Queen Elizabeth II Titles
Updated: Oct 19, 2021
Commonwealth titles
A decision was reached by Elizabeth's prime ministers at the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference of 1952, whereby the Queen would accord herself different styles & titles in each of her realms, reflecting that in each state she acted as monarch of that particular country, regardless of her other roles.
Elizabeth currently holds 16 different regnal titles, one for each of the current Commonwealth realms.
United Kingdom; Canada, Australia, & New Zealand since 6 February 1952. She is also Head of the Commonwealth & queen of twelve countries that have become independent since her accession: Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, & Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Elizabeth has held many titles & honorary military positions throughout the Commonwealth, is Sovereign of many orders in her own countries, & has received honours & awards from around the world. In each of her realms she has a distinct title that follows a similar formula: Queen of Jamaica & her other realms & territories in Jamaica, Queen of Australia & her other realms & territories in Australia, etc.
Upon Elizabeth's accession to the throne, she was asked by her Private Secretary what her regnal name would be, to which she responded, "My own, of course—what else?" Her father chose George rather than his forename Albert.
Until 1953, her official style was by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland & the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Queen, Defender of the Faith. She was proclaimed as queen using that title in Canada & South Africa, whereas, in Australia, New Zealand, & the United Kingdom, she was proclaimed as Queen Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of this Realm & of Her other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.
A decision was reached by Elizabeth's prime ministers at the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference of 1952, whereby the Queen would accord herself different styles & titles in each of her realms, reflecting that in each state she acted as monarch of that particular country, regardless of her other roles. Canada's preferred format was: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Canada & of Her other realms & territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.
However, as Australia wished to have the United Kingdom mentioned in all the Queen's titles, the resolution reached was a designation that included the United Kingdom as well as, for the first time, separate reference to the other Commonwealth realms. Thereafter, separate but parallel royal styles & titles acts were passed in each of the Commonwealth realms, granting Elizabeth a distinct but similarly constituted title in each state, meaning that when Elizabeth was crowned in the same year, she held seven separate titles.
With further evolution of the Commonwealth since that time, Elizabeth now holds 16 different regnal titles, one for each of the current Commonwealth realms.
In all realms other than Canada & Grenada, the reference to the United Kingdom has been removed; Australia doing so in 1973, in contrast to the Australian government's position 20 years earlier.
Traditionally, the Queen's titles are listed in the order in which the realms other than the United Kingdom (the original realm) first became Dominions—namely, Canada (1867), Australia (1901), & New Zealand (1907)—followed by the rest in the order in which the former colony became an independent realm: Jamaica (1962), Barbados (1966), The Bahamas (1973), Grenada (1974), Papua New Guinea (1975), the Solomon Islands (1978), Tuvalu (1978), Saint Lucia (1979), Saint Vincent & the Grenadines (1979), Belize (1981), Antigua & Barbuda (1981) & Saint Kitts & Nevis (1983).
Though the situation was the same in every one of the Queen's realms beyond the United Kingdom, only within Scotland did the title Elizabeth II cause controversy as there had never been an Elizabeth I in Scotland. In an act of sabotage, new Royal Mail post boxes in Scotland, bearing the royal cypher EIIR, were vandalised, after which, to avoid further problems, post boxes & Royal Mail vehicles in Scotland bore only the Crown of Scotland.
What is the Commonwealth of Nations?
The Commonwealth of Nations, generally known as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 54 member states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Commonwealth Secretariat, which focuses on intergovernmental aspects, & the Commonwealth Foundation, which focuses on non-governmental relations between member states.
The Commonwealth dates back to the first half of the 20th century with the decolonisation of the British Empire through increased self-governance of its territories. It was originally created as the British Commonwealth of Nations through the Balfour Declaration at the 1926 Imperial Conference, & formalised by the United Kingdom through the Statute of Westminster in 1931. The current Commonwealth of Nations was formally constituted by the London Declaration in 1949, which modernised the community & established the member states as "free & equal".
The Head of the Commonwealth is currently Queen Elizabeth II; the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting appointed Charles, Prince of Wales to be her designated successor, although the position is not hereditary. The Queen is the head of state of 16 member states, known as the Commonwealth realms, while 33 other members are republics & 5 others have different monarchs (Brunei, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malaysia, & Tonga).
Member states don't have any legal obligations to one another, but are connected through their use of the English language & historical ties. Their stated shared values of democracy, human rights & the rule of law are enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter & promoted by the quadrennial Commonwealth Games.
![Queen Elizabeth II presents baton for Commonwealth Games. [Royal visit to Canada, 1970]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e0b9e6_758d40602acd4e1188ebfe100eb1b2ee~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_744,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/e0b9e6_758d40602acd4e1188ebfe100eb1b2ee~mv2.jpg)
The 54 states are; Antigua and Barbuda; Australia; The Bahamas; Bangladesh; Barbados; Belize; Botswana; Brunei; Cameroon; Canada; Cyprus; Dominica; Eswatini; Fiji; The Gambia; Ghana; Grenada; Guyana; India; Jamaica; Kenya; Kiribati; Lesotho; Malawi; Malaysia; Maldives; Malta; Mauritius; Mozambique; Namibia; Nauru; New Zealand; Nigeria; Pakistan; Papua New Guinea; Rwanda; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Samoa; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Solomon Islands; South Africa; Sri Lanka; Tanzania; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Tuvalu; Uganda; United Kingdom; Vanuatu and Zambia.
Current Titles
Elizabeth II is Queen & head of state of 16 member states.
Americas
Antigua and Barbuda 1982 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Antigua & Barbuda & of Her other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
The Bahamas
1973 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas & of Her other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
Barbados
1966 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Barbados & of Her other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
Belize
1981 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth The Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Belize & of Her Other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
Canada
6 February 1952 – 29 May 1953: Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland & the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith. 29 May 1953 – : In English: Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom, Canada & Her other Realms & Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. In French: Sa Majesté Elizabeth Deux, par la grâce de Dieu Reine du Royaume-Uni, du Canada et de ses autres royaumes et territoires, Chef du Commonwealth, Défenseur de la Foi.
Grenada
1974 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland & of Grenada & Her other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
Jamaica
1962 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Jamaica & of Her other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth
Saint Kitts & Nevis
1983 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Saint Christopher & Nevis & of Her other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
Saint Lucia
1979 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Saint Lucia & of Her other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
1979 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Saint Vincent & the Grenadines & of Her other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
The British isles
United Kingdom
6 February 1952 – 28 May 1953 In English: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland & the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith. In Latin: Elizabeth II, Dei Gratia Magnae Britanniae, Hiberniae et terrarum transmarinarum quae in ditione sunt Britannica Regina, Fidei Defensor. 29 May 1953 – : In English: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland & of Her other Realms & Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. In Latin: Elizabeth II, Dei Gratia Britanniarum Regnorumque Suorum Ceterorum Regina, Consortionis Populorum Princeps, Fidei Defensor.
Oceania
Australia
6 February 1952 – 1953: Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland & the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith.
1953 – 1973: Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom, Australia & Her other Realms & Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.
1973 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia & Her other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
New Zealand
6 February 1952 – 1953: Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland & the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith.
1953 – 1974: Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom, New Zealand & Her Other Realms & Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.
1974 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of New Zealand & Her Other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.
Papua New Guinea
1975 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of Papua New Guinea & of Her other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
Solomon Islands
1978 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Solomon Islands & of Her other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
Tuvalu
1978 – : Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Tuvalu & of Her other Realms & Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
Titles from birth to the present day;
From 21 April 1926 – 11 December 1936: Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of York (her parents were at this time the Duke & Duchess of York)
11 December 1936 – 20 November 1947: Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth (when her father became king)
20 November 1947 – 6 February 1952: Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (when she married Philip Mountbatten)
Since 6 February 1952: Her Majesty The Queen
Defender of the faith
Defender of the Faith (Latin: Fidei defensor or, specifically feminine, Fidei defensatrix; French: Défenseur de la Foi) is a phrase that has been used as part of the full style of many English & later British monarchs since the early 16th century (Henry VIII). The title "Defender of the Faith" reflects the Sovereign's position as the supreme governor of the Church of England, who is thus formally superior to the archbishop of Canterbury. The original Latin phrase Fidei Defensor is represented on all current British coins by the abbreviations, F D or FID DEF. This was first added to British coins in 1714, during the reign of King George I.
Duke of Normandy
In the Channel Islands*, the British monarch is known as the "Duke of Normandy", notwithstanding the fact that the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, is a woman. The Channel Islands are the last remaining part of the former Duchy of Normandy to remain under the rule of the British monarch. Although the English monarchy relinquished claims to continental Normandy & other French claims in 1259 (in the Treaty of Paris), the Channel Islands (except for Chausey under French sovereignty) remain Crown dependencies of the British throne. Both Channel Islands legislatures refer to Elizabeth II in writing as "The Queen in the right of Jersey" or "The Queen in the right of Guernsey" respectively. However, the Queen is referred to as "The Duke of Normandy", the title used by the islanders, especially during their loyal toast, where they say, "The Duke of Normandy, our Queen", or "The Queen, our Duke" or, in French "La Reine, notre Duc".
*The Channel Islands (Norman: Îles d'la Manche) are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, which is the largest of the islands; & the Bailiwick of Guernsey, consisting of Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm & some smaller islands. They are considered the remnants of the Duchy of Normandy & , although they are not part of the United Kingdom, the UK is responsible for the defence & international relations of the islands. The Crown dependencies are not members of the Commonwealth of Nations nor of the European Union.
Lord of Mann
The Lord of Mann (Manx: Çhiarn Vannin) is the lord proprietor & head of state of the Isle of Man. The current lord proprietor & head of state is Elizabeth II.
Since 1399, the kings & lords of Mann were vassals of the kings of England, & subsequently of Great Britain & the United Kingdom, who was the ultimate sovereign of the island. This right of 'lord proprietor' was revested into the Crown by the Isle of Man Purchase Act 1765 for £70,000 & a £2,000 annuity, & hence ceased to exist separately. King George III became the first British monarch to reign over the Isle of Man as Lord of Mann in 1765. However, for reasons of culture & tradition, the title Lord of Mann continues to be used. For these reasons, the correct formal usage, as used in the Isle of Man for the Loyal Toast, is The Queen, Lord of Mann.
The title is now Lord of Mann regardless of gender. However, during her reign, Queen Victoria was styled as Lady of Mann. The formal Latin style is Dominus Manniae.
Military Ranks
Canada 6 February 1952 – 1 February 1968: Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Canadian Navy 6 February 1952 – 1 February 1968: Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Army 6 February 1952 – 1 February 1968: Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Canadian Air Force 1 February 1968 – : Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces (Canadian Army, Canadian Navy & Royal Canadian Air Force)
United Kingdom 1945 – 27 July 1945: Second Subaltern, Auxiliary Territorial Service 27 July 1945 – 1 February 1949: Junior Commander, Auxiliary Territorial Service 1 February 1949 – March 1950: Junior Commander, Women's Royal Army Corps March 1950 – 6 February 1952: Captain, Women's Royal Army Corps 6 February 1952 – : Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces (British Army, Royal Air Force & Royal Navy) 1964 – 10 June 2011: Lord High Admiral of the Royal Navy
The Royal Collection: www.rct.uk