On Monday the official festivities marking the island of Barbados historic transition into a republic. The celebration took place at National Heroes Square in the heart of the capital of Bridgetown. During the island ceremony, the new republic swore in its first president and honored island native Rihanna as a ‘National Hero’.
The Umbrella singer was honored during the presidential inauguration where Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley told the crowd, “On behalf of a grateful nation, but an even prouder people, we, therefore, present to you the designee for the national hero of Barbados, Ambassador Robyn Rihanna Fenty. May you continue to shine like a diamond and bring honor to your nation by your works, by your actions, and to do credit wherever you shall go,” Mottley said.
In 2018, the makeup and fashion mogul was appointed as an Ambassador of Barbados after she became one of the Caribbean island country’s Cultural Ambassadors in 2008, doing promotional work for its tourism ministry.
In a move that received a great deal of support, Barbados formally cut ties with the British monarchy by becoming a republic almost 400 years after the first English ship arrived on the most easterly of the Caribbean islands.
