*The Caribbean island of Barbados will remove Queen Elizabeth as their head of state and become a republic, 55 years after the country gained independence from Britain.
The news came in a speech written by Barbadian Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, which was read by Sandra Mason, the governor-general of the Caribbean island, at the opening of the nation’s parliament on Wednesday, PEOPLE reports.Â
“The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind,” the speech read. “This is the ultimate statement of confidence in who we are and what we are capable of achieving. Hence, Barbados will take the next logical step toward full sovereignty and become a republic by the time we celebrate our 55th anniversary of independence.”
If the process of removing the Queen moves on as planned, Barbados will become a full-fledged republic in November 2021.Â
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A source at the Palace reportedly said the idea “was not out of the blue” and “has been mooted and publicly talked about many times,” according to BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond.
“Barbados has developed governance structures and institutions that mark us as what has been described as ‘the best governed Black society in the world,’ ” Mason added in Wednesday’s speech. “Since Independence, we Barbadians have sought constantly to improve our systems of law and governance so as to ensure they best reflect our characteristics and values as a nation.”
She continued, “Barbados’ first prime minister, the Rt. Excellent Errol Walton Barrow, cautioned against loitering on colonial premises. That warning is as relevant today as it was in 1966. Having attained Independence over half a century ago, our country can be in no doubt about its capacity for self-governance.”
Barbados gained its independence from Britain in 1966, but Queen Elizabeth II remains its constitutional monarch.
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