The world's newest republic was officially declared on Tuesday, severing ties with Queen Elizabeth II and the British royal family.
The Caribbean island nation installed DameSandra Mason as its new president and head of state at a midnight ceremony in its capital of Bridgetown. Mason was Elizabeth's official representative in the country.
"Vessel Republic Barbados has set sail on her maiden voyage," Mason said after being sworn in. She must weather all storms and land our country safely on the shores which are ahead of us.
The British presence in the country ended last year when Barbados announced plans to become a republic.
Since 1966, it has been an independent nation, but the queen still serves as head of state for Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Jamaica.
Prince Charles was at the ceremony as the British monarch's standard flag was lowered and then replaced.
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Charles told the new country that his mother was happy for them.
One of the original colonies of England was one of the places where slaves were sold.
Charles said that the people of this island forged their path with "extraordinary fortitude" from the "dark days of our past" and the "appalling atrocity of slavery".
The prince said that you should write the next chapter of your nation's story.
Prime Minister Mia Mottley made sure that one of the first official acts of the new republic was to honor one of their most famous natives: the singer RiR.
The music superstar, who was named an ambassador in 2018, was declared a national hero for "commanding the imagination of the world through the pursuit of excellence, with her creativity, her discipline, and, above all else, her extraordinary commitment to the cause."
The prime minister told him to shine like a diamond.
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