Abolishment of the Rhodesian Monarchy

Date: March 2, 1970 • Location: Kwekwe, Zimbabwe

The Rhodesian monarchy was abolished by the government of Rhodesia, which declared the internationally unrecognised country to be a republic.

Queen of Rhodesia was the title asserted for Elizabeth II as Rhodesia's constitutional monarch following the country's Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) from the United Kingdom. The Ian Smith government initially maintained allegiance to Elizabeth, regarding itself as Her Majesty's Government in Rhodesia. Under the amended Rhodesian constitution of 1965, it attempted to retain Elizabeth as queen, and all oaths were still taken to her. However, the British government, along with the United Nations and almost all world governments, regarded the declaration of independence as an illegal act. Elizabeth refused to recognise the title, and it remained unrecognised elsewhere in the world. The Rhodesian government declared the country a republic in 1970, abolishing the position of monarch.