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 Belizeportal |
This is a list of the heads of state of Belize, from the independence of Belize in 1981 to the present day.
From 1981 the head of state under the Constitution of Belize is the Monarch of Belize, currently King Charles III, who is also the monarch of the other Commonwealth realms. The King is represented in Belize by a governor-general.
The succession to the throne is the same as the succession to the British throne.
| No. | Portrait | Monarch (Birth–Death) | Reign | Royal House | Prime minister(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reign start | Reign end | Duration | |||||
| 1 |  | Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022) | 21 September 1981 | 8 September 2022 | 40 years, 352 days | Windsor | Price Esquivel Price Esquivel Musa Barrow Briceño |
| 2 |  | King Charles III (born 1948) | 8 September 2022 | Incumbent | 127 days | Windsor | Briceño |
The Governor-General is the representative of the Monarch in Belize and exercises most of the powers of the Monarch. The Governor-General is appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the Monarch. After the passage of the Statute of Westminster 1931, the Governor-General is appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Belize without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.
| No. | Portrait | Governor-General (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Monarch | Prime minister(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 |  | Dame Elmira Minita Gordon (1930–2021) | 21 September 1981 | 17 November 1993 | 12 years, 57 days | Elizabeth II | Price Esquivel Price Esquivel |
| 2 |  | Sir Colville Young (born 1932) | 17 November 1993 | 30 April 2021 | 29 years, 57 days | Elizabeth II | Esquivel Musa Barrow Briceño |
| 3 |  | Froyla Tzalam (Unknown) | 27 May 2021 | Incumbent | 1 year, 231 days | Elizabeth II Charles III | Briceño |
The governor-general of Belize is the vice-regal representative of the Belizean monarch, currently King Charles III, in Belize. The governor-general is appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister of Belize. The functions of the governor-general include appointing ministers, judges, and ambassadors; giving royal assent to legislation passed by the National Assembly; and issuing writs for election.
The monarchy of Belize is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Belize. The current Belizean monarch and head of state since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Belizean Crown. Although the person of the sovereign is 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 Kingof Belize and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions as representatives of the Belizean state. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
Heads of State of Belize | ||
|---|---|---|
| Queen (from 1981) | ||
| Governor-General (from 1981) | ||