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 Jamaicaportal |
This is a list of the heads of state of Jamaica, from the independence of Jamaica in 1962 to the present day.
From 1962 the head of state under the Jamaica Independence Act 1962 is the Monarch of Jamaica, currently Charles III, who is also the King of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The King is represented in Jamaica by a Governor-General.
The succession to the throne is the same as the succession to the British throne.
| No. | Image | Monarch (Birth–Death) | Reign | Royal House | Prime Minister | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reign start | Reign end | Duration | |||||
| 1 |  | Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022) | 6 August 1962 | 8 September 2022 | 60 years, 33 days | Windsor | Bustamante Sangster Shearer Manley Seaga Manley Patterson Simpson-Miller Golding Holness Simpson-Miller Holness |
| 2 |  | King Charles III (born 1948) | 8 September 2022 | Incumbent | 327 days | Windsor | Holness |
The Governor-General is the representative of the monarch in Jamaica and exercises most of their powers. 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 Jamaica without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.
| No. | Image | Governor-General (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Monarch | Prime Minister | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 |  | Sir Kenneth Blackburne (1907–1980) | 6 August 1962 | 30 November 1962 | 116 days | Elizabeth II | Bustamante |
| 2 |  | Sir Clifford Campbell (1892–1991) | 1 December 1962 | 28 February 1973 | 10 years, 89 days | Elizabeth II | Bustamante Sangster Shearer Manley |
| – | | Sir Herbert Duffus (1908–2002) | 28 February 1973 | 27 June 1973 | 119 days | Elizabeth II | Manley |
| 3 | | Sir Florizel Glasspole (1909–2000) | 27 June 1973 | 31 March 1991 | 17 years, 277 days | Elizabeth II | Manley Seaga Manley |
| – | | Sir Edward Zacca (1931–2019) | 31 March 1991 | 1 August 1991 | 123 days | Elizabeth II | Manley |
| 4 | | Sir Howard Cooke (1915–2014) | 1 August 1991 | 15 February 2006 | 14 years, 198 days | Elizabeth II | Manley Patterson |
| 5 | | Sir Kenneth O. Hall (born 1941) | 15 February 2006 | 26 February 2009 | 3 years, 11 days | Elizabeth II | Patterson Simpson-Miller Golding |
| 6 |  | Sir Patrick Allen (born 1951) | 26 February 2009 | Incumbent | 14 years, 156 days | Elizabeth II Charles III | Golding Holness Simpson-Miller Holness |
The monarchy of Jamaica is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Jamaica. The current Jamaican monarch and head of state, since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Jamaican Crown. 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 Jamaica and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of the Jamaican state. However, the monarch is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
Heads of state of Jamaica | ||
|---|---|---|
| Monarch (from 1962) | ||
| Governor-General (from 1962) | ||