User:Peter Ormond/PO

• The Contemporary Commonwealth: An Assessment 1965-2009, Taylor & Francis, 2009, p. 22, ISBN 9781135238308, On independence in 1947, George VI became 'King of India' until the adoption of republican status in 1950.

• Nehru, Jawaharlal (1991), Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru: 21 June to 15 August 1949, Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, p. 363, On the 15th August 1947 India became an independent country and a free dominion in the British Commonwealth of Nations. The position then was that India was completely free in regard to her internal and external policy and the United Kingdom could not interfere in any of these policies. Certain forms however continued to be observed. For instance, the Head of the State was King George VI, and ambassadors, etc. were appointed in his name. So also the Governor- General, who was supposed to represent the King. In effect, however, all these appointments were made by the Cabinet in India and the King came in only formally into the picture as a constitutional monarch according to the recommendations of his Ministry in India. King George was in effect King of India and it was as such that he functioned as the Head of the Indian State. He did not function in India as the King of England. Certain other forms were also observed to begin with, such as the issue of some honours and medals in the name of the King. The question of honours did not arise, as we had put an end to titles, etc. But certain medals etc. continue to be issued. Thus India's position was that of an independent country with a King at the head, who was a constitutional monarch following the advice of his Ministry in India.

• Kumarasingham, Harshan (2013), THE 'TROPICAL DOMINIONS': THE APPEAL OF DOMINION STATUS IN THE DECOLONISATION OF INDIA, PAKISTAN AND CEYLON, vol. 23, Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, p. 223, Few today, including those who work on the subcontinent, recollect that India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka did not become republics the day British rule ended. Even distinguished scholars of Empire like Perry Anderson and A. G. Hopkins have made the common assumption that India naturally became a republic upon independence on 15 August 1947. Instead, all three of these South Asian states began their independent life as Realms within the British Commonwealth and mirrored the style and institutions of the Dominions of Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. Though their sovereignty was in no way impaired by this seemingly ambiguous position they all held the British sovereign as their head of state who was represented in each capital by a governor- general appointed on the advice of the local prime minister. India, Pakistan and Ceylon were Realms from 1947 to 1950, 1947 to 1956 and 1948 to 1972 respectively.

• Matthew, H. C. G. (September 2004), George VI, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/33370, retrieved 20 April 2008, India and Pakistan remained among the king's dominions but both were set on republican courses, becoming republics within the Commonwealth in 1950 and 1956 respectively.

• Pillai, K.P. (1992), Great Britain, Commonwealth and India's Foreign Policy, Deep & Deep, p. 150, ISBN 9788171003440, India became an Independent Dominion on the fifteenth of August, owing allegiance to the King, the Common sovereign of the British Commonwealth. The Common sovereign is represented in India by a Governor-General as in other Dominions. But this link holding together the units of the Commonwealth does not and cannot diminish even by an hair's breadth the independence and sovereignty of our country. The independence of India is an accomplished fact.

• Hingorani, Aman M. (2016), Unravelling the Kashmir Knot, SAGE Publications, p. 184, ISBN 9789351509721, Thus, both dominions, even after independence, retained the British monarch as a ceremonial head of state, who was generally represented in the dominion by a Governor General. Accordingly, George VI, King of the United Kingdom, who had been 'Emperor of India', now acted as the 'King of India' as also as the 'King of Pakistan' during the dominion phase. While George VI ceased to be the King of India in 1950, he remained King of Pakistan until his death in 1952. His then 26-year-old daughter, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, or Elizabeth II, succeeded him as the Queen of Pakistan till 1956.

• Mathai, M. O. (1978), Reminiscences of the Nehru Age, Vikas Publishing House, p. 21, ISBN 9780706906219, When dominion government came on 15 August 1947 the Emperor of India automatically stepped down to become King of India; and Nehru, the Prime Minister, corresponded directly with the King. The British Government went out of the picture.

• McLeod, John (2019), Modern India, ABC-CLIO, p. 407, ISBN 9781440852893, From the time India became independent in 1947 until the establishment of the Republic of India in 1950, the British monarch George VI was king of India (this was a separate office from his position as king of the United Kingdom). In India, he was represented by a governor-general.

• Murphy, Philip (2013), Monarchy and the End of Empire: The House of Windsor, the British Government, and the Postwar Commonwealth, OUP Oxford, p. 21, ISBN 9780199214235, Such fears would not be realised in the case of India, where in its brief period of a monarchy from 1947 to 1950, the leader of the ruling Indian National Congress, Jawaharlal Nehru was happy to occupy the office of prime minister and confine the Governor General to the role of (an admittedly highly influential) figurehead.

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• An 11-day period of public mourning for his late Majesty, until Feb. 17, was ordered by President Rajendra Prasad and the Government of India on receipt of the news of the King's death. page 12009

• The accession of Queen Elizabeth II was marked in New Delhi by a 21-gun salute from the ancient Red Fort, and by similar salutes at all military stations throughout India. page 12009

Oaths, ceremonies and other roles

• British Documents on Foreign Affairs--reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print: Burma, Ceylon, India and Pakistan, October 1947-December 1948, University Publications of America, 1948, p. 101, Some two hours later on the morning of 21st June, the Chief Justice of India, Sir Harilal Kania, administered to Shri Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the first Indian Governor-General of this dominion, the oath of allegiance to His Majesty King George VI.

• British Documents on Foreign Affairs--reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print: Burma, Ceylon, India and Pakistan, October 1947-December 1948, University Publications of America, 1948, p. 101, The swearing in of his successor was thus accompanied by the customary ritual of fanfares, procession to the dais in the Durbar Hall in Government House, the playing of "God Save the King", now followed by the Indian national anthem—for which the Central Government have pronounced in favour of Jana Gana Mana but which has not yet been accepted by all Provincial Governments—and a Royal Salute.

• Narayan, Ram (1970), Freedom of India, a Big Hoax, National Publishing House, p. 31, ...Shri Rajagopalachari took, on June 21, 1948, the following oath: "I, Chakravarty Rajagopalachari, do solemnly affirm that I shall be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty, King George the Sixth, His Heirs and Successors, according to Law and I, Chakravarty Rajagopalachari, do solemnly affirm that I well and truly serve His Majesty, King George the Sixth, His Heirs and Successors in the office of the Governor-General."

• India News: Volume 9, Issues 1-15, The Department, 1948, p. 1, Mr. Chakravarty Rajagopalachari was sworn in as Governor-General of India in the Durbar Hall of Government House, New Delhi, at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, 21st June. The assumption of office was heralded by a Royal salute, the band played "God Save the King", and the Indian anthem "Jana Gana Mana".

• Bhattacharjea, Ajit (1997), Countdown to Partition: The Final Days, HarperCollins Publishers India, pp. 84–85, ISBN 9788172232986, But Nehru agreed that after August 15, that the Governor-General's flag would contian the British royal crest, a crown and lion. This meant that as governor-general of India, Mountbatten would remain in the Viceroy's House flying a flag which continued to symbolise subservience to the crown. No objection was taken to the proposed Oath of Office for the governor-general which promised that he would be 'faithful to His Majesty, his heirs and successors'. Then, when asked by Mountbatten whether he would continue to report directly to the King after August 15, Nehru said he had no objection.

Constitution

• Pylee, Moolamattom Varkey (1960), Constitutional government in India, S. Chand & Company, pp. 5–6, ISBN 9788121922036, Although the Government of India Act of 1935 was not fully put into operation, an important part of it was implemented in 1937 and, in any case, Indians had become familiar with its provisions ever since. The same Act was suitably modified to become the Constitution of the Dominion of India between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950, the date of the commencement of the present Constitution.

• Hingorani, Aman M. (2016), Unravelling the Kashmir Knot, SAGE Publications, p. 276, ISBN 9789351509721, Under the Constitution which was in force in India between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950, which is the material period for this purpose, India was a Dominion under the British Crown. Under that Constitution, often referred to as the Government of India Act, 1935—as amended under the Indian Independence Act, 1947—an Indian State must be deemed to have acceded to the Dominion if the Governor-General has signified his acceptance of an instrument of accession executed by the Ruler.

• Singhvi, Abhishek; Gautam, Khagesh (2020), The Law of Emergency Powers: Comparative Common Law Perspectives, Springer Singapore, p. 86, ISBN 9789811529979, Between August 15, 1947 and January 26, 1950, India was independent but it was not yet a constitutionally proclaimed republic. One of the biggest challenges faced by the government of independent India, governed by the Government of India Act, 1935 as the interim constitution, was the integration of princely states into the Union of India which was to be a republic. Republicanism of course meant abolition of sovereignty of princes.

• Mishra, Shree Govind (2000), Democracy in India, Sanbun Publishers, p. 144, ISBN 3-473-47305-7, The Government of India Act 1935 was a milestone in the history of the Constitutional history of India. The Act remained in effect until India became a Republic on Jan. 26, 1950 with Dr. Rajendra Prasad as its provincial President. This Act, suitably amended served as the constitution of the Dominion of India from 1947 to 1950.

HoC

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The headship of the Commonwealth is a significant role. It is not a royal title, but an official post in the Commonwealth of Nations, just like Secretary-General of the United Nations. This position is non-hereditary and is therefore not inherited with other royal titles; the Head is appointed by the Commonwealth heads of government. So, such an important post should be included in the infobox. The Commonwealth is a huge part of the monarchy today and the Head of the Commonwealth is seen as a figurehead even in countries, where she is not the head of state. The change of the status of the monarch from former Imperial times to the modern Commonwealth should be reflected in the infobox. Some roles and duties of the Head of the Commonwealth are listed below:

• The Head of the Commonwealth regularly attends Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings at different locations in the world, where she delivers the inaugural address. During the summit, the Head of the Commonwealth has a series of private meetings and audiences with each of the 54 Commonwealth leaders.

• The Head of the Commonwealth keeps in touch with Commonwealth developments through regular contact with the Commonwealth Secretary General and the Secretariat, the Commonwealth's central organisation.

• The Head of the Commonwealth or her representative opens the quadrennial Commonwealth Games held at different locations in the Commonwealth.

• The Queen's Baton Relay, held prior to the beginning of the Commonwealth Games, carries a message from the Head of the Commonwealth to all Commonwealth Nations and territories.

• The Head of the Commonwealth regularly attends the inter-denominational Commonwealth Day Service held at Westminster Abbey every year.

• Every year on Commonwealth Day, the Head of the Commonwealth broadcasts a special message to all the peoples of the Commonwealth, roughly 2.5 billion people.

• The Head of the Commonwealth has toured a number of Commonwealth countries solely in this capacity.

• The Head of the Commonwealth also has a distinct flag to represent her in that position.

• Important Commonwealth documents like charters are signed by the Head of the Commonwealth.

• The Head of the Commonwealth is patron of several Commonwealth associations, initiatives and charities.

Note that the Head of the Commonwealth's role as monarch is largely the same, visiting places, having audiences and giving speeches.

References

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Other important things:

• In 1961, despite bombings in the capital and fears that Ghana was getting too close to the Soviet Union, The Queen visited to Ghana as Head of the Commonwealth. Her visit saw Ghana get highly sought-after funding for the Volta Dam, a hydroelectric project that was a centerpiece of Nkrumah's economic plans. Financial backing from the Americans for the project soon came through, which cut off a potential avenue of influence for the Soviets. At the state dinner, Kwame Nkrumah toasted the Queen as "Head of the Commonwealth", and in her reply, the Queen told Nkrumah that differences of opinion do not mean that anyone must leave the Commonwealth. Her trip has since been seen as a success for helping to hold the Commonwealth together.

• The Queen is said to have played an important role for reaching a settlement of the Rhodesia-Zimbabwe question at the Lusaka Commonwealth Conference of 1979.

• The Queen is said to be a "behind the scenes force" in ending apartheid in South Africa. At the 1985 Commonwealth Meeting at Nassau, she encouraged every Commonwealth nation to issue sanctions against the South African regime, leading to her infamous rift with Thatcher. When asked by Time magazine in 1993, if economic sanctions against South Africa helped speed the demise of apartheid, he replied: "Oh, there is no doubt".

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