and ally by relying on the lasting relationships and ties between our people. and contact on Commonwealth specifics. ,

pearl of the caribbean

The Queen had a special bond with this Caribbean island, which she first visited in 1966 with her husband, Prince Philip. At that time, he was welcomed there with general gaiety. Then she would return there regularly: in 1975, to honor the Barbadian cricketer garfield sobers, or in 1977, on the occasion of a major tour for his silver jubilee. Prince Harry has also been there several times, such as in 2016, to mark fifty years of the microstate’s independence. Barbadian singer Rihanna welcomed a very famous person to her stay.

Even if Barbados does not have 300,000 inhabitants, it was still a necessary territory for Elizabeth II. Since 1956, the Queen has seen the number of her kingdoms shrink like hell. In the Caribbean, they also lost Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica during the 1970s. After leaving Barbados, she is now the head of fifteen states. But some of them regularly express a desire for independence. This is particularly the case in Australia where Windsor’s authority has often been challenged. Similarly in Canada, where recent opinion polls show that at least 45% of people would prefer another head of state. “Prince Charles does not have the same prestige as the Queen. Some Canadians will question his attachment to the monarchy’s disappearance”, assures tom fredQuoted by, Politicians who extremist in this direction west france, “The question is not whether it will happen or not, but when…”

However, throughout her reign, Elizabeth II fought for union at all levels: that of the United Kingdom, of the European Union, or even of the Commonwealth. From Brexit to Scottish independence efforts, it has often been shaken. The departure from Barbados further confirms this.