Monarchy of Ceylon

Monarchy of Ceylon
Coat of arms of Ceylon
Queen Elizabeth II, 1953
Details
Style	His Majesty 1948–1952 Her Majesty 1952–1972
First monarch	King George VI
Last monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
Formation	4 February 1948
Abolition	22 May 1972
Residence	King's/Queen's House, Colombo
Appointer	Hereditary

From 1948 to 1972, the Dominion of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) was a constitutional monarchy that shared its Sovereign with the other Commonwealth realms, including the United Kingdom. The monarch's constitutional roles were mostly delegated to the Governor-General of Ceylon. The Royal succession was governed by the English Act of Settlement of 1701.

The monarchy was abolished in 22 May 1972, when Ceylon changed its name to Sri Lanka, and became a republic within the Commonwealth, with the President of Sri Lanka as head of state.

History

In 1796 British gained control of the coastal areas from the Dutch and in 1815 the entire island. The Kandyan Convention of 1815 recognized the sovereignty of the British monarchs over Ceylon. Consequently, from 1815 to 1948 the British monarch was also the sovereign of British Ceylon.

List of monarchs

Monarchs of British Ceylon (1815–1948)

House of Hanover (1815–1901)

Main article: House of Hanover

Portrait	Name	Birth	Death	Monarch From	Monarch Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	George III	4 June 1738	29 January 1820	18 March 1815	29 January 1820	*Son of Frederick, Prince of Wales and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha
	George IV	12 August 1762	26 June 1830	29 January 1820	26 June 1830	*Son of George III
	William IV	21 August 1765	20 June 1837	26 June 1830	20 June 1837	*Son of George III
	Queen Victoria	24 May 1819	22 January 1901	20 June 1837	22 January 1901	*Daughter of Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1901–1910)

Main article: House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

Portrait	Name	Birth	Death	Monarch From	Monarch Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Edward VII	9 November 1841	6 May 1910	22 January 1901	6 May 1910	*Son of Victoria

House of Windsor (1910–1948)

Main article: House of Windsor

Portrait	Name	Birth	Death	King From	King Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	George V	3 June 1865	20 January 1936	6 May 1910	20 January 1936	*Son of Edward VII
	Edward VIII	23 June 1894	28 May 1972	20 January 1936	11 December 1936	*Son of George V
	George VI	14 December 1895	6 February 1952	11 December 1936	4 February 1948	*Son of George V

Monarch of Ceylon (1948–1972)

House of Windsor (1948–1972)

Portrait	Name	Birth	Death	Monarch From	Monarch Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	George VI	14 December 1895	6 February 1952	4 February 1948	6 February 1952	*Son of George V
	Elizabeth II	21 April 1926		6 February 1952	22 May 1972	*Daughter of George VI

Titles
George VI 4 February 1948 – 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 – 22 May 1972 By the Grace of God, Queen of Ceylon and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth

Visits

• 1954 (10–21 April): as Queen of Ceylon
• 1981 (21–25 October): as Head of the Commonwealth