Governor of Gibraltar

The governor of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government. The role of the governor is to act as the de facto head of state. They are responsible for formally appointing the chief minister of Gibraltar, along with other members of the government of Gibraltar after a general election. The governor serves as commander-in-chief of Gibraltar's military forces and has sole responsibility for defence and security. Although recent appointments have all been former military personnel, most being former Royal Navy or Royal Marines flag officers, Sir James Dutton resigned from the role in 2015, complaining that it was "more representational and ceremonial than I had expected".

The governor has his own flag in Gibraltar, the Union Flag defaced with the territory's coat of arms. However, at the governor's official residence (The Convent), the Union Flag and the flag of Gibraltar are also flown.

List of governors of Gibraltar

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

PictureTermIncumbentNotes4 August 1704Habsburg occupation4 August 1704 to 6 August 1704Prince George of Hesse-DarmstadtAppointed by Archduke Charles6 August 1704 to November 1704Henry NugentAppointed by Archduke Charles24 December 1704 to 24 December 1707John Shrimpton, GovernorAppointed by Archduke Charles24 December 1707 to 24 January 1711Roger Elliott, Governor24 January 1711 to 13 July 1713Thomas Stanwix, Governor13 July 1713Spain cedes Gibraltar to Great Britain in the Treaty of Utrecht13 July 1713 to 7 August 1713Brigadier-General Thomas Stanwix, Governor7 August 1713 to 2 January 1730General David Colyear, 1st Earl of Portmore, Governor20 October 1725 to 2 February 1727Richard Kane, acting Governor2 February 1727 to 13 May 1730Jasper Clayton, Lieutenant Governor15 May 1730 to 24 October 1739General Joseph Sabine, Governor24 October 1739 to 22 April 1740Francis Columbine, Governor22 April 1740 to 14 March 1748/9William Hargrave, Governor14 March 1748/9 to 31 May 1754Humphrey Bland, Governor31 May 1754 to 12 July 1756Thomas Fowke, Governor12 July 1756 to 16 April 1757Lieutenant-General James O'Hara, 2nd Baron Tyrawley, GovernorLater promoted to field marshal.16 April 1757 to 28 April 1761William Home, 8th Earl of Home, Governor28 April 1761 to 23 June 1761John Toovey, acting Governor13 June 1761 to 14 June 1761Major-General John Parslow, acting Governor14 June 1761 to January 1776Edward Cornwallis, Governor1765 to 1767John Irwin, acting GovernorJanuary 1776 to 25 May 1777Robert Boyd, acting Governor1st Term25 May 1777 to 14 June 1787George Augustus Eliott, Governor14 June 1787 to July 1790Lord Heathfield, GovernorJuly 1790 to October 1790Sir Robert Boyd, acting GovernorOctober 1790 to 13 May 1794Sir Robert Boyd, Governor2nd Term1794–1795Sir Henry Clinton, GovernorDied in London before taking up the post13 May 1794 to 30 December 1795Charles Rainsford, GovernorRobert Boyd's second-in-command and assumed position on his death30 December 1795 to 25 February 1802Charles O'Hara, Governor25 February 1802 to 10 May 1802Charles Barnett Governor24 May 1802 to 23 January 1820Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn2 May 1803 to 17 December 1804Sir Thomas Trigge, acting GovernorFor the Duke of Kent17 December 1804 to June 1806Henry Edward Fox, acting GovernorFor the Duke of KentJune 1806 to November 1806James Drummond, acting Governor1st Term; for the Duke of KentNovember 1806 to August 1808Sir Hew Dalrymple, acting GovernorFor the Duke of KentAugust 1808 to May 1809James Drummond, acting Governor2nd Term; for the Duke of KentMay 1809 to August 1809Sir John Cradock, acting GovernorFor the Duke of KentAugust 1809 to October 1809Brigadier-General John Smith, acting GovernorFor the Duke of Kent Sir John Smith from 1831, later promoted to full generalOctober 1809 to November 1809Alex McKenzie Fraser, acting GovernorFor the Duke of KentNovember 1809 to 2 April 1814Colin Campbell, acting GovernorFor the Duke of Kent3 April 1814 to 15 November 1821Sir George Don, acting Governor1st Term; for the Duke of Kent29 January 1820 to 1835John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham, Governor7 June 1825 to 20 June 1830Sir George Don, acting Governor2nd Term; for the Earl of Chatham20 June 1830Gibraltar becomes a British Crown colony20 June 1830 to 10 May 1831Sir George Don, acting Governor2nd Term; for the Earl of Chatham10 May 1831 to 29 May 1835Sir William Houston, acting GovernorFor the Earl of Chatham28 February 1835 to 11 October 1842Sir Alexander Woodford, Governor11 October 1842 to 12 December 1848Sir Robert Wilson, Governor12 December 1848 to 26 July 1855Sir Robert Gardiner, Governor26 July 1855 to 5 May 1859Sir James Fergusson, Governor5 May 1859 to 21 September 1865Sir William Codrington, Governor21 September 1865 to 25 July 1870Sir Richard Airey, Governor25 July 1870 to 23 June 1876Sir Fenwick Williams, Governor23 June 1876 to 3 January 1883Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala, Governor3 January 1883 to 2 November 1886Sir John Miller Adye, Governor2 November 1886 to 23 August 1890Sir Arthur Hardinge, Governor23 August 1890 to 27 January 1891Sir Leicester Smyth, Governor27 January 1891 to 31 March 1891Sir Henry Richard Legge Newdigate, acting Governor31 March 1891 to 27 June 1893Sir Lothian Nicholson, Governor27 June 1893 to 7 August 1893G.J. Smart, acting Governor7 August 1893 to 22 May 1900Sir Robert Biddulph, Governor22 May 1900 to 1 August 1905Sir George Stuart White, Governor1 August 1905 to 30 July 1910Sir Frederick Forestier-Walker, Governor30 July 1910 to 11 July 1913Sir Archibald Hunter, Governor11 July 1913 to 9 July 1918Sir Herbert Miles, Governor9 July 1918 to 26 May 1923Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, Governor26 May 1923 to 13 August 1928Sir Charles Monro, Governor13 August 1928 to 13 May 1933Sir Alexander Godley, Governor13 May 1933 to 12 August 1938Sir Charles Harington, Governor12 August 1938 to 11 July 1939Sir Edmund Ironside, Governor11 July 1939 to 14 May 1941Sir Clive Gerard Liddell, Governor14 May 1941 to 31 May 1942John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort, Governor31 May 1942 to 14 February 1944Sir Noel Mason-Macfarlane, Governor14 February 1944 to 8 February 1947Sir Ralph Eastwood, Governor8 February 1947 to 23 April 1952Sir Kenneth Anderson, Governor23 April 1952 to 6 May 1955Sir Gordon MacMillan, Governor6 May 1955 to 16 April 1958Sir Harold Redman, Governor16 April 1958 to 8 June 1962Sir Charles Keightley, Governor8 June 1962 to 5 August 1965Sir Alfred Ward, Governor 5 August 1965 to March 1969Sir Gerald Lathbury, GovernorMarch 1969 to 3 October 1973Admiral of the Fleet Sir Varyl Begg, Governor3 October 1973 to 30 May 1978Marshal of the RAF Sir John Grandy, Governor30 May 1978 to 1981General Sir William Jackson, Governor1981Gibraltar becomes a British dependent territoryUnder the British Nationality Act 19811981 to 26 October 1982General Sir William Jackson, Governor26 October 1982 to 19 November 1985Admiral Sir David Williams, Governor19 November 1985 to December 1989Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Terry, GovernorDecember 1989 to April 1993Sir Derek Reffell, GovernorApril 1993 to 5 December 1995Sir John Chapple, Governor5 December 1995 to 19 February 1997Admiral Sir Hugo White, Governor24 February 1997 to 21 March 2000Sir Richard Luce, Governor21 March 2000 to 5 April 2000 Paul Speller, acting Governor5 April 2000 to 2002David Durie, Governor2002Gibraltar becomes a British overseas territoryUnder the British Overseas Territories Act 20022002 to 16 May 2003David Durie, GovernorSir David Durie from 1 January 200316 May 2003 to 27 May 2003David Blunt, acting Governor27 May 2003 to 17 July 2006Sir Francis Richards, Governor17 July 2006 to 27 September 2006Philip Barton, acting Governor27 September 2006 to 21 October 2009Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Fulton, Governor21 October 2009 to 26 October 2009Lesley Pallett, acting Governor26 October 2009 to 13 November 2013Vice Admiral Sir Adrian Johns, Governor13 November 2013 to 6 December 2013Alison MacMillan, Interim Governor6 December 2013 to 28 September 2015Lieutenant General Sir James Dutton, Governor28 September 2015 to 19 January 2016Alison MacMillan, Interim Governor19 January 2016 to 18 February 2020Lieutenant General Ed Davis, Governor18 February 2020 to 11 June 2020Nick Pyle, acting Governor11 June 2020 to 23 May 2024Vice Admiral Sir David Steel, Governor23 May 2024 to 4 June 2024Marc Holland, acting Governor4 June 2024 to presentLieutenant General Sir Ben Bathurst, Governor

Governor of Gibraltar

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