Monarchy of South Africa


From 1910 to 1961 the Union of South Africa was a self-governing country that shared a monarch with the United Kingdom, and other Dominions of the British Empire. The monarch's constitutional roles were mostly delegated to the Governor-General of the Union of South Africa.
South Africa became a republic and left the Commonwealth on 31 May 1961. On 31 May 1994, South Africa rejoined the Commonwealth as a republic, after the end of apartheid.

History

The monarchy was created by the South Africa Act 1909 which united four British colonies in southern Africa: Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Orange River Colony and Transvaal. The Act also made provisions for admitting Southern Rhodesia as a fifth province of the Union in the future, but Southern Rhodesian voters rejected this option in a referendum held in 1922. South-West Africa became a League of Nations mandate of the Union in 1915. Following a referendum on the subject, South Africa adopted a new constitution in 1961 which abolished the monarchy.

List of monarchs

Titles
George V
31 May 1910 – 13 May 1927
By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India
13 May 1927 – 20 January 1936
His Majesty George V, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India
Edward VIII
20 January 1936 – 10 December 1936
By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India
George VI
10 December 1936 – 22 June 1948
By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India
22 June 1948 – 6 February 1952
By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith
Elizabeth II
6 February 1952 – 29 May 1953
By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith
29 May 1953 – 31 May 1961
By the Grace of God, Queen of South Africa and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth

Visits

King George VI, his wife Queen Elizabeth, and their daughters Elizabeth and Margaret, visited South Africa in 1947. Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, visited South Africa in her capacity as Head of the Commonwealth, in 1995 and 1999.