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Governor-General (or Governor General) is a term used both historically and currently to designate the appointed representative of a head of state or their government for a particular territory, historically in a colonial context, but no longer necessarily in that form. The title has been, and is still used, for representatives of the Crown in the Realms of the Commonwealth, or in countries which were once British possessions. A primary example is the position as Governor-General of India, which existed from 1773 to 1950. The Representative of the Crown is a term used in various constitutions to refer to the Governor-General.
The Dutch Monarchy also employs the use of a Governor General for its overseas territories, including the Governors General of Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles.
This title was also in use in the Imperial Russia for some time, see the Guberniya article.
Lord Tweedsmuir was Governor General of Canada from 1935 to 1940. The uniform worn here was the customary ceremonial dress for Commonwealth Governors General until recently.Have to see |
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Commonwealth Usage
Today the title Governor-General is used in countries which recognise Queen Elizabeth II as the titular head of state, or sovereign, excluding the United Kingdom.
In its modern usage, the term Governor-General originated in those British colonies which became self-governing Dominions of the British Empire (examples are Australia, Canada and New Zealand). With the exception of New Zealand, each of these individual colonies already had a Governor, and the Queen's representative to the federated Dominion was therefore given the superior title Governor-General. As New Zealand is a unitary (non-federal) state, the post of Governor-General is an anachronism. The most likely explanation can be found in that nation's ongoing (although by now largely defunct) rivalry with Australia.
In these countries, now known as Commonwealth Realms, the Governor-General acts as the Queen's representative, performing all the ceremonial and constitutional functions of a head of state.
The Governor-General may exercise almost all the reserve powers that the Queen holds. Except in rare cases, the Governor-General only acts in accordance with constitutional convention and upon the advice of the Prime Minister. This was shown most clearly in 1975, when the Governor-General of Australia, Sir John Kerr, dismissed the Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam.
In principle, the Queen could overrule the Governor-General, but this has not happened in modern times.
Appointment
Until the 1920s, the Governors-General were British, appointed on the advice of the British Government, and acted as the representative of the British Government in each Dominion. The Governor-General could be instructed by the Colonial Secretary on the exercise of some of his functions and duties, such as the use or withholding of the Royal Assent from legislation. In 1931, as a result of discussions at the 1926 Commonwealth Conference, the Statute of Westminster was enacted and this role was abolished. The Governor-General became the direct representative of the country's Sovereign only, and relations with the United Kingdom were placed in the hands of a British high commissioner in each country.
Also, in 1929, the Australian Prime Minister James Scullin established the right of a Dominion Prime Minister to advise the monarch directly on the appointment of a Governor-General, by insisting that his choice (Sir Isaac Isaacs, an Australian) prevail over the recommendation of the British government. The convention was gradually established throughout the Commonwealth that the Governor-General is a citizen of the country concerned, and is appointed on the advice of the government of that country, with no input from the British government.
Today the following countries have Governors-General:
| Commonwealth Realm | From | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 1866 | Website |
| Australia | 1901 | Website |
| New Zealand | 1917 | Website |
| Jamaica | 1962 | |
| Barbados | 1966 | Website |
| Bahamas | 1973 | Website |
| Grenada | 1974 | |
| Papua New Guinea | 1975 | |
| Solomon Islands | 1978 | |
| Tuvalu | 1978 | |
| Saint Lucia | 1979 | Website |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1979 | |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 1981 | |
| Belize | 1981 | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1983 |
The Governor-General is usually a person with a distinguished record of public service. He or she is often a retired politician, but some countries have also appointed prominant figures from sports, academia, or philanthrophy to the office. The Governor-General is formally appointed by the Queen, following the specific request of the Prime Minister of the country concerned. Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands are the only realms that elect their Governors-General in some form. The Governor-General of Papua New Guinea and the Governor-General of the Solomon Islands are selected by a parliamentary vote.
Other attributes
- Main article: Administrator of the Government
Different realms have different arrangements governing who acts in place of the Governor-General following his or her death, resignation, or incapacity.
- In Australia, the government of the day nominates a person as "Administrator of the Commonwealth" to perform the necessary official functions, pending a decision and consultation with the Queen about a permanent replacement as Governor-General. By convention, the Administrator has usually been the senior Governor of the Australian states, but there is nothing to prevent a different person from being appointed.
- In Canada and New Zealand, it is the Chief Justice.
- In Papua New Guinea, it is the Speaker of the House.
- Many Caribbean countries have a specific office of "Deputy Governor-General."
Most Commonwealth countries that originally had Governors-General are now republics, with the head of state being a President. Some are parliamentary republics, like India, where the presidency is a ceremonial post, like the that of the Queen. In others, like South Africa, the presidency is an executive post, as in the United States. Australia held a referendum on becoming a parliamentary republic in 1999, but this was rejected. The current governments of Barbados and Jamaica have announced plans to hold referenda on becoming republics, in each case with a ceremonial President replacing the Queen as head of state, as Trinidad and Tobago did in 1976. It is not known whether these plans will proceed, however, nor whether the referenda would approve the changes.
Traditionally, the Governor-General's official attire was the court dress or other military uniform, but this practice been abandoned in most jurisdictions in modern times. In South Africa, the Governors-General of the Union nominated by the AfrikanerNationalist government chose not to wear the uniform. Most Governors-General continue to wear ceremonial medals on their clothing during special occasions, however.
In most Commonwealth realms, the flag of the Governor-General has been the standard pattern of a blue flag with the Royal Crest (lion standing on a crown) above a scroll with the name of the jurisdiction. In Canada, however, this was replaced with a lion (with a crown) clasping a maple leaf. In the Solomon Islands, the scroll is replaced with a two-headed frigate bird motif, while in Fiji, the former Governor-General's flag featured a whale's tooth.
Governors-General are accorded the style of His/Her Excellency. This style is also extended to their spouses, both male and female (for an example of the former case, see John Ralston Saul).
Netherlands
From 1691 to 1948 the Dutch appointed a Governor-General to govern the Netherlands East Indies, now Indonesia.
Other Netherlands Dependent Areas:
| Netherlands Dependent Area | From | |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands Antilles | 1954 | Website |
| Aruba | 1986 | Website |
Other Usages
- From 1636 to 1815 Sweden appointed Governors-General, typically for the Swedish Dominions on the eastern side of the Baltic and in northern Germany, but occasionally also for Scania.
- From 1644 to 1911, in Qingynasty China, a Governor General or zongdu (总督) was the highest official of joint military and civil affairs in one or several provinces (alternately translated, Viceroy)
- From 1809 to 1918 there were Russian Governors-General in the Grand Duchy of Finland and various other Governorates-General.
- From 1887 to 1945 the French appointed a Governor-General to govern French Indo-China (now Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia).
- From 1905 to 1935 the Philippines was administered by a Governor General appointed by the United States.
- From 1895 to 1945, Taiwan was administered by the Japanese Governor-General of Taiwan.
- From 1910 to 1945, Korea was administered by the Japanese Governor-General of Korea.
- From 1939 to 1944, during the German occupation of Poland part of the country was designated the General Government and the Nazi official Hans Frank had the title Governor-General (Generalgouverneur für die besetzten polnischen Gebiete).
See also
- Administrator of the Government
- Lieutenant-Governor
- High Commissioner
- Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies
- Governor-General of Finland
- Governor-General of India
- Governor-General of the Irish Free State
- Governor-General of Pakistan
- Governor-General of the Philippines
- Governor-General in the Swedish Realm
- Governor-General of the Union of South Africa