Governor-General

E96341
constitutional office head of state role public office vice-regal representative

The Governor-General is the monarch’s appointed representative in a Commonwealth realm, performing constitutional and ceremonial duties as the de facto head of state at the national level.

Aliases (14)
Statements (47)
Predicate Object
instanceOf constitutional office →
head of state role →
public office →
vice-regal representative →
actsOnAdviceOf cabinet →
prime minister →
appointedBy monarch →
ceremonialRole to confer honours and awards →
to preside over state ceremonies →
to receive foreign dignitaries →
constitutionalRole de facto head of state →
evolvedFrom colonial governor →
exercisesPowerOnBehalfOf monarch →
hasPower to appoint prime minister →
to dismiss prime minister in exceptional circumstances →
to dissolve parliament →
to give royal assent to legislation →
to prorogue parliament →
to sign bills into law →
to summon parliament →
historicalOrigin British colonial administration →
isUsually above party politics →
non-partisan →
jurisdiction national level →
legalAuthority letters patent →
national constitution →
mayExercise prerogative powers →
reserve powers →
officeExistsIn Australia NERFINISHED →
Barbados (historically) NERFINISHED →
Canada NERFINISHED →
Jamaica NERFINISHED →
New Zealand NERFINISHED →
Papua New Guinea NERFINISHED →
other Commonwealth realms →
participatesIn appointment of judges →
appointment of ministers →
appointment of other key officials →
performsFunction ceremonial duties →
constitutional duties →
represents monarch →
residesIn official vice-regal residence →
roleOf monarch’s representative →
servesIn Commonwealth realm NERFINISHED →
symbolizes continuity of the state →
unity of the nation →
termDefinedBy national constitution →
Referenced by (26)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Governor General of Canada ("Governor General of British North America") →
Governor-General of Pakistan ("Governor-General of India (for British India as a whole)") →
President of Ireland ("Governor-General of the Irish Free State") →
President of Nigeria ("Governor-General of Nigeria") →
predecessorOffice
Jacinda Ardern ("Governor-General Patsy Reddy") →
President of the Executive Council ("Governor-General of the Irish Free State") →
appointedBy
Governor of Ceylon ("Governor-General of Ceylon") →
Governor of Ceylon ("Governor-General of the Dominion of Ceylon") →
followedBy
Constitution of the Irish Free State ("Governor-General of the Irish Free State") →
Parliament of Ceylon ("Governor-General of Ceylon") →
representedBy
Governor-General of Papua New Guinea ("Commonwealth governors-general") →
category
Crown in right of each Commonwealth realm ("governor-general") →
exercisedBy
Hendrik Brouwer →
hasHonorific
Governor-General of Grenada ("Commonwealth realms’ governors-general") →
memberOf
Governor-General of the Bahamas ("Commonwealth realms’ governors-general") →
membership
Treaty of Lahore (1846) ("Governor-General of India") →
party
Royal Assent ("Governor General") →
performedBy
C. Rajagopalachari ("Governor-General of India") →
positionHeld
New Zealand Executive Council →
presidingOfficerTitle
Constitution of Pakistan 1956 →
replacedHeadOfStateTitle
President of Kiribati ("Governor-General of the Gilbert Islands") →
replaces
British Dominions →
representedMonarchBy
Governor of Ceylon ("Governor-General of Ceylon") →
seeAlso
Commander-in-Chief, Bengal ("Governor-General of India") →
subordinateTo
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland ("Governor-General of the Irish Free State") →
succeededByOffice
Charter Act 1833 ("Governor-General of India in Council") →
transferredLegislativePowerTo
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