King's Representative Explained

Post:	King's Representative in the Cook Islands
Native Name:	^[1]
Insignia:	Coat of arms of the Cook Islands.svg
Insigniasize:	100px
Insigniacaption:	Coat of Arms of the Cook Islands
Flag:	Flag of the King's Representative.svg
Flagsize:	160px
Flagborder:	yes
Flagcaption:	Flag of the King's Representative
Incumbent:	Sir Tom Marsters
Incumbentsince:	27 July 2013
Department:	Viceroy
Seat:	Avarua
Nominator:	Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
Precursor:	High Commissioner of the Cook Islands
Appointer:	Monarch
Termlength:	3 years
Termlength Qualified:	renewable
Formation:	1982
First:	Gaven Donne

The King's Representative is the official representative of, as of the realm of New Zealand, in the Cook Islands.^[2] The office of King's Representative is established by the Constitution of the Cook Islands. They are appointed by the King for a term of three years, and may be reappointed.^[3] When the Cook Islands has a queen regnant, the viceroy is titled Queen's Representative.

The King's Representative fills the role normally filled by a Governor-General in the Westminster system of a Commonwealth realm, being both a representative of the monarch and the titular head of executive government. They appoint the Prime Minister and Cabinet^[4] and chair the Cook Islands Executive Council.^[5] In performing their duties, they must act on advice.^[6]

Originally these duties were performed by the High Commissioner of New Zealand to the Cook Islands, but in 1982 these powers were repatriated.^[7] The Governor-General of New Zealand still represents the King in matters pertaining to the entire Realm.^{[8] [9]}

Following the death of Elizabeth II, the office formally became known as the "King's Representative".^[10]

List of Sovereign's Representatives in the Cook Islands

№	Portrait	Name	Term of Office			Monarch	Prime Minister
			Took office	Left office	Length of Office
1		Sir Gaven Donne (1914–2010)	1982	18 September 1984	2 years, 258 days	Elizabeth II	Sir Tom Davis
							Geoffrey Henry
							Sir Tom Davis
2		Sir Graham Speight (1921–2008) Acting	18 September 1984	19 December 1984
3		Sir Tangaroa Tangaroa (1921–2009)	19 December 1984	19 December 1990	6 years, 1 day
							Pupuke Robati
							Sir Geoffrey Henry
4		Sir Apenera Pera Short (1916–2011)	19 December 1990	14 November 2000	9 years, 327 days
							Joe Williams
							Sir Terepai Maoate
5		Laurence Greig (born 1929) Acting	14 November 2000	9 February 2001	88 days
6		Sir Frederick Tutu Goodwin (born 1940)	9 February 2001	27 July 2013	12 years, 169 days
							Robert Woonton
							Jim Marurai
							Henry Puna
7		Sir Tom Marsters (born 1945)	27 July 2013	Incumbent
							Mark Brown
						Charles III

See also

• Monarchy in the Cook Islands

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kauono . Dictionary of Cook Islands languages . 1 February 2023.
2. Web site: About Parliament . parliament.gov.ck . . 9 September 2023.
3. Web site: Constitution of the Cook Islands . PACLII . 3 August 2020.
4. Constitution of the Cook Islands, section 13.
5. Constitution of the Cook Islands, section 25.
6. Constitution of the Cook Islands, section 5.
7. Web site: Constitution Amendment (No 10) Act 1981-82 . PACLII . 3 August 2020.
8. Web site: Government of the Cook Islands . 11 October 2014 . Jarvy Web .
9. Townend . Andrew . 2003 . The strange death of the Realm of New Zealand: The implications of a New Zealand republic for the Cook Islands and Niue . Victoria University of Wellington Law Review . 34 . 3 . 571–607 . 10.26686/vuwlr.v34i3.5768 . 10063/5877 . 26 August 2016.
10. Web site: 'QR' effectively becomes 'KR' . Cook Islands News . 10 September 2022 . 11 September 2022.