The governor general of Barbados will be sworn in as the country's first president on Monday, severing ties between the Caribbean island and the British crown, according to CNN.
CNN reported that Mason received the required two-thirds majority vote from the Houses of Parliament. She will replace Queen Elizabeth as the head of state, ending Britain's nearly 400 year reign over the island.
According to her government biography, Mason was the first female attorney-at-law to graduate from the Hugh Wooding Law School. She has held a number of positions, including ambassador to Venezuela, United Nations committee chair, and educationalist.
Mason wanted to declare a republic for Barbados in September 2020 after the island gained independence.
Our country can be seen as capable of self-governance since it attained independence over fifty years ago. Mason said that the time has come to leave the colonial past behind.
According to the Barbados Government Information Service, an inaugural ceremony will be held in National Heroes' Square in Bridgetown on Monday morning to officially declare the island a republic.
Prince Charles will be the guest of honor at the transition celebrations, which were hosted by the Prime Minister.
