View source for Governor of the Virgin Islands

{{Short description|Representative of the British monarch to the British Virgin Islands}}
{{About|the British official|the American official|List of governors of the United States Virgin Islands}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=August 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Governor of the Virgin Islands
| body = <!-- Optional. -->
| nativename = <!-- Optional. -->
| flag = Coat of arms of the British Virgin Islands.svg
| flagsize = 100px
| flagcaption = Arms of the British Virgin Islands
| insignia = Flag of the Governor of the British Virgin Islands.svg
| insigniasize = 160px
| insigniacaption = Standard of the governor
| image = Daniel Pruce 2023.jpg
| alt = <!-- Optional. -->
| incumbent = [[ Daniel Pruce]]
| incumbentsince = 29 January 2024
| department = <!-- The organizational entity this official either heads, or is otherwise part of. -->
| style = ''His Excellency''
| member_of = <!-- Permanent group that the post (not person) is a member of,
                                 e.g. a cabinet, council, commission, board, junta, politburo etc. -->
| reports_to = <!-- The immediate superior/supervisor for this post.
                                 Does not have to be a single one, could be several.-->
| residence = [[Government House, British Virgin Islands]]
| seat = <!-- Location where the office is located.
                                 If the residence and the workplace are in separate locations, then fill in the workplace here.-->
| nominator = <!-- Name of the post/body (not an incumbent person)
                                 whom officially nominates a person to hold this post. -->
| appointer = [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|King of the United Kingdom]]
| appointer_qualified = <!-- Space for a qualifying statement. -->
| termlength = <!-- Optional. -->
| termlength_qualified = <!-- Space for a qualifying statement. -->
| constituting_instrument = <!-- The official document(s) which provide the formal legal basis for the post. -->
| precursor = <!-- The immediate predecessor post(s), if any. -->
| formation = 1887
| first = [[Edward John Cameron]] <br /><small>as [[Administrator of the Government|Administrator]]</small>
| last = <!-- Optional. -->
| abolished = <!-- Optional. -->
| succession = <!-- Optional. -->
| deputy = <!-- Name of other post(s) with authority to stand-in for this post.-->
| salary = <!-- Official paygrade, or actual amount received.-->
| website = [https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/the-governors-office-british-virgin-islands Office of the Governor]
| acting = 
}}

{{Politics of the British Virgin Islands}}

The '''governor of the Virgin Islands'''<ref>While the territory is commonly known as the 'British Virgin Islands', her official name is simply 'Virgin Islands'; moreover, section 35(1) of the ''[http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/1678/pdfs/uksi_20071678_en.pdf Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007]'' stipulates that the name of the office is 'Governor of the Virgin Islands'.</ref> is the representative of the [[British monarch]] in the [[United Kingdom]]'s [[British overseas territory|overseas territory]] of the [[British Virgin Islands]]. The governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the [[British government]]. The role of the governor is to act as the ''de facto'' [[head of state]], and is responsible for appointing the premier and the executive council.

The current governor is [[Daniel Pruce]].

The governor has a viceregal flag, the [[Union Flag]] defaced with the territory's coat of arms. The [[official residence]] of the governor is [[Government House, British Virgin Islands|Government House]] located in [[Road Town]], [[Tortola]].

==History==

The first colonial administration on the islands was the [[Dutch Empire|Dutch]]. [[England]] annexed the Islands in 1672. An administrator was appointed to the islands from 1887, and replaced by a [[governor]] in 1971 when the islands were created a distinct territory.

Prior to this date, the local council would elect one of their members to be president (see [[List of presidents of the British Virgin Islands]]).

Up until 1971, the administrators were answerable to the [[List of governors of the Leeward Islands|governors of the Leeward Islands]], of which the British Virgin Islands formed a part.

==Powers==

The governor is responsible for the conduct of any business of the Government of the Virgin Islands, including the administration of any department of government, with respect to the following matters:<ref>[[Constitution of the British Virgin Islands|Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007]], article 60(1)</ref>
# External affairs;<ref>Except in relation to certain matters delegated to the premier, including external affairs relating to: (a) the Caribbean Community, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, the Association of Caribbean States, the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, or any other Caribbean regional organisation or institution; (b) other Caribbean regional affairs relating specifically to issues that are of interest to or affect the British Virgin Islands; (c) the relationship between the Virgin Islands and the United States Virgin Islands in matters of mutual interest; (d) tourism and tourism-related matters; (e) taxation and the regulation of finance and financial services; and (f) European Union matters directly affecting the interests of the Virgin Islands.</ref>
# Defence, including the armed forces;
# Internal security, including the Police Force;
# The terms and conditions of service of persons holding or acting in public offices, without prejudice to section 92; and
# The administration of the courts.

The governor also has various powers to make and remove appointments,<ref>Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, article 42.</ref> and a power of [[pardon]].<ref>Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, article 43(1).</ref>

Subject to certain exceptions, the Governor is required to consult with the [[Cabinet of the British Virgin Islands|Cabinet]] in the exercise of all functions conferred by the [[Constitution of the British Virgin Islands]] or any other law for the time being in force in the British Virgin Islands.<ref>Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, article 40(1).</ref>

==List of administrators of the British Virgin Islands==

* [[Edward John Cameron]] (1887–1894)
* [[Alexander R. Mackay]] (1894–1896)
* [[Nathaniel George Cookman]] (1896–1903)
* [[Robert Stephen Earl]] (1903–1910)
* [[Thomas Leslie Hardtman Jarvis]] (1910–1919)
* [[Herbert Walter Peebles]] (1919–1922)
* R. Hargrove (1922–1923)
* [[Otho Lewis Hancock]] (1923–1926)
* [[Frank Cecil Clarkson]] (1926–1934)
* [[Donald Percy Wailling]] (1934–1946)
* [[John Augustus Cockburn Cruikshank]] (1946–1954)
* [[Henry Howard (colonial governor)|Henry Howard]] (1954–1956)
* [[Geoffrey Pole Allesbrook]] (1956–1959)
* [[Gerald Jackson Bryan]] (1959–1962)
* [[Martin Samuel Staveley]] (1962–1967)
* Sir [[Ian Thomson (colonial administrator)|Ian Thomson]] (1967–1971)

==List of governors of the British Virgin Islands==

* [[Derek George Cudmore]] (15 October 1971 – 3 November 1974)
* [[Walter Wilkinson Wallace]] (3 November 1974 – 5 November 1978)
* [[James Alfred Davidson]] (5 November 1978 – 7 November 1982)
* [[David Robert Barwick]] (7 November 1982 – 2 September 1986)
* [[Mark Herdman]] (2 September 1986 – 17 March 1991)
* [[Peter Penfold]] (17 March 1991 – 3 February 1995)
* [[David Mackilligin]] (3 February 1995 - 16 October 1998)
* [[Frank Savage]] (16 October 1998 – 11 October 2004)
* {{small|[[Elton Georges]] (11–14 October 2004; ''acting'')}}
* [[Tom Macan]] (14 October 2004 – 16 April 2006)
* {{small|[[Dancia Penn]] (16–22 April 2006; ''acting'')}}
* [[David Pearey]] (22 April 2006 – 11 August 2010)
* {{small|[[V. Inez Archibald]] (11–20 August 2010; ''acting'')}}
* [[William Boyd McCleary]] (20 August 2010 – 1 August 2014)
* {{small|[[V. Inez Archibald]] (1–15 August 2014; ''acting'')}}
* [[John Duncan (diplomat)|John Duncan]] (15 August 2014 – 8 August 2017)
* {{small|[[Robert Mathavious|Robert A. Mathavious]] (8–12 August 2017; ''acting'')}}
* {{small|[[Rosalie Adams]] (12–22 August 2017; ''acting'')}}
* [[Augustus Jaspert]] (22 August 2017 – 23 January 2021)
* {{small|[[David Archer (politician)|David D. Archer, Jr]] (23–29 January 2021; ''acting'')}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bvi.gov.vg/media-centre/deputy-governor-serve-acting-governor-january-23|title = Deputy Governor to Serve as Acting Governor from January 23 &#124; Government of the Virgin Islands}}</ref>
* [[John Rankin (diplomat)|John Rankin]] (29 January 2021 – 18 January 2024)
* {{small|[[David Archer (politician)|David D. Archer, Jr]] (18–29 January 2024; ''acting'')}}
* [[Daniel Pruce]] (29 January 2024 – present)

Note: Acting governors are the incumbent [[Deputy Governor of the British Virgin Islands|deputy governor of the British Virgin Islands]] who was in office when they acted as governors.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/the-governors-office-british-virgin-islands Governor's Office Tortola]

{{British dependencies governors}}
{{British Virgin Islands topics}}

[[Category:Lists of governors and heads of sub-national entities|British Virgin Islands]]
[[Category:Governors of the British Virgin Islands| ]]
[[Category:British Virgin Islands-related lists|Governors]]
[[Category:Government of the British Virgin Islands]]