Barbados could be set to replace the Queen as head of state after the Caribbean island 's prime minister set out his plans for it to become a republic . Freundel Stuart told a branch meeting of his party , the Democratic Labour Party ( DLP ) , last night that the shift would happen in the near future . George Pilgrim , general secretary of the party , also confirmed the development and said the removal of the Queen as head of state was expected to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the island 's independence next year . Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart , left , who has announced plans for the Caribbean island nation to replace the Queen as head of state . A draft bill would have to be put to before the country 's parliament , but Mr Pilgrim said : 'We do n't expect any opposition coming from the opposition party . ' 'This will move the country through to the next major step in the process of nationhood . 'The prime minister said he found it awkward to have to stand up to pledge allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen . ' If the Queen is replaced as head of state , the island nation will retain links with the British Crown through its membership of the Commonwealth . However , Downing Street has said it was not aware of the decision , which was announced by Mr Stuart last night . A spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said : ' I expect the approach will be consistent with self determination , decisions around this being a matter for the people involved . The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on their last visit to Barbados in 1989 , when they flew to the island on Concorde . Meanwhile a spokesman for Buckingham Palace told Mailonline it was a matter for the government and the people of Barbados . The Queen last visited Barbados 26 years ago in 1989 for the 350th anniversary of the Barbados parliament . Prince Harry took a three-day trip there in 2010 when he played in a polo match for his charity Sentebale . The Earl and Countess of Wessex were the last British royals to visit the nation , in February and March last year . The eastern Caribbean nation became independent from Britain in 1966 but kept the Queen as its official head of state . The Queen is represented on the island by the largely ceremonial role of the governor general . A map showing the east Caribbean island of Barbados , which gained full independence in 1966 after being a British colony . Plans to make Barbados a republic have been on the horizon for a number of years . In 2005 , the then prime minister Owen Arthur outlined his proposals for dropping the Queen in favour of a locally elected president , but the process was not completed . The same year , Barbados made the Caribbean Court of Justice its final court of appeal , rather than the London-based Privy Council , which has long served as the highest court of appeal for many ex-British colonies . In 2012 , Jamaican prime minister Portia Simpson Miller also pledged to replace the Queen as head of state . Barbados was colonised by James I in 1625 after the first English ship under the command of Captain John Powell docked there . Wealthy English men were then allocated land in Barbados with many of the trees cut down to make way for cotton , sugar and tobacco plantations . Slaves in Barbados dance and march through the streets after slavery was abolished in 1834 . Many slaves were taken to the Caribbean island in the 1700s to work on the land . Barbados formerly dominated the sugar industry . Pictured are sugar cane plantation field workers in 1910 . The island then went on to dominate the sugar industry and became the final destination for slaves , who were rounded up from West Africa . After slavery was abolished in 1834 , many people were drawn to the country in due to its warm climate and slow pace of life . The island gained internal autonomy from Britain in 1961 and full independence in 1966 , but remains a member of the Commonwealth . The Queen is sovereign of 15 Commonwealth realms , in addition to the UK , including the Bahamas , Barbados , Belize , Jamaica , Canada , Australia and New Zealand . After Barbados , pictured , abolished slavery , many people were drawn to the country due to its warm climate and slow pace of life . Celebrities such as Simon Cowell , left with partner Lauren Silverman , and Wayne and Colleen Rooney , right are frequent visitors to Barbados . Today the island is a hugely popular tourist destination attracting around half-a-million visitors each year . It is also the destination of choice for celebrities such as Simon Cowell who holidays every year at the island 's exclusive Sandy Lane resort . Other celebrities spotted in Barbados include Rihanna , who is originally from the island as well as David and Victoria Beckham and Wayne and Colleen Rooney .
Prime Minister StuartFreundel Stuart set out plans for island to become republic . This would mean that the Queen would be replaced as head of state . Removal could coincide with 50th anniversary of nation 's independence . Mr Freundel Stuart is said to find it awkward to stand up and pledge allegiance to the Queen .