From becoming queen on 6 February 1952, Elizabeth II was head of state of 32 independent states; at the time of her death, there were 15 states, called Commonwealth realms. Within the Westminster system in each realm, the Queen's government was headed by a prime minister. Appointment and dismissal of prime ministers were common reserve powers that could be exercised by Elizabeth or her governors-general.
Elizabeth had 179 individuals serve as her realms' prime ministers throughout her reign, the first new appointment being Dudley Senanayake as Prime Minister of Ceylon and the final being Liz Truss as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, whom she appointed only two days before her death; some of these individuals served multiple non-consecutive terms in office (always of the same nation state) as prime minister. Several of her prime ministers from various realms were appointed (for life) to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom.
This list does not cover Commonwealth nations that were not Commonwealth realms at any point during Elizabeth's reign, nor holders of offices of prime minister in colonies or sub-national entities such as states or provinces.
List of prime ministers Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda became independent on 1 November 1981 with Vere Bird as the first prime minister. Bird had previously been Premier of Antigua.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1 Vere Bird 1909–19991 November 19819 March 19942 Lester Bird 1938–20219 March 199424 August 20043Baldwin Spencer 24 August 200413 June 20144 Gaston Browne 13 June 2014Incumbent Reference
Australia
Robert Menzies was the incumbent prime minister when Elizabeth became queen.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1Robert Menzies 1894–197819 December 194926 January 19662Harold Holt 1908–196726 January 196619 December 19673John McEwen 1900–198019 December 196710 January 19684John Gorton 1911–200210 January 196810 March 19715William McMahon 1908–198810 March 19715 December 19726Gough Whitlam 1916–20145 December 197211 November 19757Malcolm Fraser 1930–201511 November 197511 March 19838Bob Hawke 1929–201911 March 198320 December 19919Paul Keating 20 December 199111 March 199610 John Howard 11 March 19963 December 200711Kevin Rudd 3 December 200724 June 201012Julia Gillard 24 June 201027 June 2013(11)Kevin Rudd 27 June 201318 September 201313Tony Abbott 18 September 201315 September 201514Malcolm Turnbull 15 September 201524 August 201815Scott Morrison 24 August 201823 May 202216Anthony Albanese 23 May 2022Incumbent Reference
The Bahamas
The Bahamas became independent on 10 July 1973 with Lynden Pindling as the first prime minister. Pindling had previously been the prime minister of the self-governing Commonwealth of the Bahama Islands.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1Lynden Pindling 1930–200010 July 197321 August 19922Hubert Ingraham 21 August 19923 May 20023Perry Christie 3 May 20024 May 2007(2)Hubert Ingraham 4 May 20078 May 2012(3)Perry Christie 8 May 201211 May 20174Hubert Minnis 11 May 201717 September 2021 5Philip Davis 17 September 2021Incumbent Reference
Barbados
Barbados became independent on 30 November 1966 with Errol Barrow as the first prime minister. Barrow had previously been Premier of Barbados.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1Errol Barrow 1920–198730 November 19668 September 19762 Tom Adams 1931–19858 September 197611 March 19853Harold Bernard St. John 1931–200411 March 198529 May 1986(1)Errol Barrow 1920–198729 May 19861 June 19874 Lloyd Erskine Sandiford 1937–20231 June 19877 September 19945 Owen Arthur 1945–20207 September 199416 January 20086David Thompson 1961–201016 January 200823 October 20107Freundel Stuart 23 October 201025 May 20188Mia Mottley 25 May 2018Incumbent Reference
Barbados abolished its monarchy and became a parliamentary republic on 30 November 2021. Mottley remained in office as the republic's first prime minister.
Belize
Belize became independent on 21 September 1981 with George Cadle Price as the first prime minister. Price had previously been Premier of Belize.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1George Cadle Price 1919–201121 September 198117 December 19842Manuel Esquivel 1940–202217 December 19847 November 1989(1)George Cadle Price 1919–20117 November 19893 July 1993(2)Manuel Esquivel 1940–20223 July 199328 August 19983Said Musa 28 August 19988 February 20084Dean Barrow 8 February 200812 November 20205Johnny Briceño 12 November 2020Incumbent Reference
Canada
Louis St. Laurent was the incumbent prime minister when Elizabeth became queen.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1Louis St. Laurent 1882–197315 November 194821 June 19572John Diefenbaker 1895–197921 June 195722 April 19633 Lester B. Pearson 1897–197222 April 196320 April 19684Pierre Trudeau 1919–200020 April 19684 June 19795Joe Clark 4 June 19793 March 1980(4)Pierre Trudeau 1919–20003 March 198030 June 19846John Turner 1929–202030 June 198417 September 19847Brian Mulroney 1939–202417 September 198425 June 19938Kim Campbell 25 June 19934 November 19939Jean Chrétien 4 November 199312 December 200310Paul Martin 12 December 20036 February 200611Stephen Harper 6 February 20064 November 201512Justin Trudeau 4 November 201514 March 2025 Reference
Ceylon
D. S. Senanayake was the incumbent prime minister of Ceylon when Elizabeth became queen.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1D. S. Senanayake 1883–195224 September 194722 March 19522Dudley Senanayake 1911–197326 March 195212 October 19533John Kotelawala 1895–198012 October 195312 April 19564S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike 1899–195912 April 195626 September 19595Wijeyananda Dahanayake 1901–199726 September 195920 March 1960(2)Dudley Senanayake 1911–197321 March 196021 July 19606Sirimavo Bandaranaike 1916–200021 July 196027 March 1965(2)Dudley Senanayake 1911–197327 March 196529 May 1970(6)Sirimavo Bandaranaike 1916–200029 May 197023 July 1977 Reference
Ceylon abolished the monarchy on 22 May 1972 and became the Republic of Sri Lanka. Bandaranaike remained in office as the republic's first prime minister until 23 July 1977.
Fiji
Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970 with Kamisese Mara as the first prime minister. Mara had previously been Chief Minister of Fiji.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1Kamisese Mara 1920–200410 October 197013 April 19872Timoci Bavadra 1934–198913 April 198714 May 1987 Reference
Following the 1987 Fijian coups d'état (which resulted in a vacancy in the premiership until December 1987), on 7 October 1987, the new ruling regime declared the nation to have become the Republic of Fiji. Fiji's relationship with the monarchy after this transition is complex (see Monarchy of Fiji).
Gambia
The Gambia became independent on 18 February 1965 with Dawda Jawara as the first prime minister. Jawara had previously been prime minister of the self-governing Gambia.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1Dawda Jawara 1924–20196 March 196524 April 1970 Reference
The Gambia abolished the monarchy on 24 April 1970, via referendum. Jawara became President of the Gambia on the same day as the post of prime minister was abolished.
Ghana
Ghana became independent on 15 August 1957, with Kwame Nkrumah as its first prime minister. Nkrumah had previously been prime minister of the self-governing Gold Coast.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1Kwame Nkrumah 1909–197215 August 19571 July 1960 Reference
Ghana abolished the monarchy on 1 July 1960, via referendum. Nkrumah became President of Ghana on the same day as the post of prime minister was abolished.
Grenada
Grenada became independent on 7 February 1974 with Eric Gairy as the first prime minister. Gairy had previously been Premier of Grenada.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1Eric Gairy 1922–19977 February 197413 March 19792Maurice Bishopsee 1944–198313 March 197919 October 19833Herbert Blaize 1918–19894 December 198419 December 19894Ben Jones 1924–200519 December 198916 March 19905Nicholas Brathwaite 1925–201616 March 19901 February 19956George Brizan 1942–20121 February 199522 June 19957Keith Mitchell 22 June 19959 July 20088Tillman Thomas 9 July 200820 February 2013(7)Keith Mitchell 20 February 201324 June 20229Dickon Mitchell 24 June 2022Incumbent Reference
Guyana
Guyana became independent on 26 May 1966, with Forbes Burnham as its first prime minister. Burnham had previously been Premier of British Guiana.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1Forbes Burnham 1923–198526 May 19666 October 1980 Reference
Guyana abolished the monarchy on 23 February 1970. Burnham remained in office as the republic's first prime minister until 6 October 1980.
Jamaica
Jamaica became independent on 6 August 1962 with Alexander Bustamante as the first prime minister. Bustamante had previously been Premier of Jamaica.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1Alexander Bustamante 1884–19776 August 196223 February 19672Donald Sangster 1911–196723 February 196711 April 19673Hugh Shearer 1923–200411 April 19672 March 19724Michael Manley 1924–19972 March 19721 November 19805Edward Seaga 1930–20191 November 198010 February 1989(4)Michael Manley 1924–199710 February 198930 March 19926P. J. Patterson 30 March 199230 March 20067Portia Simpson-Miller 30 March 200611 September 20078Bruce Golding 11 September 200723 October 20119Andrew Holness 23 October 20115 January 2012(7)Portia Simpson-Miller 5 January 20123 March 2016(9)Andrew Holness 3 March 2016Incumbent Reference
Kenya
Kenya became independent on 12 December 1963, with Jomo Kenyatta becoming the first prime minister. Kenyatta had previously been prime minister of self-governing Kenya.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1Jomo Kenyatta 1891–197812 December 196312 December 1964 Reference
Kenya abolished the monarchy on 12 December 1964. Kenyatta became President of Kenya as the post of prime minister was abolished.
Malawi
Malawi became independent on 6 July 1964, with Hastings Banda as prime minister. Banda had previously been prime minister of self-governing Nyasaland.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1Hastings Banda 1898–19976 July 19646 July 1966 Reference
Malawi abolished the monarchy on 6 July 1966. Banda became President of Malawi as the post of prime minister was abolished.
Malta
The Crown Colony of Malta became independent as the State of Malta on 21 September 1964 with George Borg Olivier as prime minister. Olivier had previously been the colony's prime minister.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1George Borg Olivier 1911–198021 September 196421 June 19712Dom Mintoff 1916–201221 June 197122 December 1984 Reference
Malta abolished the monarchy on 13 December 1974 and became the current Republic of Malta, a republic within the Commonwealth. Mintoff remained in office as the republic's first prime minister until 22 December 1984.
Mauritius
Mauritius became independent on 12 March 1968, with Seewoosagur Ramgoolam becoming the first prime minister. Ramgoolam had previously been Chief Minister of Mauritius.
No PortraitName LifespanTenureTook officeLeft office1Seewoosagur Ramgoolam 1900–198512 March 196815 June 19822Anerood Jugnauth 1930–202115 June 198227 December 1995 Reference
Mauritius abolished the monarchy on 12 March 1992. Jugnauth remained in office as the republic's prime minister until 15 December 1995.
New Zealand
Sidney Holland was the incumbent prime minister when Elizabeth became queen.