Monarchy of Papua New Guinea

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This article is about the monarchy of Papua New Guinea. For information on the other countries which share the same person as monarch, see Commonwealth realm.

Queen of Papua New Guinea
National emblem of Papua New Guinea.svg
Emblem of Papua New Guinea
Incumbent
Elizabeth II (1).jpg
Elizabeth II
Details
StyleHer Majesty
Heir apparentCharles, Prince of Wales
First monarchElizabeth II
Formation16 September 1975
Politics of Papua New Guinea
National emblem of Papua New Guinea.svg
The Crown
Executive
Legislature
Elections
Judiciary
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations
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The monarchy of Papua New Guinea is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Papua New Guinea. The current monarch, since 16 September 1975, is Queen Elizabeth II.[1] Although the person of the sovereign is equally shared with 15 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations, each country's monarchy is separate and legally distinct. As a result, the current monarch is officially titled the Queen of Papua New Guinea and, in this capacity, she and other members of the Royal Family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of the Papua New Guinean state. However, the Queen is the only member of the Royal Family with any constitutional role. The Queen lives predominantly in the United Kingdom and, while several powers are the sovereign's alone, most of the royal governmental and ceremonial duties in Papua New Guinea are carried out by the Queen's representative, the governor-general.

The responsibilities of the sovereign, and of the governor-general, under the Papua New Guinean constitution, include summoning and dismissing parliament, calling elections, and appointing governments. Further, Royal Assent or the royal sign-manual are required to enact laws, letters patent, and orders in council. But the authority for these acts stems from the country's populace, in which sovereignty is vested, and the monarch's direct participation in any of these areas of governance is limited, with most related powers entrusted for exercise by the elected and appointed parliamentarians, the ministers of the Crown drawn from amongst them, and judges.

International and domestic role[]

Further information: Commonwealth realm § Relationship of the realms

Papua New Guinea shares equally the same sovereign with fifteen other monarchies (a grouping, including Papua New Guinea, known informally as the Commonwealth realms) in the 54-member Commonwealth of Nations, with the monarch residing predominantly in the oldest and most populous realm, the United Kingdom, and a viceroy acting as the sovereign's representatives in Papua New Guinea. The sovereign's role as monarch of Papua New Guinea is distinct to his or her position as monarch of any other realm,[1] including the United Kingdom. Only Papua New Guinean ministers of the Crown may advise the sovereign on matters of the Papua New Guinean state.[2]

  Commonwealth realms
  Overseas territories of Commonwealth realms

This division is illustrated in a number of ways: The monarch, for example, holds a unique Papua New Guinean title, granted by the constitution—Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Papua New Guinea and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth[3]—though, the monarch is typically styled Queen of Papua New Guinea and is addressed as such when in Papua New Guinea or performing duties on behalf of Papua New Guinea abroad. Colloquially, the Queen is referred to as "Missis Kwin" and as "Mama belong big family" in the creole language of Tok Pisin.[1] Further, when she and other members of the Royal Family are acting in public specifically as representatives of Papua New Guinea, they will use, where possible, Papua New Guinean symbols, including the country's national flag. The sovereign similarly only draws from Papua New Guinean coffers for support in the performance of her duties as Queen of Papua New Guinea; citizens do not pay any money to the Queen or any other member of the Royal Family, either towards personal income or to support royal residences outside of Papua New Guinea. Normally, tax dollars pay only for the costs associated with the governor-general as an instrument of the Queen's authority, including travel, security, residences, offices, ceremonies, and the like.

Constitutional role[]

Unlike in most other Commonwealth realms, sovereignty is constitutionally vested in the citizenry of Papua New Guinea and the preamble to the constitution states "that all power belongs to the people—acting through their duly elected representatives". The monarch has been, according to section 82 of the constitution, "requested by the people of Papua New Guinea, through their Constituent Assembly, to become [monarch] and Head of State of Papua New Guinea" and thus acts in that capacity. The document thereafter sets out the role and powers of the monarch.[3]

The monarch is represented by the Governor-General of Papua New Guinea, who is nominated by the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea.[1]

Succession[]

Further information: Succession to the Papua New Guinean throne
Charles, Prince of Wales, the current heir apparent of Queen Elizabeth II

The constitution provides that the Queen's heirs shall succeed her as head of state. Like some realms, Papua New Guinea defers to United Kingdom law to determine the line of succession.[4]

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, nor married to one, and must be in communion with the Church of England upon ascending the throne. Though these constitutional laws, as they apply to Papua New Guinea, still lie within the control of the British parliament, via adopting the Statute of Westminster both the United Kingdom and Papua New Guinea agreed not to 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.[5]

History[]

A British protectorate along the south coast of New Guinea and adjacent islands was proclaimed in 1884. After being fully annexed into the British Empire in 1888, the territory was placed in 1902 under the authority of the Crown in its Australian parliament and council.[6] The northern area of New Guinea was a territory of the imperial German Crown until Australia seized the area during the First World War.[7] After the Second World War, the Territory of Papua and New Guinea was established as a United Nations trust territory administered by Australia. Independence from Australia was granted in 1975.

Royal visits[]

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, visited during an extended Commonwealth tour which lasted from October 1956 until February 1957.[8]

The Queen visited Papua New Guinea for the first time in February 1974, and again in 1977 during her Silver Jubilee tour, when she toured the capital Port Moresby, Popondetta and Alotau. The Queen and the Duke visited again in October 1982.[8]

Charles, Prince of Wales, toured in 1966, while he was a student in Australia. For the independence celebrations in 1975, the Queen of Papua New Guinea was represented by the Prince of Wales. Charles visited again in 1984 to open the new parliament building in Port Moresby, and in 2012 on a tour associated with his mother's diamond jubilee.[1][9][8]

Prince Andrew, Duke of York, visited in 2015 to open the 2015 Pacific Games and attend Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f "Papua New Guinea". The Royal Family. Royal Household. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  2. ^ Scott, F. R. (January 1944). "The End of Dominion Status". The American Journal of International Law. American Society of International Law. 38 (1): 34–49. doi:10.2307/2192530. JSTOR 2192530.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Elizabeth II (1975), Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea (PDF), S.85, Ministry of Inter Government Relations, p. 55, archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2013, retrieved 18 August 2013
  4. ^ Clegg, Nick (26 March 2015), Commencement of Succession to the Crown Act 2013 :Written statement - HCWS490, London: Queen's Printer, retrieved 26 March 2015
  5. ^ Justice Rouleau in a 2003 court ruling wrote that "Union under the ... Crown together with other Commonwealth countries [is a] constitutional principle". O’Donohue v. Canada, 2003 CanLII 41404 (ON S.C.)
  6. ^ Waiko, John Dademo (1993). A Short History of Papua New Guinea. OUP Australia and New Zealand. ISBN 978-0195531640.
  7. ^ Waiko, John Dademo (2003). Papua New Guinea: A History of Our Times. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195516623.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c Royal visits
  9. ^ The Telegraph (19 September 2012). "Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall to make Australian visit". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 September 2012.

External links[]

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