On the occasion of its 55th anniversary as an independent nation, Barbados no longer recognizes Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State. The former Governor-General, Sandra Mason, became President, having taken office on November 30th. His functions will remain essentially the same, with the difference that he now acts as Head of State of Barbados.

Mason was the first woman to be admitted to the Barbados Bar and also served as ambassador to Venezuela, Chile, Colombia and Brazil.

Independent since 1966, Barbados had already discussed the transition from constitutional monarchy to republic several times, but only in May 2021 was the change approved in parliament. It thus joins other Caribbean countries that have done the same, such as Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and the Dominican Republic, all these republics since the 1970s.

Despite cutting ties, the country will remain a member of the commonwealth .

Photography: Jonathan Brady, PA Images/Getty Images. Available in: https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/29/world/gallery/barbados-celebrates-republic/index.html