This article is about the system of government in New Zealand. For the monarchist league, see Monarchy New Zealand. For the Māori ceremonial royalty, see Māori King Movement.
The Treaty of Waitangi between Queen Victoria and Māori chiefs (rangatira) was signed on 6 February 1840. This laid the foundation for the proclamation of Britishsovereignty over New Zealand on 21 May 1840; the British monarch became New Zealand's head of state. The country gradually became independent from Britain and the monarchy evolved to become a distinctly New Zealand institution, represented by unique symbols. The individual who is the New Zealand monarch is currently shared with 14 other countries (realms) within the Commonwealth of Nations, in each of which the monarchy is legally separate. As a result, the current monarch is officially titledKing of New Zealand (Māori: Kīngi o Aotearoa) and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake various public and private functions across the Realm of New Zealand. The King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
Since the monarch resides in the United Kingdom (the oldest Commonwealth realm), most of the royal constitutional and ceremonial duties within the Realm of New Zealand are typically carried out by his or her representative, the governor-general of New Zealand.[6]
The role of the monarchy is a recurring topic of public discussion.[7] Some New Zealanders think New Zealand should become a republic with a New Zealand resident as the head of state, but most wish to retain the monarchy.
Charles III is the reigning sovereign of each of the 15 Commonwealth realms.
The Realm of New Zealand is one of the Commonwealth realms, 15 independent members of the Commonwealth of Nations that share the same person as sovereign and head of state, and have in common the same royal line of succession. The monarch, currently King Charles III, lives in the United Kingdom; however, he and his family have toured New Zealand on occasion.[8][9]
This arrangement emerged during the course of the 20th century. Since the passage of the Statute of Westminster in 1931,[n 2] the pan-national Crown has had both a shared and separate character,[10][11] and the sovereign's role as monarch of New Zealand has been distinct to his or her position as monarch of the United Kingdom.[12] The monarchy thus ceased to be an exclusively British institution and has become a separate establishment within New Zealand.[12][13] Nonetheless, for historical reasons, the monarchy and monarch are termed "British" in both legal and common language;[14][15] this conflicts with not only the New Zealand government's recognition of a distinctly New Zealand Crown,[16][17] but also the sovereign's distinct New Zealand title.[18]
On all matters pertaining to the New Zealand state, the monarch is advised solely by New Zealand ministers of the Crown,[8] with no input from British or other realms' ministers. One of the state duties carried out on the formal advice of the New Zealand prime minister is the appointment of the governor-general. As the monarch lives outside of New Zealand, the governor-general personally represents the monarch and performs most of his or her domestic duties in their absence,[19] in accordance with Letters Patent 1983.[20] All royal powers in New Zealand may be carried out by both the monarch and governor-general and, in New Zealand law, the two offices are fully interchangeable, mention of one always simultaneously including the other.[21]As of 2021[update], the current Governor-General is Dame Cindy Kiro.[22]
Before 1953 the sovereign's title was the same throughout all his or her realms and territories. It was agreed at the Commonwealth Economic Conference in London in December 1952 that each of the Commonwealth realms, including New Zealand, could adopt its own royal titles for the monarch.[23][24] The New Zealand Parliament enacted the Royal Titles Act in 1953,[18] altering the style borne by Queen Elizabeth II and giving her the title of Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Her Other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.[25] Subsequent to the passage of the Royal Titles Act 1974, the monarch's title in New Zealand is currently Charles the Third, By the Grace of God King of New Zealand and of His Other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.[26]
Although the King's New Zealand title includes the phrase 'Defender of the Faith', neither the sovereign nor the governor-general has any religious role in New Zealand; there has never been an established church in the country.[27] This is one of the key differences from the King's role in England, where the monarch is supreme governor of the Church of England.[28][n 3]
The King's elder son, William, Prince of Wales, is the first in line to the throne.[30] Succession is, for persons born before 28 October 2011, governed by male-preference cognatic primogeniture and, for those born after 28 October 2011, by absolute primogeniture—wherein succession passes to an individual's children according to birth order, regardless of sex.[31]
Laws governing the line of succession, including the Act of Settlement 1701 and Bill of Rights 1689, restrict the throne to the biological, legitimate descendants of Sophia of Hanover, and stipulate that the monarch cannot be a Roman Catholic and must be in communion with (i.e. a member of) the Church of England upon accession. Through the adoption of the Statute of Westminster (later repealed in New Zealand) and the Imperial Laws Application Act 1988, these constitutional laws as they apply to New Zealand now lie within the full control of the New Zealand Parliament.[32] Nonetheless, New Zealand agreed not to change its rules of succession without the unanimous consent of the other realms, unless explicitly leaving the shared monarchy relationship—a reciprocal arrangement applied uniformly in all the other realms, including the United Kingdom, and often likened to a treaty amongst these nations.[33] In that spirit, the Commonwealth realms reached the Perth Agreement in 2011, committed to repeal the Royal Marriages Act 1772, which gave precedence to male heirs and excluded from succession a person married to a Roman Catholic. In New Zealand this was accomplished through the Royal Succession Act 2013.[34]
Upon a demise of the Crown (the death or abdication of a monarch), the late sovereign's heir immediately and automatically succeeds, without any obligatory need for affirmation or further ceremony[35]—hence arises the phrase "The King is dead. Long live the King!" It is customary, though, for the accession of the new monarch to be publicly proclaimed at a ceremony attended by the governor-general and senior state officials.[36][37] Following an appropriate period of national mourning, the monarch is also crowned in the United Kingdom in an ancient ritual, but one not necessary for a sovereign to reign.[n 4] Other than a transfer of all royal powers and functions to the new monarch from his or her predecessor, no other law or office is affected, as all references in legislation to previous monarchs, whether in the masculine (e.g. "His Majesty") or feminine (e.g. "the Queen"), continue to mean the reigning sovereign of New Zealand.[39] After an individual ascends the throne, he or she typically continues to reign until death, being unable to unilaterally abdicate.[n 5]
Regency Acts allow for regencies in the event of a monarch who is a minor or who is physically or mentally incapacitated. When a regency is necessary, the next qualified individual in the line of succession automatically becomes regent, unless they themselves are a minor or incapacitated. The Regency Act 1937 is a British law, not a New Zealand law, and as such has no direct applicability to New Zealand.[41] However, the New Zealand Constitution Act 1986 specifies that should a regent be installed in the United Kingdom, that individual will carry out the functions of the sovereign of New Zealand.[42]
Finances
The sovereign draws from New Zealand funds for support in the performance of their duties when in New Zealand or acting as monarch of New Zealand abroad. New Zealanders do not pay any money to the King or any other member of the royal family, either towards personal income or to support royal residences outside of New Zealand. Normally, tax dollars pay only for the costs associated with the governor-general as instruments of the King's authority, including travel, security, residences, offices and ceremonies. Supporters of the monarchy argue it costs New Zealand taxpayers only a small outlay for royal engagements and tours and the expenses of the governor-general's establishment. Monarchy New Zealand states "[t]his figure is about one dollar per person per year", about $4.3 million per annum.[43] An analysis by New Zealand Republic (a republican advocacy group) of the 2010 budget claimed the office of governor-general costs New Zealand taxpayers about $7.6 million in ongoing costs and $11 million for Government House upgrades,[44][45][46] figures Monarchy New Zealand claimed had been "arbitrarily inflated" by New Zealand Republic.[47]
Queen Elizabeth II on a 2009 coin of the Cook Islands
The sovereign of New Zealand also serves as monarch to Cook Islands and Niue, territories in free association with New Zealand within the wider Realm of New Zealand.[48][49] The New Zealand monarchy is unitary throughout all jurisdictions in the realm, with the headship of state being a part of all equally.[50] As such, the sovereignty of Cook Islands and Niue is passed on not by the governor-general or parliament of New Zealand but through the overreaching Crown itself as part of executive, legislative and judicial operations in all three areas.
The self-government provisions for the Cook Islands within the Realm of New Zealand allow the King to be directly represented as head of state in Cook Islands affairs by the King's representative, while the governor-general of New Zealand represents the monarch in matters pertaining to the entire realm.[48][51] The governor-general (themselves represented by state services commissioner[52]) represents the monarch in Niue,[49][53] carrying out all the monarch's constitutional and ceremonial duties of state on their behalf. The administrator of the territory of Tokelau is a government official appointed by New Zealand's minister of foreign affairs to represent the New Zealand Government—not the monarch personally.[54][55]
I, [specify], swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her [or His] Majesty [specify the name of the reigning Sovereign], Her [or His] heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God.[62]
—Oath of Allegiance to the Sovereign
As the embodiment of the state, the monarch is the locus of oaths of allegiance,[63] required of many employees of the Crown,[64] as well as by new citizens, as per the oath of citizenship laid out in the Citizenship Act. This is done in reciprocation to the sovereign's Coronation oath; at the coronation of Charles III he made a "solemn promise" to "govern the Peoples of" his realms, including New Zealand, "according to their respective laws and customs".[65]
Constitutional role
New Zealand's constitution is made up of a variety of statutes and conventions that are either British or New Zealand in origin,[2][32] and together give New Zealand a parliamentary system of government wherein the role of the King is both legal and practical. The Crown is regarded as a corporation sole,[66] with the sovereign, in the position of head of state,[3] as the centre of a construct in which the power of the whole is shared by multiple institutions of government acting under the sovereign's authority.[67]
The vast powers that belong to the Crown are collectively known as the royal prerogative,[20] the exercise of which does not require parliamentary approval, though it is not unlimited; for example, the monarch does not have the prerogative to impose and collect new taxes without the authorisation of an act of Parliament.[2] The consent of the Crown must be obtained before parliament may even debate a bill affecting the sovereign's prerogatives or interests, and no act of Parliament binds the King or his rights unless the act expressly provides that it does.[68]
Queen Elizabeth II with the New Zealand Cabinet, 1981
The New Zealand Government (formally termed His Majesty's Government[69]) is defined by the Constitution Act as the monarch acting on the advice of the Executive Council.[70] One of the main duties of the Crown is to ensure that a democratic government is always in place. This involves appointing a prime minister to thereafter head the Cabinet, a committee of the Executive Council charged with advising the Crown on the exercise of the royal prerogative,[71] and legally required to keep the governor-general up to date on state affairs.[72][73]
In the construct of constitutional monarchy and responsible government, the ministerial advice tendered is typically binding, a situation described as "The [King] reigns, but the government rules, so long as it has the support of the House of Representatives."[74] The royal prerogative belongs to the Crown and not to any of the ministers,[67] and the monarch or governor-general may unilaterally use these powers in exceptional constitutional crisis situations,[67][72][75] thereby allowing the monarch to make sure that the government conducts itself in compliance with the constitution. There are also a few duties which must be specifically performed by, or bills that require assent by, the sovereign; these include applying the royal sign-manual and Seal of New Zealand to the appointment papers of governors-general, the confirmation of awards of New Zealand royal honours,[5] and the approval of any change in is New Zealand title.
Foreign affairs
The royal prerogative also extends to foreign affairs: the governor-general conducts treaties, alliances and international agreements on the advice of the Cabinet.[76] Prior to the Lomé Convention in 1975, the monarch, rather than the governor-general, would sign treaties on behalf of New Zealand. Following the signing of the convention, it was decided that the governor-general could sign such instruments.[77] The governor-general, on behalf of the monarch, also accredits New Zealand high commissioners and ambassadors, and receives similar diplomats from foreign states. The letters of credence and recall were formerly issued by the monarch, but now are issued in the name of the incumbent governor-general (instead of following the usual international process of the letters being from one head of state to another). The issuance of passports falls under the royal prerogative, and all New Zealand passports are issued in the monarch's name and remain his property.[78]
Parliament
External videos
Queen Elizabeth II opening a session of the New Zealand Parliament, 12 January 1954
The sovereign is one of the two components of the New Zealand Parliament.[75] The monarch and governor-general do not participate in the legislative process save for the granting of royal assent, which is necessary for a bill to be enacted as law; either figure or a delegate may perform this task; this is now a matter of convention. The Crown is further responsible for summoning and dissolving the parliament,[80] after which the governor-general usually calls for a general election. The new parliamentary session is marked by either the monarch or the governor-general reading the speech from the throne;[81] as they both are traditionally barred from the House of Representatives (the elected component of parliament), this ceremony takes place in the Legislative Council Chamber.[82] Queen Elizabeth II personally opened parliament on seven occasions: January 1954, February 1963, March 1970, February 1974, February 1977, February 1986, and February 1990.[83]
Despite the sovereign's exclusion, members of parliament must still express their loyalty to him and defer to his authority, as the oath of allegiance must be recited by all new parliamentarians before they may take their seat.[63] Further, the official opposition is traditionally referred to as His Majesty's Loyal Opposition,[84] illustrating that, while its members are opposed to the incumbent government, they remain loyal to the sovereign (as personification of the state and its authority).[85][86]
Courts
The sovereign is responsible for rendering justice for all his subjects, and is thus traditionally deemed the fount of justice.[87] He does not personally rule in judicial cases; instead the judicial functions of the royal prerogative are performed in trust and in the King's name by judges and justices of the peace. The monarch is immune from criminal prosecution, the notion in common law being that the sovereign "can do no wrong";[88] the monarch cannot be prosecuted in his own courts for criminal offences. The monarch, and by extension the governor-general, also grants immunity from prosecution, exercises the royal prerogative of mercy,[20] and may pardon offences against the Crown, either before, during, or after a trial.
Members of the royal family have been present in New Zealand since the late 1800s, their reasons including participating in military manoeuvres or undertaking official royal tours.[89][90] Usually important milestones, anniversaries, or celebrations of New Zealand culture will warrant the presence of the monarch, while other royals will be asked to participate in lesser occasions. Official duties involve the sovereign representing the New Zealand state at home or abroad, or their relations as members of the royal family participating in government organised ceremonies either in New Zealand or elsewhere.[n 7] An invitation from the Prime Minister of New Zealand is the impetus for royal participation in any New Zealand event,[93] with informal consultation occurring beforehand. A committee of the British Cabinet Office, the Royal Visits Committee, then coordinates the visit schedule and details with the Visits and Ceremonies Office (VCO).[94][95] Such events have included centennials and bicentennials; Waitangi Day; the openings of Commonwealth and other games; anniversaries of Māori treaty signings; awards ceremonies; anniversaries of the monarch's accession; and the like. Conversely, unofficial duties are performed by royal family members on behalf of New Zealand organisations of which they may be patrons, through their attendance at charity events, visiting with members of the New Zealand Defence Force as colonel-in-chief, or marking certain key anniversaries.
Queen Elizabeth II being greeted with a Māori ceremony (a pōwhiri) before addressing a crowd. Waitangi, December 1953
Queen Elizabeth II also toured New Zealand on a number of other occasions: between 6 and 18 February 1963, she attended celebrations at Waitangi and the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council was founded as the nation's gift to the monarch;[102] from 12 to 30 March 1970, the Queen, accompanied by Prince Charles and Princess Anne, participated in the James Cook bicentenary celebrations;[103] between 30 January and 8 February 1974, and she attended and closed that year's Commonwealth Games in Christchurch and participated in New Zealand Day events at Waitangi.[104] As part of a Commonwealth-wide tour for her Silver Jubilee, Elizabeth was in New Zealand from 22 February to 7 March 1977; she made a brief visit, between 12 and 20 October 1981, following a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Melbourne; marked the centennial of the New Zealand Police during a tour from 22 February to 2 March 1986; the Queen closed the Commonwealth Games in Auckland and, with her son, Prince Edward, took part in events marking the sesquicentennial of the Treaty of Waitangi between 1 and 16 February 1990; between 1 and 10 November 1995, she attended the CHOGM in Auckland and opened the newly refurbished parliament buildings; and, as part of her global tour for her Golden Jubilee, Elizabeth was in New Zealand from 22 to 27 February 2002.[103][105]
Some of the royal tours undertaken by more junior members of the royal family include the 1990 visit of Princess Anne to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings on Anzac Day,[106] and when Prince William represented the Queen of New Zealand at VE and VJ Day commemorations in 2005, as part of an 11-day tour,[107] and opened the new Supreme Court of New Zealand building in early 2010.[108] Prince Edward spent two terms of the 1982 academic year as a house tutor and junior master at the Wanganui Collegiate School.[9]
I want to show you that the Crown is not merely an abstract symbol of our unity but a personal and living bond between you and me.
Apart from New Zealand, the King and his family regularly perform public duties in the other 14 Commonwealth realms of which he is head of state.[110] This situation can mean members of the royal family will be promoting one nation and not another. On some occasions Queen Elizabeth II had represented the United Kingdom, while her governor-general represented New Zealand, with both in attendance at the same event.[111]
Allegiance [by Defence Force personnel is to] the Sovereign, [however] loyalty [is] to the Government of the day ... The Defence Force and the disposition of those Forces are at the decision ... of Her Majesty's Ministers for the time being.
As a result, the declaration's ratification by the British Parliament in 1836, officials in the Colonial Office determined in 1839 that a treaty of cessation would need to be signed with Māori for the British Crown to acquire sovereignty over New Zealand.[119] The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and over 500 Māori chiefs,[120] It is considered to be a founding document of government.[121] The Treaty identifies the Crown's right to kāwanatanga, or "governorship", leading one Māori academic to argue that kāwanatanga, or His Majesty's Government in New Zealand, is party to the treaty.[122]
Since the treaty's implementation, a number of petitions have been made by Māori directly to the sovereign in London, who they felt they had a special relationship, the first coming from northern chiefs in 1852. This and all subsequent appeals were directed back to the sovereign's New Zealand ministers for advice on how to proceed.[123] The results were not always favourable to Māori, who have communicated their discontent to the monarch or other royals; in response to a refusal by the Executive Council in 1981 to allow Mana Motuhake direct access to the Queen, Māori activist Dun Mihaka offered a traditional rebuke by baring his buttocks at the Prince and Princess of Wales. In a later incident Mihaka attempted to crash into the Queen's motorcade; he was intercepted by police before this happened.[124]
In the Māori language, Queen Elizabeth II is sometimes referred to as te kōtuku-rerenga-tahi, meaning "the white heron of a single flight"; in Māori proverb, the rare white heron is a significant bird seen only once in a lifetime.[8] In 1953, for her coronation, Elizabeth was given a kiwi feather korowai cloak,[125] which she wore when attending a pōwhiri, or Māori welcoming ceremony, also speaking partly in Māori.[9]
Royal symbols
References to the monarchy are commonplace in public life in New Zealand and represent one of the most recognisable ways the head of state is incorporated into New Zealand's national identity.[citation needed] Royal symbols may specifically distinguish institutions that derive their authority from the Crown (such as parliament), establishments with royal associations, or merely be ways of expressing loyal or patriotic sentiment.
New Zealand shilling coin, 1933, featuring a profile of King George V on the obverse
The main symbol of the monarchy is the sovereign—Queen Elizabeth II, as of 2023[update], is still depicted on all coins, the twenty-dollar banknote,[126][127] and postage stamps such as the Queen Elizabeth II definitive stamp.[128] There are references to St Edward's Crown, on New Zealand's coat of arms,[129] on various medals, and awards.[130] These latter cases reflect the monarch's place as the formal head of the New Zealand royal honours system. As such, only he can approve the creation of an honour, which he does on the advice of the prime minister.[131][132] Though the monarch himself formally appoints members to the various orders,[133] the governor-general administers most other responsibilities relating to New Zealand honours on the sovereign's behalf (such as investitures).[131]
Similar to coats of arms, flags are utilised to represent royal authority. A personal flag for use by the Queen in New Zealand was adopted in 1962.[134] It features the shield design of the New Zealand coat of arms in the form of an oblong or square. Superimposed in the centre is a dark blue roundel bearing an initial 'E' surmounted by a crown, all within a gold chaplet of roses.[134] The current monarch, King Charles III, has not adopted a personal flag for New Zealand.
Music and song are utilised in various ways as reminders and identifiers of the sovereign. New Zealand inherited the anthem "God Save the King" (or, alternatively, "God Save the Queen") from Britain.[135] It remains one of the two national anthems, along with "God Defend New Zealand", but has been generally restricted to official occasions where the monarch, a member of the royal family, or the governor-general is in attendance for a particular purpose. The right to declare a song a national anthem currently rests with the sovereign.[135]
As in other Commonwealth realms, the King's Birthday is a public holiday and, in New Zealand, is observed on the first Monday in June (not on the date of the monarch's actual birth).[136] Celebrations are mainly official, including the Birthday Honours list and military ceremonies.[137][138]
To receive patronage, an organisation must prove to be long lasting, and to be of the highest standard in their field. These organisations, such as the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association, signified by the prefix royal, have received patronage from various monarchs and their families. Royal patronage is the royal individual's decision to make, though the Ministry for Culture and Heritage will help organisations to seek patronage.[139]
Despite a similar level of political involvement by the monarchy in both New Zealand and neighbouring Australia, there is less agitation in the former for ending the monarchy and creating a republic than in the latter, where the republicanism movement is stronger. Past public opinion polls have shown that while the majority of Australians are in favour of a republic, New Zealanders on average favour retaining the monarchy.[140] Supporters of the monarchy claim that for New Zealand, "monarchy summarises the inheritance of a thousand years of constitutional government and our links with a glorious past".[141]
Neither National nor Labour, the two major political parties currently in parliament, have a stated policy of creating a republic. The National Party's declared principles include "Loyalty to ... our Sovereign as Head of State".[142] In 2008, former Prime Minister John Key, then Leader of the Opposition, said he is "not convinced [a republic] will be a big issue in the short term,"[143] but does believe that a republic is "inevitable."[144][145] Former Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen declared that he supported the monarchy, stating in 2004 he was "a sort of token monarchist in the Cabinet these days".[146] In 2010 he repudiated that stance, taking the view that New Zealand should move towards a republic once the Queen's reign ends.[147] There are two special-interest groups representing both sides of the debate in New Zealand and arguing the issue in the media from time to time: Monarchy New Zealand and New Zealand Republic.[148]
There are a number of legal issues to be addressed in order to abolish the monarchy,[149] though individuals on both sides of the argument take a different view of the level of difficulty faced.[150] Much of the debate focuses on the reserve powers of the sovereign; the relationship between the various regions of the Realm of New Zealand sharing the same sovereign (the absence of these matters from republican arguments having been criticised as a "self-centredness of republican discussions in New Zealand"[49]); and effects on the relationship between the Crown and Māori, specifically, the continued legal status of the Treaty of Waitangi and its claims and settlements.[151][152][153] Some academics expressed concern that governments could use republicanism to evade treaty responsibilities,[154] while others, such as Professor Noel Cox, Chairman-Emeritus of Monarchy New Zealand, have argued a republic would not absolve the Government of its obligations under the treaty.[155]
Charles (then Prince of Wales) delivering a speech at Waitangi, 2019
The institution enjoys the support of most New Zealanders, particularly those born before the Second World War.[156] With the popular approval of Queen Elizabeth II, and the position of the Treaty of Waitangi under a republic remaining a concern to Māori and other New Zealanders alike, as well as the question of what constitutional form a republic might take unresolved, support for a republic has been no higher than one third to 40 per cent of the population.[156][157] Polls indicate that many New Zealanders see the monarchy as being of little day-to-day relevance; a One News/Colmar Brunton poll in 2002 found that 58 per cent of the population believed the monarchy has little or no relevance to their lives.[158]National Business Review poll in 2004 found 57 per cent of respondents believed New Zealand would become a republic "in the future".[159] On 21 April 2008, New Zealand Republic released a poll of New Zealanders showing 43 per cent support the monarchy should Prince Charles become king of New Zealand, and 41 per cent support a republic under the same scenario.[160] A poll by The New Zealand Herald in January 2010, before a visit by Prince William to the country, found 33.3 per cent wanted Prince Charles to be the next monarch, with 30.2 per cent favouring Prince William. 29.4 per cent of respondents preferred a republic in the event Queen Elizabeth died or abdicated.[161]
On 14 October 2009, a bill put forward in parliament by Keith Locke to bring about a referendum on the monarchy was drawn from the ballot of members' bills and introduced into the legislative chamber.[162] It had been presumed that this bill would have been binding in New Zealand only, having no effect in the Cook Islands or Niue.[49] On 21 April 2010 the bill was defeated at its first reading 68–53,[144] and did not continue through to select committee.
On the eve of a royal tour by Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, 10 November 2012, a One News/Colmar Brunton poll reported 70 per cent of people questioned responded they wanted to "keep The Queen as head of state", while only 19 per cent supported a republic.[163][164] Following the tour, a poll by Curia Market Research commissioned by New Zealand Republic found 51 per cent of respondents wanted Charles as King once the Queen's reign ends, while 41 per cent supported a republic.[165]
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a 1News/Kantar Public Poll in September 2022 indicated that support for a republic decreased, with 50% of respondents preferring to stay with the monarchy.[166]
Support for the monarchy in New Zealand tends to increase during times where there is considerable focus on the royal family, whether this be due to royal tours or significant events such as a royal wedding.[167]
In the early 19th century, some Māori who visited London were introduced to British royalty. Moehanga (or Te Mahanga) of Ngāpuhi, the first Māori to visit England, claimed to have met King George III and Queen Charlotte in 1806.[168] Other chiefs (rangatira) to meet the monarch include Hongi Hika, who met King George IV in 1820.[169]
Lieutenant James Cook first sailed to New Zealand in 1769. There he mapped the entire coastline and tentatively claimed the land for King George III of the United Kingdom.[170] Beginning in 1790, an increasing number of European settlers came to New Zealand.[170] In 1833, with growing lawlessness amongst traders and settlers, the British government appointed James Busby as British resident to protect British trading interests. Despite Busby's presence, trouble increased and further action was needed. On 15 June 1839, the governor of the British colony of New South Wales, Sir George Gipps, issued a proclamation extending the boundaries of New South Wales to include such territory in New Zealand as might be acquired in sovereignty.[171][172] The British government despatched Captain William Hobson to New Zealand to be lieutenant-governor under Gipps; Hobson was instructed to obtain sovereignty for the British Crown with the consent of Māori chiefs.[120][172] The resultant Treaty of Waitangi was signed on 6 February 1840, at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands.[120][173] This laid the foundation[173] for the later proclamation of British sovereignty over New Zealand on 21 May 1840. Following that declaration, Britain decided to make New Zealand a separate colony, and a Charter for Erecting the Colony of New Zealand was issued on 16 November 1840.[172][120]Queen Victoria thus became New Zealand's head of state.[120][174]
In 1907, New Zealand became a dominion, which denoted that it was a country of the British Empire (and later the Commonwealth of Nations) with autonomy in domestic and foreign affairs.[176] In 1917, letters patent of King George V set out the powers, duties and responsibilities of the governor-general and the Executive Council.[177] The governor-general remained an appointee of the British Crown on the advice of the British Cabinet.[178]
The concept of a fully independent New Zealand sharing the person of the sovereign with the United Kingdom and other countries only emerged gradually over time through constitutional convention. A series of Imperial Conferences held in London, from 1917 on, resulted in the Balfour Declaration of 1926, which provided that the United Kingdom and the dominions were to be considered as "autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate to one another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown".[179] The governor-general of New Zealand, as with all the other governors-general of the Dominions, became the direct representative of the monarch in person, rather than a diplomatic channel between the New Zealand and British governments.[180]
The Crown was further separated amongst its dominions by the Statute of Westminster in 1931, an act of the British Parliament, which gave New Zealand and other dominions the authority to make their own laws in all matters, while requiring them all to seek each other's assent for changes to monarchical titles and the common line of succession.[181] The British Parliament specifically gave up any claim to legislate for a dominion, save at its own request.[182] New Zealand ratified the Statute in 1947, after the passing of the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947.[183] A convention persisted that New Zealand prime ministers consulted the British government on the appointment of governors-general until 1967.[184]
Although the New Zealand monarchy is now independent, there remains a strong association with the British monarchy and its history. For example, there are many portraits of earlier (pre-1840) English kings and queens in New Zealand government buildings, including Government House, Wellington. Several royal portraits were gifted by Governor-General Lord Norrie.[185][186]
I look forward to continuing to serve to the best of my ability in the years to come. It fills me with great pride to stand before you here today to express my lasting respect and deep affection for this country and for New Zealanders everywhere.[187]
—Queen Elizabeth II, 25 February 2002
One of the first post-Second World War examples of New Zealand's status as an independent monarchy was the alteration of the monarch's title in 1953.[25] For the first time, the official New Zealand title mentioned New Zealand separately from the United Kingdom and the other realms,[18] to highlight the sovereign's role specifically as king/queen of New Zealand under the concept of the 'divisible crown'.[188] Elizabeth II's title at that time was Queen of the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Her Other Realms and Territories.[25] Accordingly, the name of the country in official usage was also changed to the Realm of New Zealand.[176] The Royal Titles Act 1974 further revised the monarch's New Zealand title to remove the reference to the United Kingdom.[188]
More recently, the Constitution Act 1986 has become the principal formal statement of New Zealand's constitution. This law formally establishes that the sovereign (in Right of New Zealand) is the head of state of New Zealand and that the governor-general is his representative; each can, in general, exercise all the powers of the other.[20][n 9]
The monarchy of Canada is Canada's form of government embodied by the Canadian sovereign and head of state. It is one of the key components of Canadian sovereignty and sits at the core of Canada's constitutional federal structure and Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. The monarchy is the foundation of the executive (King-in-Council), legislative (King-in-Parliament), and judicial (King-on-the-Bench) branches of both federal and provincial jurisdictions. The current monarch is King Charles III, who has reigned since 8 September 2022.
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Charles III as its monarch and head of state. All the realms are independent of each other, although one person, resident in the United Kingdom, acts as monarch of each. Except for the UK, in each of the realms the monarch is represented by a governor-general. The phrase Commonwealth realm is an informal description not used in any law.
Republicanism in New Zealand is the political position that New Zealand's system of government should be changed from a constitutional monarchy to a republic.
The King-in-Council or the Queen-in-Council, depending on the gender of the reigning monarch, is a constitutional term in a number of states. In a general sense, it refers to the monarch exercising executive authority, usually in the form of approving orders, on the advice of the country's privy council or executive council.
The monarchy of Solomon Islands is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Solomon Islands. The monarch and head of state since 8 September 2022 is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Crown of Solomon Islands. 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 Solomon Islands and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of Solomon Islands. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
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.
The governor-general of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand, currently King Charles III. As the King is concurrently the monarch of 14 other Commonwealth realms and lives in the United Kingdom, he, on the advice of his New Zealand prime minister, appoints a governor-general to carry out his constitutional and ceremonial duties within the Realm of New Zealand.
The monarchy of Australia is a key component of Australia's form of government, by which a hereditary monarch serves as the country's sovereign and head of state. It is a constitutional monarchy, modelled on the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy, while incorporating features unique to the constitution of Australia.
The Cook Islands are a constitutional monarchy within the Realm of New Zealand. Under the Cook Islands Constitution, the Sovereign in Right of New Zealand has been Head of State of the Cook Islands since 4 August 1965. The Sovereign is represented by the King's Representative; as such, the King is the de jure head of state, holding several powers that are his alone, while the King's Representative is sometimes referred to as the de facto head of state. The viceregal position is currently held by Tom Marsters.
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.
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.
The monarchy of Barbados was a system of government in which a hereditary monarch was the sovereign and head of state of Barbados from 1966 to 2021. Barbados shared the sovereign with the other Commonwealth realms, with the country's monarchy being separate and legally distinct. The monarch's operational and ceremonial duties were mostly delegated to her representative, the governor-general of Barbados.
The monarchy of the Bahamas is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. The current Bahamian monarch and head of state, since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Bahamian 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 the Bahamas and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of the Bahamian state. However, the King is the only member of the Royal Family with any constitutional role.
The monarchy of Grenada is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Grenada. The current Grenadian monarch and head of state, since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Grenadian 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 Grenada and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of Grenada. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
The monarchy of Papua New Guinea is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Papua New Guinea. The current Papua New Guinean monarch and head of state, since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Papua New Guinean 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 Papua New Guinea and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of Papua New Guinea. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
The monarchy of Saint Kitts and Nevis is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The current monarch of Saint Kitts and Nevis, since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Crown of Saint Kitts and Nevis. 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 Saint Christopher and Nevis and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of Saint Kitts and Nevis. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
The monarchy of Saint Lucia is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Saint Lucia. The current monarch and head of state, since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Saint Lucian 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 Saint Lucia and, in this capacity, he and other members of the Royal Family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of the Saint Lucian state. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
The monarchy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The current Vincentian monarch and head of state, since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Vincentian 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 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
The monarchy of Tuvalu is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Tuvalu. The current Tuvaluan monarch and head of state since 8 September 2022 is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Tuvaluan 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 Tuvalu and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of the Tuvaluan state. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
There are six monarchies in Oceania with an individual hereditary monarch, who is recognised as the head of state. Each is a constitutional monarchy: the sovereign inherits his or her office, usually keeps it until death or abdication, but is bound by laws and customs in the exercise of their powers. Five of these independent states share King Charles III as their head of state, making them part of a global grouping known as the Commonwealth realms; in addition, all monarchies of Oceania are members of the Commonwealth of Nations. The only sovereign monarchy in Oceania that does not share a monarch with another state is Tonga. Australia and New Zealand have dependencies within the region and outside it, although five non-sovereign constituent monarchs are recognized by New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and France.
References
Footnotes
↑ The monarchy is also referred to as the Crown, the Crown in Right of New Zealand, His Majesty the King in Right of New Zealand or the Sovereign in Right of New Zealand, especially in regard to the entire government of New Zealand.[1][2]
↑ The Statute of Westminster was initiated by the British parliament. Although it was not adopted in New Zealand until 1947, the statute's validity in the United Kingdom meant that British ministers of the Crown would no longer intervene in New Zealand affairs without the consent of New Zealand politicians. See § History
↑ For example, if a lawsuit is filed against the government, the respondent is formally described as His Majesty The King in Right of New Zealand, or simply Rex.
↑ Though the royal family represents other countries abroad, as directed by their respective cabinets, and typically the governor-general will undertake state visits and other foreign duties on behalf of the monarch of New Zealand,[91] members of the royal family will also take part in New Zealand events overseas. For example, on 11 November 2006, the Queen–accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, the Duke of York, and the Princess Royal–dedicated the New Zealand war memorial in London's Hyde Park, reviewing a royal Guard of honour formed by the largest contingent of New Zealand forces seen in the UK since her coronation in 1953.[92]
↑ Such events include inspections of the troops, and anniversaries of key battles; the governor-general represents the sovereign at military commemorations in New Zealand and sometimes at ceremonies abroad; for example, Sir Anand Satyanand in 2007 attended commemorations of the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium,[111] whenever the sovereign or a member of her family is in Auckland, they lay a wreath at the War Memorial, or at the National War Memorial in Wellington.
↑ The Constitution Act also repealed and replaced the Statute of Westminster, and removed the remaining ability of the British parliament to intervene in New Zealand constitutional affairs.[10]
↑ Queen Victoria reigned as British sovereign from 20 June 1837. British sovereignty over New Zealand was proclaimed on 21 May 1840 by Lieutenant-Governor William Hobson.
↑ Mallory, J.R. (August 1956). "Seals and Symbols: From Substance to Form in Commonwealth Equality". The Canadian Journal of Economics and Political Science. 22 (3). Montreal: Blackwell Publishing: 281–291. doi:10.2307/138434. ISSN0008-4085. JSTOR138434.
1 2 3 Elizabeth II. The Royal Titles Proclamation (SR 1953/79) (as at 03 July 1953). Parliamentary Counsel Office (New Zealand). Retrieved 4 June 2022. [T]here has been passed in the present session of the Parliament of New Zealand the Royal Titles Act 1953, which Act recites that it is expedient that the style and titles at present appertaining to the Crown should be altered so as to reflect more clearly the existing relations of the members of the Commonwealth to one another.
↑ Rodwell, Warwick (2013). The Coronation Chair and Stone: of Scone History, Archaeology and Conservation. Oxford: Oxbow Books. p.325. ISBN9781782971535.
↑ "Display of royal memorabilia". New Zealand Parliament. 29 April 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2018. During her first eagerly awaited tour over the summer of 1953–4 Parliament was summoned for a special short session in January to allow her to open Parliament and deliver the Speech from the Throne. She again opened a special session of Parliament in February 1963. She also opened Parliament in March 1970 and February 1974. In February 1977 she opened another special session at the same time as formally opening the Beehive (the Executive Wing). More recently she has opened Parliament in February 1986 and February 1990.
↑ The Lord Glenelg (25 May 1836), "EXTRACT of a DESPATCH from Lord GLENELG to Major-General Sir RICHARD BOURKE, New South Wales", written at London, Documents > Declaration of Independence, Christchurch: Waitangi Associates, retrieved 11 January 2010
↑ Wilson, John (16 September 2016). "Nation and government – System of government". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2018. The Queen's portrait appears on New Zealand's banknotes and coins (though no longer on most issues of postage stamps).
↑ "Coat of Arms". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 29 October 2018. St Edward's Crown, shown above the shield, was used in the Coronation ceremony of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The crown symbolises Her Majesty as Queen of New Zealand under the New Zealand Royal Titles Act 1953.
↑ "Honours Unit – DPMC". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
↑ Macauley, G.A. (1994). "Honours and Arms: Legal and Constitutional Aspects of Practice Concerning Heraldry and Royal Honours in New Zealand". Canterbury Law Review. 5 (3).
1 2 Pollock, Kerryn (20 April 2016). "Flags". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
1 2 Swarbrick, Nancy (20 June 2012). "National anthems". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
↑ "Queen's Birthday". Public Holidays Global Pty Ltd. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
↑ Kullmann, Claudio (November 2008). "Attitudes towards the Monarchy in Australia and New Zealand Compared". Commonwealth & Comparative Politics. 46 (4): 442–463. doi:10.1080/14662040802461125. S2CID144715921.
↑ Stockley, Andrew P. (1996), "Becoming a Republic? Issues of Law", in Trainor, Luke (ed.), Republicanism in New Zealand, Palmerston North: Dunmore Press, p.81, ISBN978-0-86469-256-6
↑ Ladley, Andrew (2000), "Who should be Head of State?", in James, Colin (ed.), Building the Constitution, Wellington: Institute of Policy Studies, pp.267, 273
↑ Milne, Johnathan (30 May 2004), "The People vs the Crown", Sunday Star-Times, p.7
↑ Brookfield, F.M. (Jock) (1995). Republican New Zealand: Legal Aspects and Consequences. New Zealand Law Review. p.310.
↑ Tunks, Andrea (1996), Trainor, Luke (ed.), Republicanism in New Zealand, Palmerston North: Dunmore Press, p.117, ISBN978-0-86469-256-6
↑ Cox, Noel (2002). "The Treaty of Waitangi and the Relationship Between Crown and Maori in New Zealand". Brooklyn Journal of International Law. 28. Brooklyn: University of Brooklyn. SSRN420020.
↑ Williams, David V. (1984). "The Annexation of New Zealand to the New South Wales in 1840: What of the Treaty of Waitangi". Austl. JL & Soc'y. 2. GOOGLE SCHOLAR: HeinOnline: 41.
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