User:Peter Ormond/Monarchy of Malta

Elizabeth II was Queen of Malta (Reġina ta' Malta) and its head of state from 1964 to 1974, when Malta was an independent sovereign state and a constitutional monarchy. She was also the monarch of other sovereign states, including the United Kingdom. Her constitutional roles in Malta were mostly delegated to the governor-general of Malta.

History
In 1814, as part of the Treaty of Paris, Malta officially became a part of the British Empire and was used as a shipping way-station and fleet headquarters. Between 1915 and 1918, during the First World War, Malta became known as the Nurse of the Mediterranean due to the large number of wounded soldiers who were accommodated there. Until the Second World War, Maltese politics was dominated by the Language Question fought out by Italophone and Anglophone parties.

During the Second World War, Malta played an important role for the Allies; being a British colony, situated close to Sicily and the Axis shipping lanes, Malta was bombarded by the Italian and German air forces. Malta was used by the British to launch attacks on the Italian Navy and had a submarine base. It was also used as a listening post, intercepting German radio messages including Enigma traffic. The bravery of the Maltese people during the second siege of Malta moved King George VI to award the George Cross to Malta on a collective basis on 15 April 1942. A depiction of the George Cross now appears on the Flag of Malta and the country's arms.



After the war, Malta was granted a measure of self-government under a constitution introduced by letters patent dated 5 September 1947. On the resignation of the government led by Dom Mintoff in April 1958 and the disturbances that followed, a state of emergency was declared which lasted until 1959. The 1947 constitution was revoked and replaced by an interim constitution established by the Malta (Constitution) Order in Council, 1959, and the Malta Royal Instructions, 1959. A new constitution for Malta was introduced by the Malta (Constitution) Order in Council, 1961, under which the island became known as 'the State of Malta'. The Constitution provided for fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual; the United Kingdom government retained responsibility for defence and external affairs.

On 20 August 1962, the Prime Minister of Malta made a formal request for independence within the Commonwealth; a constitutional conference was held in London in July 1963. Following further talks in London, a referendum was held in the island in May 1964 to decide on the form of the Independence Constitution. Immediately after the results of the referendum, talks were resumed in London and on 21 July 1964 agreement was reached on the constitution, defence and financial aid.

A Malta Independence Bill was passed by the House of Commons and by the Malta Legislative Assembly. The Maltese Parliament also agreed to Malta's applying for Commonwealth membership. Malta became independent on 21 September 1964, with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and Queen of Malta.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh represented the Queen at the independence celebrations. In the morning of 21 September, the Duke handed over Constitutional Instruments to Malta's Prime Minister George Borg Olivier in front of a crowd of 30,000 people who gathered at the Granaries in Floriana. The Duke read a message from the Queen in which she recalled "the happy days that we spent living among you" when the Duke was stationed in Malta, and said: "I am very happy to welcome your country into the Commonwealth family of nations and hope that the mutual feelings of friendship and respect that exist between Britain and Malta will grow and flourish". The Duke added his own good wishes to that of the Queen. In his address, Prime Minister Borg Olivier responded: "Our loyalty has been amply demonstrated in the past. We owe no other allegiance except to Her Majesty the Queen". He asked the Duke to convey the island's "deepest gratitude" to the Queen for "having graciously consented to be our Queen". On 22 September, the Duke of Edinburgh inaugurated the first parliament of independent Malta at Valletta, by delivering the Speech from the Throne. Speaking on behalf of the Queen, the Duke said: "My Government is determined to continue to uphold the rule of law which is the keystone of our system of constitutional Government".

Royal visits (1949–1954)


Prior to becoming queen, Elizabeth stayed in Malta four times between 1949 and 1951 to visit her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who was stationed in the Crown Colony of Malta as a serving officer in the Royal Navy.

Princess Elizabeth first visited the island from 20 November to 26 December 1949 to join her husband who was then serving in the Mediterranean Fleet. She and the Duke of Edinburgh lived at Villa Guardamangia, Pietà, with the Earl and Countess Mountbatten of Burma. The Princess spent her first Christmas on the island.

The Princess returned for her second visit on 28 March 1950, staying first at San Anton Palace with Sir Gerald and Lady Creasy, and later moving to Villa Guardamangia with the Earl and Countess Mountbatten of Burma. She celebrated her 24th birthday in Malta, and returned to Britain on 9 May 1950.

The next visit of the Princess was the longest – from 25 November 1950 to 12 February 1951. The Princess and the Duke again spent Christmas in Malta. At a reception given for the Royal couple at the Auberge d'Aragon, Prime Minister George Borg Olivier presented a bronze replica of Antonio Sciortino's sculpture Les Gavroches to Elizabeth. She returned to Britain on 12 February 1951.

Princess Elizabeth made her fourth visit to Malta – from 19 March to 11 April 1951, which was her last visit to the island as princess.

On 3 May 1954, Elizabeth visited Malta as queen as part of her Commonwealth tour following her coronation. "Though among the smallest in size, Malta takes an honoured place among the countries we have visited. Indeed, throughout all the nations of the Commonwealth and of the whole world, the memory of her heroic stand during the war is still fresh," the Queen said during her welcome address on the island. During the visit, she unveilied the Memorial to the Air Forces of the Commonwealth in Floriana, opened the Mater Admirabilis Training College for Women Teachers at Tal-Virtù. This visit also marked the Queen's first visit to Gozo, where she unveiled the War Memorial in Victoria, which represents the figure of Christ the King.

Constitutional role
Malta was one of the realms of the Commonwealth of Nations that shared the same person as Sovereign and head of state.

Effective with the Malta Independence Act 1964, no British government minister could advise the sovereign on any matters pertaining to Malta, meaning that on all matters of Malta, the monarch was advised solely by Maltese ministers of the Crown. All Maltese bills required Royal assent. The Maltese monarch was represented in the State by the Governor-General of Malta, who was appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Maltese Prime Minister. After independence, the monarch held her sovereignity in Malta in virtue of her "Maltese Crown", and acted on the advice of the Maltese Government.

Elizabeth II became Queen of Malta with the passage of the Malta Independence Act 1964. The Act transformed the British Crown Colony of Malta into the independent State of Malta. The Queen's executive powers were delegated to and exercised by the Governor-General of Malta.

The Crown and Government
The Maltese monarch and the House of Representatives of Malta constituted the Parliament of Malta. All executive powers of Malta rested with the sovereign. All laws in Malta were enacted only with the granting of Royal Assent, done by the Governor-General on behalf of the sovereign. The Governor-General could reserve a bill "for the Queen's pleasure"; that is withhold his consent to the bill and present it to the sovereign for her personal decision; or he could veto it completely by withholding his assent therefrom. The Governor-General was also responsible for summoning, proroguing, and dissolving Parliament. The Governor-General had the power to choose and appoint the Council of Ministers and could dismiss them under his discretion. All Maltese ministers of the Crown held office at the pleasure of the Governor-General.

The Crown and Foreign affairs
The Royal Prerogative also extended to foreign affairs: the sovereign or the governor-general conducted treaties, alliances and international agreements on the advice of the Nigerian Cabinet. Nigerian representatives abroad were accredited to foreign countries by the monarch in her capacity as Queen of Nigeria. The governor-general, on behalf of the Queen, also appointed Nigerian high commissioners, ambassadors, and similar principal representatives, and received similar diplomats from foreign states. The letters of credence were formerly issued by the Nigerian monarch.

The Crown and the Courts
The highest court of appeal for Nigeria was the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and criminal prosecution was instituted in the monarch's name. The monarch, and by extension the governor-general, could also grant immunity from prosecution, exercise the royal prerogative of mercy, and pardon offences against the Crown, either before, during, or after a trial.

Title
By a royal proclamation in the Government Gazette of Malta in January 1965, the monarch was granted a separate title in her role as Queen of Malta. The title of the monarch was rendered in both English and Maltese.

Elizabeth II had the following styles in her role as the monarch of Malta:


 * 21 September 1964 – 18 January 1965:
 * In English: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith
 * In Maltese: Eliżabetta II, Għall-Grazzja t’Alla tar-Renju Unit tal-Britannja l-Kbira u ta’ l-Irlanda ta’ Fuq u tar-Renji u t-Territorji l-Oħra Tagħha, Reġina, Kap tal-Commonwealth u Difenditriċi tal-Fidi


 * 18 January 1965 – 13 December 1974:
 * In English: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Malta and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth
 * In Maltese: Eliżabetta II, Għall-Grazzja t’Alla, Reġina ta’ Malta u tar-Renji u t-Territorji l-Oħra Tagħha, Kap tal-Commonwealth

Queen's Personal Flag for Malta
Elizabeth II had a personal flag for use in Malta, in her role as Queen of Malta. The flag was used by the Queen when she was in Malta in 1967. The Queen's flag consisted of the Coat of arms of Malta in banner form defaced with a blue disc of the letter "E" crowned surrounded by a garland of gold roses defaces the flag, which is taken from the Queen's Personal Flag.



Royal tour of 1967
Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip arrived in Malta for a four-day State Visit on 14 November 1967. As they landed at Luqa Airport at 2 pm, they were given a royal welcome by the crowds which packed the airport and lined the route to Valletta. The city fete and the Palace Square, roofs , balconies and windows were crowded as the Queen of Malta drove in state through Kingsway to the Palace At the Palace, the Prime Minister read an address of welcome. In her reply, the Queen said, "Things have changed since I was here last and this time is my particular pleasure to be here as Queen of Malta". On their way back to San Anton Palace, Attard, the Queen and her husband laid a wreath at the War Memorial at Floriana. At San Anton, the Queen was presented with a regimental brooch by Lieut-Colonel E.G.A. von Brockdorff, Commanding Officer of the 1st Bn. King's Own Malta Regiment. In the evening, a state banquet was held at the Palace, Valletta, during which speeches were made by the Queen and the Prime Minister.

On 15 November, the Queen took part in State opening of Parliament, and delivered the Speech from the throne in the throne room of the Maltese Parliament and opened the Second Session of the Second Maltese Parliament. Later that day, she presented the Queen's Colour and the Regimental Colour to the 1st batallion KOMR, at the palace square. At the Independence Arena, Floriana, a youth rally of 25,000 boys and girls was held which was attended by the Queen and Prince Philip. They also attended a Royal Performance at the Manoel Theatre, Valletta.

On 16 November, the Queen went to Gozo where she laid the foundation stone of the new hospital at Ta'l-Ibragg and toured the island. The Queen and her husband attended the state ball in the evening at the Palace, Valletta.

In the morning of 17 November, the Queen and Prince Philip visited the new university at Lord Robens and were greeted by Government officials.

The Queen referenced her visit to Malta in her Christmas Broadcast that year, saying: "Today Malta is independent, with the Crown occupying the same position as it does in the other self-governing countries of which I am Queen. This is the opening of a new and challenging chapter for the people of Malta and they are entering it with determination and enthusiasm."

Queen Elizabeth II stayed at the palace during her royal visits to Malta in 1954, 1967 and 2005.

Abolition
Elizabeth II remained the head of state of Malta until the amendment of the Constitution of Malta on 13 December 1974, which abolished the monarchy and established the Republic of Malta and the office of President of Malta.

Malta became a republic within the Commonwealth in 1974, and the monarch was replaced as head of state by the president of Malta.

On 13 December 1974, following amendments to the Constitution by the Labour government of Dom Mintoff, the monarchy was abolished and Malta became a republic within the Commonwealth with the function of head of state vested in a president appointed by Parliament. The last governor-general, Sir Anthony Mamo, was appointed the first president of Malta.