The Queen is Sovereign of a number of nations in the Caribbean - Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, St Christopher and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
In addition to Jamaica, The Queen is Sovereign of a number of nations in the Caribbean.
In January 1958 the British Caribbean island colonies of Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica and the Leeward and Windward Islands were brought together to form the West Indies Federation, with its capital in Trinidad.
However, in 1962, the Federation was dissolved by mutual consent after the withdrawal of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago to seek independence. Other islands followed suit, but most retained The Queen as Sovereign.
The Queen is represented in all these nations by governors-general, who carry out the duties of Head of State.
Antigua and Barbuda were granted independence in 1981 and secured Commonwealth membership. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh included the island in their Caribbean tour of 1966, and in the Silver Jubilee tour of October 1977. The Queen visited again in 1985.
Consisting of 700 islands and over 1000 cays off the coast of Florida, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas an independent member of the Commonwealth in 1973.
The Queen and members of the Royal Family have toured The Bahamas on several occasions.
Barbados became an independent sovereign State within the Commonwealth on 30 November 1966. The Queen has visited on various occasions.
Grenada, the most southerly of the Caribbean Windward Islands, achieved independent nationhood within the Commonwealth in 1974. The island was included in The Queen's Caribbean tour of 1966. In 1985 The Queen opened Parliament in St George's.
St Lucia, in the eastern Caribbean, achieved independence in 1979, when The Queen was represented by Princess Alexandra at the independence celebrations.
St Christopher and Nevis became a fully independent state and member of the Commonwealth in 1983. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited St Christopher (known as St Kitts) and Nevis in 1966 during their Caribbean tour, and again in 1985.
St Vincent and the Grenadines were the last of the Windward Islands to gain independence, following a referendum in 1979. The Queen visited in 1966 and again in 1985.