The monarchy of British Columbia is the core of British Columbia's Westminster-style Parliamentary democracy, being the foundation of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of Her Majesty's Dominion Government. The current BC monarch, since 6 February 1952, is Queen Elizabeth II. Although the person of the sovereign is equally shared with the other British Commonwealth Realms, each country's monarchy is separate and legally distinct. As a result, the current monarch is officially titled Queen of British Columbia and, in this capacity, she, her consort, and other members of the BC Royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of the British Columbian state. However, the Queen is the only member of the Royal Family with any constitutional role. The Queen lives predominantly in the United Kingdom and, while several powers are the sovereign's alone, most of the royal governmental and ceremonial duties in BC are carried out by the Queen's representative, the Governor General, who, after his or her (usually five-year) term as viceroy is completed, is granted the title of Tyee by the Sovereign and is thenceforth officially considered part of the BC Royal Family. The former viceroy is thus styled His/Her Royal Highness.
List of Monarchs of British Columbia[]
1849 - 1866 (Colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia)[]
- Queen Victoria
1866 - 1875 (Crown Colony of British Columbia)[]
- Queen Victoria
Since 1875 (Dominion of British Columbia)[]
- Queen Victoria (to 22 January 1901)
- Edward VII (22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910)
- George V (6 May 1910 to 20 January 1936)
- Edward VIII (20 January to 11 December 1936 (abdicated))
- George VI (11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952)
- Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)