Barbados removes Queen as head of state to become Republic – BBC News

Barbados is holding a ceremony to mark the island’s transition to a Republic, with the Queen removed as head of state.

The Barbadian government said the time had come to fully leave the Caribbean island’s colonial past behind.

Barbados gained its independence from the UK in 1966 and has since been a Commonwealth realm. Now it has cut its ties with the British royal family. Its membership of the Commonwealth will continue.

Sandra Mason, a Barbadian who has served as the island’s governor general is becoming the country’s first president.

Huw Edwards presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Celestina Olulode in Barbados.

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