List of heads of state of Trinidad and Tobago

This is a list of the heads of state of Trinidad and Tobago, from the independence of Trinidad and Tobago in 1962 to the present day.

From 1962 to 1976 the head of state under the Trinidad and Tobago Independence Act 1962 was the Queen of Trinidad and Tobago, Elizabeth II, who was also the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The Queen was represented in Trinidad and Tobago by a Governor-General. Trinidad and Tobago became a republic under the Constitution of 1976 and the Monarch and Governor-General were replaced by a ceremonial President.

Monarch (1962–1976)

The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.

№	Monarch (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Reign		Royal House	Prime Minister
			Reign start	Reign end
1	Queen Elizabeth II (1926–)		31 August 1962	1 August 1976	Windsor	Williams

Governor-General

The Governor-General was the representative of the Monarch in Trinidad and Tobago and exercised most of the powers of the Monarch. The Governor-General was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the Monarch. After the passage of the Statute of Westminster 1931, the Governor-General was appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.

Status

  Denotes Chief Justice acting as Officer Administering the Government

№	Governor-General (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Tenure		Monarch	Prime Minister
			Took office	Left office
1	Sir Solomon Hochoy (1905–1983)		31 August 1962	15 September 1972	Elizabeth II	Williams
2	Sir Ellis Clarke (1917–2010)		15 September 1972	1 August 1976	Elizabeth II	Williams

President of Trinidad and Tobago

Under the 1976 Constitution, the constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the President replaced the Monarch as ceremonial head of state. The President was elected by Parliament for a five-year term. In the event of a vacancy the President of the Senate served as Acting President.

Status

  Denotes President of the Senate acting as President

№	President (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Tenure		Elected	Political affiliation (at time of appointment)		Prime Minister(s)
			Took office	Left office
1	Sir Ellis Clarke (1917–2010)		1 August 1976	28 January 1977	–		People's National Movement	Williams Chambers Robinson
			28 January 1977	13 March 1987
–	Michael J. Williams (1929–)		13 March 1987	18 March 1987	–		National Alliance for Reconstruction	Robinson
2	Noor Hassanali (1918–2006)		18 March 1987	17 March 1997	–		Independent	Robinson Manning Panaday
3	A. N. R. Robinson (1926–2014)		17 March 1997	18 March 2003	–		National Alliance for Reconstruction	Panday Manning
4	George Maxwell Richards (1931–)		18 March 2003	18 March 2013	–		People's National Movement	Manning Persad-Bissessar
5	Anthony Carmona (1953–)		18 March 2013		–		Independent	Persad-Bissessar Rowley

Standards

• 

  Royal Standard

• 

  Governor-General's Standard

• 

  Presidental Standard

Living former heads of state

There are two living former Trinidadian Heads of State:

Image	Name	Term/Reign	Office	Date of birth
	Elizabeth II	1962–1976	Queen of Trinidad and Tobabgo	21 April 1926
	George Maxwell Richards	2003–2013	President of Triniad and Tobago	1 December 1931
	Michael J. Williams	1987	Acting President	16 October 1929

External links

• World Statesmen – Trinidad and Tobago
• Rulers.org – Trinidad and Tobago