This is a list of viceroys of Antigua and Barbuda , from its initial colonisation in 1632 until its independence in 1981.
Between 1671 and 1816, Antigua was part of the British Leeward Islands and its viceroy was the Governor of the Leeward Islands. The colony of the Leeward Islands was split in two in 1816, and the Governor of Antigua became the viceroy in Antigua, Barbuda and Montserrat. In 1833 the British Leeward Islands were reformed, and the Governor of Antigua represented the monarch in all of the British Leeward Islands until 1872, when he became the Governor of the new federal colony of the Leeward Islands.
In 1956 the federal colony of the Leeward Islands was abolished, but the office of Governor of the Leeward Islands remained in existence until the end of 1959. Antigua's government continued under an Administrator, subordinated to the Governor of the Leeward Islands until 1960. The office of Administrator was retitled as Governor in 1967 when the colony attained the status of an associated state.
In 1671, Antigua became part of the newly formed colony of the Leeward Islands, whose governor remained on Antigua. Until 1747, a lieutenant governor was appointed on Antigua to oversee domestic affairs.
From 1747 to 1816, there was no governor in Antigua, as they were administered as part of the British Leeward Islands.
In 1816, the British Leeward Islands was dissolved, and a new governor was appointed in Antigua.
From 1833, the Governor of Antigua was viceroy in the colony of the British Leeward Islands:
In 1872, the Governor of Antigua became the Governor of the Leeward Islands.
According to the constitution of the Associated State of Antigua, the Governor of Antigua, who was Her Majesty's representative in Antigua, was to be chosen by Her Majesty, served during Her Majesty's pleasure, and appointed by Her Majesty. Before beginning to perform the duties of the office of governor, the person who has been appointed must take and sign the oaths of office and allegiance. [1] The activities of the office of Governor shall be carried out by the person that Her Majesty may nominate during any time that the position is vacant, the holder of the office of Governor is not present in Antigua, or is otherwise unable to fulfill those functions. Any of the aforementioned individuals must take the oaths required by section 18 of this Constitution before taking on the responsibilities of the office of Governor. If the holder of the governorship has informed the person in question that he is about to assume or resume those duties, the person in question may not continue to carry out such duties. For the purposes of this section, the Governor shall not be deemed to be absent from Antigua or incapable of carrying out the duties of his office because he is (a) traveling from one area of Antigua to another; or (b) whenever a deputy has been appointed in accordance with Section 20 of this Constitution. [1]
In 1981 the associated state of Antigua became independent as Antigua and Barbuda. For a list of viceroys after independence, see Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda.
Saint Kitts and Nevis have one of the longest written histories in the Caribbean, both islands being among Spain's and England's first colonies in the archipelago. Despite being only two miles apart and quite diminutive in size, Saint Kitts and Nevis were widely recognized as being separate entities with distinct identities until they were forcibly united in the late 19th century.
St. John's is the largest city of Antigua and Barbuda. It is located in the western part of Antigua, surrounding St. John's Harbour. The city is Antigua and Barbuda's primate city, having a population of 22,219. St. John's also tends to dominate the parish of Saint John, which composes much of the city's metropolitan area. From its establishment after the French invasion in 1666, the city has rapidly grown, eventually replacing Falmouth as the island's dominant city.
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean. Starting with the Virgin Islands east of Puerto Rico, they extend southeast to Guadeloupe and its dependencies. In English, the term Leeward Islands refers to the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. The more southerly part of this chain, starting with Dominica, is called the Windward Islands. Dominica was initially considered a part of the Leeward Islands but was transferred from the British Leeward Islands to the British Windward Islands in 1940.
The British West Indies (BWI) were the territories in the West Indies under British rule, including Anguilla, the Cayman Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Montserrat, the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, British Honduras, British Guiana and Trinidad and Tobago.
The governor-general of Antigua and Barbuda is the representative of the monarch of Antigua and Barbuda, currently King Charles III. The official residence of the governor-general is Government House.
The term British West Indies refers to the former English and British colonies and the present-day overseas territories of the United Kingdom in the Caribbean.
The monarchy of Antigua and Barbuda is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Antigua and Barbuda. The current Antiguan and Barbudan monarch and head of state, since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Crown of Antigua and Barbuda. Although the person of the sovereign is equally shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations, each country's monarchy is separate and legally distinct. As a result, the current monarch is officially titled King of Antigua and Barbuda and, in this capacity, he and other members of the Royal Family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of Antigua and Barbuda. However, the King is the only member of the Royal Family with any constitutional role.
A deputy governor is a gubernatorial official who has the authority after the governor, rather like a lieutenant governor.
The British Windward Islands was an administrative grouping of British colonies in the Windward Islands of the West Indies, existing from 1833 until 3 January 1958 and consisting of the islands of Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, the Grenadines, Barbados, Tobago, and Dominica, previously included in the British Leeward Islands.
The British Leeward Islands was a British colony from 1671 to 1958, consisting of the English overseas possessions in the Leeward Islands. It ceased to exist from 1816 to 1833, during which time it was split into two separate colonies. It was dissolved in 1958 after the separation of the British Virgin Islands, and the remaining islands became parts of the West Indies Federation.
The attorney general of the Leeward Islands was the chief law officer of the Leeward Islands. The British crown colony of the Leeward Islands, comprising Antigua, Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, and Dominica, existed as a political entity, under various names, from 1671 to 1958, when it became part of the West Indies Federation.
The chief justice of the Leeward Islands headed the Supreme Court of the Leeward Islands.
Major-General Sir Evan John Murray-Macgregor of Macgregor, 2nd Baronet, was a Scottish colonial administrator and senior British army officer.
This article covers the history of Antigua and Barbuda from the end of the Pre-Columbian period in 1493 to 1687. During this era, the first African slaves were brought to Antigua and Barbuda, and the native population was driven to near-extinction. For much of this period, Antigua and Barbuda was officially known as the Colony of Antigua.
This article covers the history of Antigua and Barbuda from 1688 until the prelude to emancipation in 1832. During this era, the parishes and government were properly established, as well as the height of slavery and the establishment of an Antiguan sugar-based economy. Antigua was often formally called the Colony of Antigua during this period. Barbuda was under the near-complete control of the Codringtons, and was not yet united with Antigua.
The political history of Antigua and Barbuda covers the history of political movements and systems of government in Antigua and Barbuda. Since Antigua's colonisation in 1632, the archipelago has seen various governments and political conflicts, as well as democratic backsliding and attempts to redevelop the country. Now, Antigua and Barbuda is a fully independent unitary parliamentary monarchy.