List of Canadian monarchs
This page lists those monarchs who have reigned over what is now Canada. In the history of monarchy in Canada, three different crowns have ruled over the country. The first two were the crowns of France and the crown of the United Kingdom (and previously, the united crowns of England and Scotland). The third is the independent crown of Canada, which since Confederation 1867 has been deemed to have become a kingdom in its own right.[1][2]
While Canada became self-governing Dominion within the British Empire in 1867, the concept of the state being fully independent, and sharing a sovereign with the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms, did not emerge until the passage of the Statute of Westminster in 1931. Since that time,[3] the Canadian Crown has been recognized as legally distinct from the crowns of the other Commonwealth realms, meaning that Canada is a kingdom in its own right with a distinct national monarch.[N 1][5][6] Still, though the term King of Canada was used as early as the beginning of the reign of George VI,[7] it was not until 1953 that the style was made official; Elizabeth II was the first monarch to be separately proclaimed as Queen of Canada, by the Royal Style and Titles Act.
Contents |
Pre-Confederation monarchs [edit]
Monarchs of New France (1534-1763) [edit]
| No. | Portrait | Regnal name | Reign | Full name | Consort | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Francis I of France (1494–1547) House of Valois |
24 July 1534 | 31 March 1547 | Francis | Eleanor of Austria | |
| Territorial changes: Established French colonies in Acadia and Canada, 1534. | ||||||
| 2 | Henry II of France (1519–1559) House of Valois |
31 March 1547 | 10 July 1559 | Henry | Catherine de' Medici | |
| 3 | Francis II of France (1544–1560) House of Valois |
10 July 1559 | 5 December 1560 | Francis | Mary, Queen of Scots | |
| 4 | Charles IX of France (1550–1574) House of Valois |
5 December 1560 | 30 May 1574 | Charles Maximilian | Elisabeth of Austria | |
| 5 | Henry III of France (1551–1589) House of Valois |
30 May 1574 | 2 August 1589 | Alexandre Édouard | Louise of Lorraine | |
| 6 | Henry IV of France (1553–1610) House of Bourbon |
2 August 1589 | 14 May 1610 | Henri de Bourbon | Margaret of Valois, Marie de' Medici |
|
| 7 | Louis XIII of France (1601–1643) House of Bourbon |
14 May 1610 | 14 May 1643 | Louis | Anne of Austria | |
| 8 | Louis XIV of France (1638–1715) House of Bourbon |
14 May 1643 | 1 September 1715 | Louis-Dieudonné | Maria Theresa of Spain, Françoise d'Aubigné |
|
| Territorial changes: Ceded Acadia, Placentia, and Hudson Bay to Anne, 1713. | ||||||
| 9 | Louis XV of France (1710–1774) House of Bourbon |
1 September 1715 | 10 February 1763 | Louis | Marie Leszczyńska | |
| Territorial changes: Ceded New France to George III, 1763. | ||||||
Monarchs of British North America (1670-1907) [edit]
| No. | Portrait | Regnal name | Reign | Full name | Consort | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles II of England and Scotland (1630–1685) House of Stuart |
2 May 1670 | 3 September 1651 | Charles | Catherine of Braganza | |
| Territorial changes: Created Rupert's Land through Royal Warrant for the Hudson's Bay Company. | ||||||
| 2 | James II of England and VII of Scotland (1633–1701) House of Stuart |
6 February 1685 | 1 December 1688 | James | Mary of Modena | |
| Vacant | 1 December 1688 | 13 February 1689 | ||||
| 3 | William III of England and II of Scotland (1650–1702) House of Orange-Nassau |
13 February 1689 | 8 March 1702 | William | Mary II of England (also served as co-monarch) |
|
| 4 | Anne, Queen of Great Britain (1665–1714) House of Stuart |
8 March 1702 | 1 August 1714 | Anne | Prince George of Denmark | |
| Territorial changes: Acquired Acadia, Placentia, and Hudson Bay from Louis XIV of France, 1713. | ||||||
| 5 | George I of Great Britain (1660–1727) House of Hanover |
1 August 1714 | 11 June 1727 | George Louis | Sophia Dorothea of Celle | |
| 6 | George II of Great Britain (1683–1760) House of Hanover |
11 June 1727 old calendar |
25 October 1760 new calendar |
George Augustus | Caroline of Ansbach | |
| 7 | George III of Great Britain (1738–1820) House of Hanover |
25 October 1760 | 29 January 1820 | George William Frederick | Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz | |
| Territorial changes: Acquired New France from Louis XV of France, 1763. Created provinces of Upper Canada and Lower Canada, 1790. | ||||||
| 8 | George IV of the United Kingdom (1762–1830) House of Hanover |
29 January 1820 | 26 June 1830 | George Augustus Frederick | Caroline of Brunswick | |
| 9 | William IV of the United Kingdom (1765–1837) House of Hanover |
26 Jnue 1830 | 20 June 1837 | William Henry | Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen | |
| 10 | Victoria of the United Kingdom (1819–1901) House of Hanover |
20 June 1837 | 22 January 1901 | Alexandrina Victoria | Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha | |
| Territorial changes: United Upper Canada and Lower Canada into the Province of Canada, 1841. United the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick into the Dominion Canada under a new Canadian crown, 1867. Later joined Rupert's Land, British Columbia, and Prince Edward Island into Canada. | ||||||
| 11 | Edward VII of the United Kingdom (1841–1910) House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha |
22 January 1901 | 26 September 1907 | Albert Edward | Alexandra of Denmark | |
| Territorial changes: Newfoundland granted status as an independent dominion within the British Commonwealth. | ||||||
Monarchs of the Dominon of Newfoundland (1907-1949) [edit]
| No. | Portrait | Regnal name | Reign | Full name | Consort | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edward VII of the United Kingdom (1841–1910) House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha |
26 September 1907 | 6 May 1910 | Albert Edward | Alexandra of Denmark | |
| Territorial changes: Newfoundland granted status as an independent dominion within the British Commonwealth. | ||||||
| 2 | George V of the United Kingdom (1865–1936) House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (until 1917) House of Windsor (after 1917) |
6 May 1910 | 20 January 1936 | George Frederick Ernest Albert | Mary of Teck | |
| 3 | Edward VIII of the United Kingdom (1894–1972) House of Windsor |
20 January 1936 | 11 December 1936 | Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David | none | |
| 4 | George VI (1895–1952) House of Windsor |
11 December 1936 | 31 March 1949 | Albert Frederick Arthur George | Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon | |
| Territorial change: Joined Newfoundland into Canada, 1949, thereby putting all of modern Canada under the Canadian Crown. | ||||||
Monarchs of the Canadian confederation (1867-present) [edit]
| No. | Portrait | Regnal name | Reign | Full name | Consort | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Victoria (1819–1901) House of Hanover |
1 July 1867[N 2] | 22 January 1901 | Alexandrina Victoria | none[N 3] | |
| Governors general:The Viscount Monck, the Lord Lisgar, the Earl of Dufferin, the Marquess of Lorne, the Marquess of Lansdowne, the Lord Stanley of Preston, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Earl of Minto | ||||||
| Prime ministers: John A. Macdonald, Alexander Mackenzie, John Abbott, John Thompson, Mackenzie Bowell, Charles Tupper, Wilfrid Laurier | ||||||
| Initial provinces: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick | ||||||
| New provinces and territories: Manitoba, North-Western Territory (now Northwest Territories), British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Yukon Territory (now Yukon) | ||||||
| 2 | Edward VII (1841–1910) House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha |
22 January 1901 | 6 May 1910 | Albert Edward | Alexandra of Denmark | |
| Governors general: The Earl of Minto, the Earl Grey | ||||||
| Prime minister: Wilfrid Laurier | ||||||
| New provinces: Saskatchewan, Alberta | ||||||
| 3 | George V (1865–1936) House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (until 1917) House of Windsor (after 1917) |
6 May 1910 | 11 December 1931 | George Frederick Ernest Albert | Mary of Teck | |
| Governors general: The Earl Grey, the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, the Duke of Devonshire, the Lord Byng of Vimy, the Marquess of Willingdon, the Earl of Bessborough | ||||||
| Prime ministers: Wilfrid Laurier, Robert Borden, Arthur Meighen, William Lyon Mackenzie King, R. B. Bennett | ||||||
| … | George V (1865–1936) House of Windsor |
11 December 1931 | 20 January 1936 | George Frederick Ernest Albert | Mary of Teck | |
| Governors general: The Earl of Bessborough, the Lord Tweedsmuir | ||||||
| Prime ministers: R. B. Bennett, William Lyon Mackenzie King | ||||||
| 4 | Edward VIII (1894–1972) House of Windsor |
20 January 1936 | 11 December 1936 | Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David | none | |
| Governor general: The Lord Tweedsmuir | ||||||
| Prime minister: William Lyon Mackenzie King | ||||||
| 5 | George VI (1895–1952) House of Windsor |
11 December 1936 | 6 February 1952 | Albert Frederick Arthur George | Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon | |
| Governors general: The Lord Tweedsmuir, the Earl of Athlone, the Viscount Alexander of Tunis | ||||||
| Prime ministers: William Lyon Mackenzie King, Louis St. Laurent | ||||||
| New province: Newfoundland (now Newfoundland and Labrador) | ||||||
| 6 | Elizabeth II (b. 1926) House of Windsor |
6 February 1952 | Present | Elizabeth Alexandra Mary | Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh | |
| Governors general: The Viscount Alexander of Tunis, Vincent Massey, Georges Vanier, Roland Michener, Jules Léger, Edward Schreyer, Jeanne Sauvé, Ray Hnatyshyn, Roméo LeBlanc, Adrienne Clarkson, Michaëlle Jean, David Johnston | ||||||
| Prime ministers: Louis St. Laurent, John Diefenbaker, Lester B. Pearson, Pierre Trudeau, Joe Clark, John Turner, Brian Mulroney, Kim Campbell, Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin, Stephen Harper | ||||||
| New territory: Nunavut | ||||||
List of royal consorts of Canada [edit]
A royal consort is the spouse of a ruling king or queen. Consorts of Canadian monarchs have no constitutional status or power, but are members of the Canadian Royal Family. In the United Kingdom, all female consorts have had the right to and have held the title of Queen Consort; as Canada does not have laws or letters patent under the Great Seal of Canada laying out the styles of any Royal Family members besides the monarch, royal consorts are addressed in Canada using the title as they hold in the UK. After informal discussions amongst the various Commonwealth prime ministers, between 1954 and 1957, it was decided that Prince Philip, husband of Elizabeth II, not be granted the title of Prince Consort.[9][10]
Two sovereigns reigned over Canada without a consort: Victoria's husband, Albert, died before Confederation and, as Wallis Warfield Simpson married the Duke of Windsor after his abdication, she was never queen consort of Canada. Though Camilla Parker-Bowles will technically become Queen Consort in the United Kingdom, Clarence House has stated that, due to public opinion regarding her relationship with the Prince of Wales, she will be styled there as Princess Consort.[11][12][13]
| No. | Portrait | Regnal name | Time as consort | Full name | Pre-marriage title | Marriage date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacant Reign of Victoria[N 3] |
1 July 1867 | 22 January 1901 | |||||
| 1 | Queen Alexandra (1844–1925) Wife of Edward VII |
22 January 1901 Husband's ascension |
6 May 1910 Husband's death |
Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia of Denmark | Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra of Denmark | 10 March 1863 | |
| 2 | Queen Mary (1867–1953) Wife of George V |
6 May 1910 Husband's ascension |
20 January 1936 Husband's death |
Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes of Teck | Her Serene Highness Princess Victoria Mary of Teck | 6 July 1893 | |
| Vacant Reign of Edward VIII |
20 January 1936 | 11 December 1936 | |||||
| 3 | Queen Elizabeth (1900–2002) Wife of George VI |
11 December 1936 Husband's ascension |
6 February 1952 Husband's death |
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon | The Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon | 26 April 1923 | |
| 4 | Prince Philip (b. 1921) Husband of Elizabeth II |
6 February 1952 Wife's ascension |
Incumbent | Philip Mountbatten | His Royal Highness Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark (Two days before his wedding, Philip abandoned his royal titles and married as Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten.) |
20 November 1947 | |
See also [edit]
- List of Governors General of Canada
- History of monarchy in Canada
- List of current heads of state and government
Notes [edit]
- ^ The English Court of Appeal ruled in 1982, while "there is only one person who is the Sovereign within the British Commonwealth... in matters of law and government the Queen of the United Kingdom, for example, is entirely independent and distinct from the Queen of Canada."[4]
- ^ The Canadian Heraldry Society states: "...Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, [was] Queen of Canada and all her other realms. Queen Victoria was the first Monarch of the confederation of provinces that became known as the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867."[8]
- ^ a b The consort of Queen Victoria, Albert, Prince Consort, died on 14 December 1861, while Canada was confederated on 1 July 1867.
References [edit]
- ^ Department of Canadian Heritage. "Ceremonial and Canadian Symbols Promotion > The crown in Canada". Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
- ^ Royal Household. "The Queen and the Commonwealth > Queen and Canada > History and present government". Queen's Printer. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
- ^ MacLeod, Kevin, S.; Jackson, D. Michael & Monet, Jacques (2008). A Crown of Maples. Ottawa: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-662-46012-1.
- ^ R v Foreign Secretary, Ex parte Indian Association (as referenced in High Court of Australia: Sue v Hill [1999] HCA 30; 23 June 1999; S179/1998 and B49/1998), QB 892 at 928 (English Court of Appeal June 1999).
- ^ Buckingham Palace. "The Queen and the Commonwealth > Queen and Canada > History and present government". Queen's Printer. Retrieved 19 February 2009.
- ^ Department of Canadian Heritage. "Ceremonial and Canadian Symbols Promotion > The crown in Canada". Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 19 February 2009.
- ^ Galbraith, William (1989). "Fiftieth Anniversary of the 1939 Royal Visit". Canadian Parliamentary Review (Ottawa: Library of Parliament) 12 (3). Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ Royal Heraldry Society of Canada (5 February 2007). "The Coat of Arms of Canada - A Short History". Royal Heraldry Society of Canada. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ "Burke's Peerage and Gentry > The Royal Family > HRH The Duke of Edinburgh". Burke's Peerage & Gentry and The Origins Network. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- ^ LCO 6/3677 Title of Prince: HRH Philip Duke of Edinburgh
- ^ "Prince Charles to marry Camilla". BBC. 10 February 2005. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ "Charles-Camilla civil marriage seen as compromise". CTV. 10 February 2005. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ "Camilla's 'flexible role'". News24. 11 February 2005. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
External links [edit]
- Department of Canadian Heritage: Sovereigns since Confederation (1867)
- Senate of Canada: Canada, A Constitutional Monarchy
|
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||