Monarchy of Solomon Islands

In 1884, Germany annexed north-east New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago, and in 1886 they extended their rule over the North Solomon Islands. In 1886, Germany and Britain confirmed this arrangement, with the British gaining a "sphere of influence" over the southern Solomons. The British Solomon Islands Protectorate was declared in 1893, partly in response to abuses associated with labour recruitment and partly to regulate contacts between islanders and European settlers but mainly to forestall a threat of annexation by France. Colonial rule began in 1896. During World War II, the Solomon Islands campaign (1942–1945) saw fierce fighting between the United States, British Commonwealth forces and the Empire of Japan, including the Battle of Guadalcanal. After the war, Honiara on Guadalcanal became the new capital, replacing Tulagi. Subsequently, the Solomons set out on the path of constitutional development and decolonisation. Appointed Executive and Legislative Councils were established in 1960, with a degree of elected Solomon Islander representation introduced in 1964 and then extended in 1967. A new constitution was drawn up in 1970 which merged the two Councils into one Governing Council, though the British Governor still retained extensive powers. A new constitution in 1974 reduced much of the Governor's remaining powers and created the post of Chief Minister, with full self-government for the territory achieved in 1976. British officials opposed this formula on the grounds that it was too complicated and that Solomon Islands should choose its method of government upon independence. Negotiations in London in September 1977 between Solomons leaders and the British government produced a final draft constitution which omitted references to a republic. The British Parliament's passage of the Solomon Islands Act 1978 allowed the country to become a sovereign state and an independent constitutional monarchy on 7 July 1978, with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and Queen of Solomon Islands. The Duke, who delivered his speech in Pijin, said: "Today onefella big day, hemi come now. Country belong you fella, hemi grow up, and Queen hemi wantim every something belong you fella. E come up goodfellow long or get a years, bye bye e come." ==The Crown of Solomon Islands and its aspects==

Solomon Islands is one of fifteen independent nations, known as Commonwealth realms, which shares its sovereign with other realms in the Commonwealth of Nations, with the monarch's relationship with Solomon Islands completely independent from his position as monarch of any other realm. Despite sharing the same person as their respective monarch, each of the Commonwealth realms — including Solomon Islands — is sovereign and independent of the others. The Solomon Island monarch is represented by a viceroy—the governor-general of Solomon Islands—in the country. Since the independence of Solomon Islands in 1978, the pan-national Crown has had both a shared and a separate character and the sovereign's role as monarch of Solomon Islands is distinct to his or her position as monarch of any other realm, including the United Kingdom. This division is illustrated in a number of ways: The sovereign, for example, holds a unique Solomon Island title and, when he is acting in public specifically as a representative of Solomon Islands, he uses, where possible, national symbols of Solomon Islands, including the country's national flag, unique royal symbols, and the like. Also, only Solomon Island government ministers can advise the sovereign on matters of Solomon Islands. Title Although Queen Elizabeth II became head of state of Solomon Islands upon independence in 1978, it was not until 2013 that the National Parliament passed the Royal Style and Titles Act 2013, which legally granted the monarch separate style and titles in relation to Solomon Islands. Upon the commencement of the act, the Queen's official style and titles became: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Solomon Islands and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth. These new style and titles were already in non-statutory use since 1988, when it was included in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade Manual. Since the accession of King Charles III, the monarch's title is: Charles the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Solomon Islands and His other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth. When Queen Elizabeth II first visited Solomon Islands in 1974, she was given the title Fau Ni Qweraasi, meaning "a people’s protector", by chief Simeon Kariqwongi of Star Harbour in south-east Makira. Oath of allegiance As the embodiment of the state, the monarch is the locus of oaths of Allegiance. This is done in reciprocation to the sovereign's Coronation Oath, wherein they promise to govern the peoples of their realms, "according to their respective laws and customs". The oath of allegiance in Solomon Islands is: Succession , is the current heir apparent to the throne of Solomon Islands Like some realms, Solomon Islands defers to United Kingdom law to determine the line of succession. Succession is by absolute primogeniture governed by the provisions of the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, as well as the Act of Settlement, 1701, and the Bill of Rights, 1689. This legislation limits the succession to the natural (i.e. non-adopted), legitimate descendants of Sophia, Electress of Hanover, and stipulates that the monarch cannot be a Roman Catholic, and must be in communion with the Church of England upon ascending the throne. Though these constitutional laws, as they apply to Solomon Islands, still lie within the control of the British Parliament, both the United Kingdom and Solomon Islands cannot change the rules of succession without the unanimous consent of the other realms, unless explicitly leaving the shared monarchy relationship; a situation that applies identically in all the other realms, and which has been likened to a treaty amongst these countries. Upon a demise of the Crown (the death or abdication of a sovereign), it is customary for the accession of the new monarch to be publicly proclaimed by the governor-general in the capital, Honiara, after the accession. Regardless of any proclamations, the late sovereign's heir immediately and automatically succeeds, without any need for confirmation or further ceremony. An appropriate period of mourning also follows, during which flags across the country are flown at half-mast to honour the late monarch. A day of mourning to commemorate the late monarch is likely to be a public holiday. ==Constitutional role and royal prerogative==

The Constitution of Solomon Islands gives Solomon Islands a similar parliamentary system of government as the other Commonwealth realms. All executive authority of the people of Solomon Islands is vested in the monarch, who is represented in the country by a governor-general — appointed by the sovereign in accordance with an address from the National Parliament. The role of the monarch and the governor-general is both legal and practical; the Crown is regarded as a corporation, in which several parts share the authority of the whole, with the monarch as the person at the centre of the constitutional construct. The Solomon Islands government is also thus formally referred to as ''His Majesty's Government of Solomon Islands''. hosting President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan at Government House, 2017 The vast powers that belong to the Crown are collectively known as the Royal Prerogative, which includes many powers such as the ability to make treaties or send ambassadors, as well as certain duties such as to defend the realm and to maintain the King's peace. Executive The prime minister, who heads the Cabinet of Solomon Islands, is responsible for advising the monarch or governor-general on how to execute their executive powers over all aspects of government operations and foreign affairs. The monarch's, and thereby the viceroy's role is almost entirely symbolic and cultural, acting as a symbol of the legal authority under which all governments and agencies operate, while the Cabinet directs the use of the Royal Prerogative, which includes the privilege to declare war, maintain the King's peace, as well as to fix the date of general elections. The Royal Prerogative belongs to the Crown and not to any of the ministers, though it might have sometimes appeared that way. The prime minister is elected by the members of the National Parliament in accordance with section 33 of the national constitution, at a meeting convened by the governor-general after each election or in the event of a vacancy. The governor-general additionally appoints a Cabinet, at the direction of the prime minister. The monarch is informed by his viceroy of the acceptance of the resignation of a prime minister and the swearing-in of a new prime minister and other members of the ministry, and he remains fully briefed through regular communications from his Solomon Island ministers. Members of various executive agencies and other officials are appointed by the Crown. Foreign affairs with Governor-General Sir David Vunagi, 2020 The Royal Prerogative also extends to foreign affairs: the sovereign or the governor-general may negotiate and ratify treaties, alliances, and international agreements; no parliamentary approval is required. However, a treaty cannot alter the domestic laws of Solomon Islands; an Act of Parliament is necessary in such cases. The governor-general, on behalf of the monarch, also accredits Solomon Islands High Commissioners and ambassadors, and receives diplomats from foreign states. Parliament All laws in Solomon Islands are enacted only with the governor-general's granting of royal assent in the monarch's name, which cannot be refused and must be granted "forthwith". The viceroy additionally summons, prorogues, and dissolves parliament; after the latter, the writs for a general election are usually dropped by the governor-general at Government House, Honiara. The new parliamentary session is marked by the State Opening of Parliament, during which the monarch or the governor-general reads the Speech from the Throne. Courts The sovereign is responsible for rendering justice for all his subjects, and is thus traditionally deemed the fount of justice. In Solomon Islands, criminal offences are legally deemed to be offences against the sovereign and proceedings for indictable offences are brought in the sovereign's name in the form of The King [or Queen] versus [Name], Rex [or Regina] versus [Name] or R versus [Name]. Hence, common law holds that the sovereign "can do no wrong"; the monarch cannot be prosecuted in his or her own courts for criminal offences. The governor-general, on behalf of the monarch of Solomon Islands, can also grant immunity from prosecution, exercise the royal prerogative of mercy, and pardon offences against the Crown, either before, during, or after a trial. The granting of a pardon and the commutation of prison sentences is described in section 45 of the Constitution. Judges of the High Court of Solomon Islands are appointed by the governor-general, on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission. ==Cultural role==

The King's Official Birthday is a public holiday in Solomon Islands where it is usually celebrated on the second Saturday of June every year. It is regarded as one of the most important events of the year in the country. The day starts with the police marching band performing in the capital city of Honiara. Rallies are held all over the islands, which is followed by sporting events and custom dancing, and the celebrations and parties go long into the night. The governor-general delivers a speech on the King's Birthday, and honours and medals are given to those who have rendered services to Solomon Islands. Similarly, the monarch, as Sovereign of Solomon Islands, confers awards and honours in Solomon Islands in his name. Most of them are often awarded on the advice of "His Majesty's Solomon Island Ministers". In March 1981, Governor-General Sir Baddeley Devesi was authorised by Royal warrant to institute the regulation of an Order of Solomon Islands. The order is composed of three grades: the Star of Solomon Islands, the Cross of Solomon Islands, and the Solomon Islands Medal. In 1982, Queen Elizabeth II became the first recipient of the Star of Solomon Islands, and the same honour was conferred on King Charles III in 2024. The Crown and the Police Force featuring St Edward's Crown The Police Force of Solomon Islands is known as the "Royal Solomon Islands Police Force". Formerly the Solomon Islands Police Force, the force was granted the prefix "Royal" by Queen Elizabeth II in 1978. The Crown sits at the pinnacle of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force. Under the Police Act 2013, all officers in the Police Force have to swear allegiance to the monarch of Solomon Islands, before taking office. The current oath is: St. Edward's Crown appears on the police force's badges and rank insignia, which illustrates the monarchy as the locus of authority. Royal visits Members of the royal family have occasionally visited Solomon Islands. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited the islands in 1959 and 1971. The Duke and Duchess of Kent visited in 1969. Queen Elizabeth II first visited in 1974, with Prince Philip, Princess Anne, Captain Mark Phillips and Lord Mountbatten, during a tour of the area. In 1978, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester represented the Queen at the independence celebrations. Prince William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, visited in September 2012 to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. During the visit, the Duke and Duchess were treated to panpipes performances, traditional costumes and an idyllic island retreat. In a cultural village, the couple saw performances by people representing the nine provinces that make up the nation. In Honiara, the Duke and Duchess attended a memorial to the Coast Watchers. During the visit, the couple also travelled on a traditional war canoe between the islands of Marapa and Tavanipupu. Charles, Prince of Wales visited the country in November 2019. During the visit, he attended a Service of Thanksgiving at Saint Barnabas' Anglican Cathedral, participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Solomon Islands Scouts and Coastwatchers' Memorial, and addressed the National Parliament. ==Proposed republic==

At the time of independence, local councils associated with the former Maasina Ruru movement were said to favour retaining the monarchy, while a majority of the Legislative Assembly favoured becoming a republic. At the 1980 general election, the Solomon Islands United Party led by Prime Minister Peter Kenilorea emerged as the largest party, running on a platform that included replacing the monarchy with an indigenous ceremonial presidency. Kenilorea was subsequently replaced as prime minister by his opponent Solomon Mamaloni, who favoured an executive presidency and appointed a committee to revise the constitution on those lines. However, Mamaloni was defeated at the 1984 election and the committee was dissolved. In 1987, Prime Minister Ezekiel Alebua appointed a Constitutional Review Committee chaired by Mamaloni. The committee's report presented in 1988 again recommended abolition of the monarchy as part of a wider process of indigenisation, with only indigenous Solomon Islanders eligible to become president. The new president was to have greater powers than the governor-general, such as greater powers to dissolve parliament on their own initiative, but without a full executive presidency. Mamaloni was re-elected prime minister in 1989, but failed to bring about the committee's recommendations. A further process of constitutional review was initiated in response to civil unrest which broke out in Solomon Islands in the late 1990s, with the Townsville Peace Agreement of 2000 requiring the government to establish a constitutional council. The Federal Constitution of Solomon Islands Bill 2004 produced by the process envisaged Solomon Islands becoming a federal republic. In 2007 the government established the Constitutional Congress, which produced further draft federal constitutions in 2009 and 2011; the latter provided for the country to be renamed the Democratic Federal Republic of Solomon Islands. A revised draft Constitution of the Republic of Solomon Islands was released by the Solomon Islands government in 2018. In 2022, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare promised to enact the new federal constitution by 2026. Sogavare's government amended the constitution in 2023 to establish a process for repeal of the 1978 constitution, including the creation of a Constituent Assembly which would approve a final constitution based on the 2018 draft for a parliamentary vote. A 2023 poll by Lord Ashcroft polling showed that 59% of those questioned in Solomon Islands supported a democratically elected head of state compared to 34% in favour of keeping the monarchy and 7% who did not know or would not vote. ==List of Solomon Island monarchs==