Emperor of India
Also known as Empress of India, Kaisar-i-Hind
title used by British monarchs from 1 May 1876 to 22 June 1948
Key facts
- First monarch
- Victoria
- Last monarch
- George VI , (continued as monarch of India and Pakistan )
- Formation
- 1 May 1876
- Abolition
- 22 June 1948
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
Show 6 more facts
- male form of label
- Emperador de la India
- female form of label
- impératrice des Indes
- Commons category
- Emperors of India
- native label
- Emperor of India
- inception
- 1876-05-01
- dissolved, abolished or demolished date
- 1948-06-22
~6 min read
Article
Emperor (or Empress) of India was a title used by British monarchs from 1 May 1876 (with the Royal Titles Act 1876) to 22 June 1948 to signify their sovereignty over the British Indian Empire as its imperial head of state. The image of the Emperor or Empress appeared on Indian currency, in government buildings, railway stations, courts, on statues, etc. Oaths of allegiance were made to the Emperor or Empress and the lawful successors by the governors-general, princes, governors, commissioners in India in events such as imperial durbars.
The title was abolished on 22 June 1948, with the Indian Independence Act 1947, under which George VI made a royal proclamation that the words "Emperor of India" were to be omitted in styles of address and from customary titles. This was almost a year after he became the titular head of the newly partitioned and independent dominions of India and Pakistan in 1947. These were abolished upon the establishment of the Republic of India in 1950 and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1956.