Is the US the only ex-British colony that actually declared independence from Britain?

Question

Why do all the others still praise the queen. What is this loyalty to royalty? Is it not hypocritical to regard themselves as independent but to still give credence to the authorities of the royal family?

Answer 1

No, Southern Rhodesia declared UDI in the 1960's and became Rhodesia. The country is now called Zimbabwe.

Answer 2

Most Countries are now Independent from Britain.

Those who still recognise the Queen are all members of the Commonwealth. Examples are Canada, Australia, South Africa, and many of the smaller African Countries.

Lets not forget the Falkland Islands, where many British lives were lost rescuing these Islands from Argentina.

Answer 3

No.  Despite being a monarchy with a certain Queen Liz as the head of state, Canada and lots of other former colonies and dominions are also independent of Britain and happy to mention the detail to interested parties.

<<Why do all the others still praise the queen.>>

I happen to be British and have never "praised the queen" in my life.  She's probably more likely to be "praised" by American tourists than anybody else.

<<What is this loyalty to royalty?>>

In my case it's non-existent.  In the case of Canada and elsewhere, it's a matter of some people feeling loyalty for their head of state, not for the head of the British state.  It just happens to be the same person.

<<Is it not hypocritical to regard themselves as independent but to still give credence to the authorities of the royal family?>>

Not necessarily.  It's your difficulty in comprehending that the Queen of, for example, Canada just happens to be the same person as the Queen of the United Kingdom.  If Liz resigned from the latter occupation, that wouldn't necessarily mean she'd also be resigning from the first one.  Canada and the UK are separate monarchies with a common monarch.  Canada isn't a British dependency.  In that instance, it's about the royal family of Canada.

Updates

<<Australia, India, and Hong Kong are all major ex British colonies that have declared full independence and no longer recognize the crown at all.>>

Australia is a monarchy with a head of state called Liz Windsor.  It's fully independent in the same way Canada is.  Hong Kong isn't independent.  It's semi-autonomous under the authority of China.

<<Examples are Canada, Australia, South Africa...>>

The Republic of South Africa doesn't have a monarch as head of state.  It's got a president.  They don't employ Mrs Windsor.

Answer 4

To my knowledge, Canada is the only ex British colony that still recognizes of fealty to England. Technically, they aren't really independent, and I believe that according to their own constitution, England could step in and alter their laws if they really had a mind to.

Australia, India, and Hong Kong are all major ex British colonies that have declared full independence and no longer recognize the crown at all.

Answer 5

Canada is completely independent from Britain as is Australia, India and many other commonweath countries.

It is a misguided statement to say that Britain (or the Queen) could step in and dissolve Canadian government.  The reason Canada still has a Governor General (Queen's Representative) is simply the historic ties.  Technically a Prime Minister has to get the permission of the GG to call an election, however, in all reality if the GG decided to say no, then the Prime Minister, under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution could dismiss the GG and appoint a new one, either that or call the election anyway and do away with the role of the GG all together.

If the Queen, or England for that matter tried to tell the Canadian government how to run the country, the Prime Minister, having full autonomy (atleast in so much as the constitution allows) has the power to tell the Monarch where to go and do as he pleases as long as his bills pass and he does not break the constitution.

In other words, Canada is completely independent from British Royalty and the ties that still bind are merely historic.