The Mediterranean islands of Malta and Gozo had been ruled by Phoenician, Byzantine and Roman aristocrats, before passing to various European monarchies and eventually a republican government. Foreign monarchical rule over Malta lasted a total of 874 years. The Crown of Malta was patriated from that of the British for the first time in 1964 with the achievement of independence and abolished in 1974 with the establishment of the Republic of Malta.
The history, languages and culture of Malta and Sicily share many key events, including occupation by the Fatimids and an invasion by Roger I of Sicily in 1091. The islands parted ways in a decisive and permanent manner in 1799, when Malta became a British Crown colony. British colonial rule over Malta lasted 165 years. For an additional 10 years, Malta retained the British monarch as its independent head of state. Malta adopted a republican constitution on 13 December 1974, ending the monarchy altogether, and joined the European Union on 1 May 2004.[1]
See main article: List of Sicilian monarchs. From the years 1090 and 1530, the Maltese Islands were a non-autonomous part of the Kingdom of Sicily and thus had the same sovereign. At this time the Nobility of Malta resided in or around Mdina. A strong cultural (and, to a lesser extent, political) connection to Sicily survived from 1530 to 1798 throughout the 268-year rule over Malta by the Knights Hospitaller.
In terms of the regional divisions of the islands, Malta Island was part the Valle di Mazzara province, Gozo was part of the Valle di Demona province and Comino was part of the Valle di Noto province.
Although the Knights Hospitaller ruled Malta as sovereign princes, they held that privilege as a fiefdom, paying a tribute of the Maltese Falcon annually to the Viceroys of Sicily, payable on the feast of All Souls' Day.
|-| George III
1799–1820 || || 4 June 1738
Norfolk House
son of Frederick, Prince of Wales and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha || Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
St James's Palace
8 September 1761
15 children || 29 January 1820
Windsor Castle
aged 81|-| George IV
29 January
1820–1830 || || 12 August 1762
St James's Palace
son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz || (2)[4] Caroline of Brunswick
St James's Palace
8 April 1795
1 daughter || 26 June 1830
Windsor
aged 67|-| William IV
26 June
1830–1837 || || 21 August 1765
Buckingham Palace
son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz || Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen
Kew Palace
13 July 1818
2 children || 20 June 1837
Windsor Castle
aged 71|-| Victoria
20 June
1837–1901 || || 24 May 1819
Kensington Palace
daughter of Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld || Albert, Prince Consort
St James's Palace
10 February 1840
9 children || 22 January 1901
Osbourne House
aged 81|}
| Edward VII
22 January
1901–1910[5] || || 9 November 1841
Buckingham Palace
son of Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort || Alexandra of Denmark
Windsor Castle
10 March 1863
6 children[6] || 6 May 1910
Buckingham Palace
aged 68|}
The house name Windsor was adopted in 1917, during the First World War. It was changed from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha because of wartime anti-German sentiment. The heirs of Elizabeth II, by royal proclamation, will remain part of the House of Windsor (even though their legal surname is Mountbatten-Windsor).
| George V
6 May
1910–1936[7] || || 3 June 1865
Marlborough House
son of Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark[8] || Mary of Teck
6 July 1893
St James's Palace
6 children[9] || 20 January 1936
Sandringham House
aged 70[8] |-| Edward VIII
20 January –
11 December 1936[10] || || 23 June 1894
Richmond
son of George V and Mary of Teck[10] || Wallis, The Duchess of Windsor
France
3 June 1937
no children[10] || 28 May 1972
Paris
aged 77[11] |-| George VI
11 December
1936–6 February
1952[12] || || 14 December 1895
Sandringham House
son of George V and Mary of Teck[12] || Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Westminster Abbey
26 April 1923
2 children[13] || 6 February 1952
Sandringham House
aged 56[14] |-| Elizabeth II
6 February
1952–1964[15] || || 21 April 1926
Mayfair
daughter of George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon[16] || Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Westminster Abbey
20 November 1947
4 children[17] || 8 September 2022 Balmoral Castle aged 96|}
| Elizabeth II
Queen of Malta (Reġina ta' Malta)
1964–1974[15]
(Monarchy abolished on 13 December 1974) || || 21 April 1926
Mayfair
daughter of George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon[16] || Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Westminster Abbey
20 November 1947
4 children[17] || 8 September 2022 Balmoral Castle aged 96|}
When Malta acquired independence from the United Kingdom on 21 September 1964, Elizabeth II became the head of state and Queen of Malta. On 13 December 1974, Malta became a republic, abolishing the monarchy and establishing the President of Malta as the nation's head of state.