The Monarchy Today > Queen and Commonwealth

The Queen inspects a guard of honour on the quayside at Nassau in The Bahamas
© Press Association

Antigua and Barbuda were granted independence in 1981 and secured Commonwealth membership. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh included the island in their Caribbean tour of 1966, and in the Silver Jubilee tour of October 1977. The Queen visited again in 1985.

Consisting of 700 islands and over 1000 cays off the coast of Florida, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas an independent member of the Commonwealth in 1973.

Independence Day celebrations on the islands were attended by The Prince of Wales, acting as The Queen’s special representative.

The Queen and members of the Royal Family have toured The Bahamas on several occasions.

The islands were visited by The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in the course of their Caribbean tours of February 1966 and February 1975, and during the Silver Jubilee tour of October 1977.

There was a further visit to Nassau for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October 1985.

Barbados became an independent sovereign State within the Commonwealth on 30 November 1966. The Queen has visited on various occasions.

At the end of the Silver Jubilee tour of 1977, Concorde made its first landing in Barbados, and The Queen experienced her first supersonic flight.

In 1989, The Queen marked the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the Barbados Parliament.

Belize is a Central American country which has been an independent member of the Commonwealth since 1981. Visits have been made by The Duke of Edinburgh during his Caribbean tour of March 1975, and by The Queen in October 1985.

The Prince of Wales takes a look at carnival costumes in Trinidad in 2000
© Press Association

Grenada, the most southerly of the Caribbean Windward Islands, achieved independent nationhood within the Commonwealth in 1974. The island was included in The Queen’s Caribbean tour of 1966. In 1985 The Queen opened Parliament in St George’s.

St Lucia, in the eastern Caribbean, achieved independence in 1979, when The Queen was represented by Princess Alexandra at the independence celebrations.

The Queen visited for the first time during her Caribbean tour of 1966, and again in 1985. The Prince of Wales attended the island’s tenth anniversary of independence celebrations in 1989.

St Christopher and Nevis became a fully independent state and member of the Commonwealth in 1983. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited St Christopher (known as St Kitts) and Nevis in 1966 during their Caribbean tour, and again in 1985.

St Vincent and the Grenadines were the last of the Windward Islands to gain independence, following a referendum in 1979. The Queen visited in 1966 and again in 1985.


	The Queen is Sovereign of a number of nations in the Caribbean – Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, St Christopher and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. In addition to Jamaica, The Queen is Sovereign of a number of nations in the Caribbean. These are: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, St Christopher and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. All are parliamentary democracies and constitutional monarchies. In January 1958 the British Caribbean island colonies of Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica and the Leeward and Windward Islands were brought together to form the West Indies Federation, with its capital in Trinidad. However, in 1962, the Federation was dissolved by mutual consent after the withdrawal of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago to seek independence. Other islands followed suit, but most retained The Queen as Sovereign. The Queen is represented in all these nations by governors-general, who carry out the duties of Head of State. She has also been a regular visitor to the Caribbean during her reign, carrying out many of the tours on the Royal Yacht Britannia while it was in service.
	The Queen inspects a guard of honour on the quayside at Nassau in The Bahamas © Press Association Antigua and Barbuda were granted independence in 1981 and secured Commonwealth membership. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh included the island in their Caribbean tour of 1966, and in the Silver Jubilee tour of October 1977. The Queen visited again in 1985. Consisting of 700 islands and over 1000 cays off the coast of Florida, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas an independent member of the Commonwealth in 1973. Independence Day celebrations on the islands were attended by The Prince of Wales, acting as The Queen’s special representative. The Queen and members of the Royal Family have toured The Bahamas on several occasions. The islands were visited by The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in the course of their Caribbean tours of February 1966 and February 1975, and during the Silver Jubilee tour of October 1977. There was a further visit to Nassau for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October 1985. Barbados became an independent sovereign State within the Commonwealth on 30 November 1966. The Queen has visited on various occasions. At the end of the Silver Jubilee tour of 1977, Concorde made its first landing in Barbados, and The Queen experienced her first supersonic flight. In 1989, The Queen marked the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the Barbados Parliament. Belize is a Central American country which has been an independent member of the Commonwealth since 1981. Visits have been made by The Duke of Edinburgh during his Caribbean tour of March 1975, and by The Queen in October 1985. The Prince of Wales takes a look at carnival costumes in Trinidad in 2000 © Press Association Grenada, the most southerly of the Caribbean Windward Islands, achieved independent nationhood within the Commonwealth in 1974. The island was included in The Queen’s Caribbean tour of 1966. In 1985 The Queen opened Parliament in St George’s. St Lucia, in the eastern Caribbean, achieved independence in 1979, when The Queen was represented by Princess Alexandra at the independence celebrations. The Queen visited for the first time during her Caribbean tour of 1966, and again in 1985. The Prince of Wales attended the island’s tenth anniversary of independence celebrations in 1989. St Christopher and Nevis became a fully independent state and member of the Commonwealth in 1983. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited St Christopher (known as St Kitts) and Nevis in 1966 during their Caribbean tour, and again in 1985. St Vincent and the Grenadines were the last of the Windward Islands to gain independence, following a referendum in 1979. The Queen visited in 1966 and again in 1985. The Queen A biography of the Head of the Commonwealth SUGGESTED LINKS Governor-General of the Bahamas