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5 unusual facts about Commonwealth realm


Birthday Honours

Birthday Honours are bestowed by the monarch of the Commonwealth realms a part of the celebration of the reigning monarch's official birthday in each realm.

History of the British West Indies

However, the project was doomed by political squabbling among the provinces, and the Federation never achieved full sovereignty, either as a Commonwealth realm or as a republic within the Commonwealth.

Leader of the Independent Members

(While "Leader of the Opposition" is a position found throughout the Commonwealth realms, "Leader of the Independent Members" is specific to Solomon Islands.)

Queen's peace

The Queen's peace (or, during the reign of a male monarch, King's peace) is the term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe the protection the monarch, in right of each state, provides to his or her subjects.

Self-governing colony

The term Dominion has since largely fallen out of use and been replaced with the term Realm.


Demise of the Crown

The Demise of the Crown Act 1901 in the UK, and similar legislation in other Commonwealth realms, now makes this process unnecessary – they are all employees of the Crown, rather than any particular Sovereign.


see also