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Barbados has become the world's newest Republic - replacing Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. In a midnight ceremony, Dame Sandra Mason was sworn in as president at an event which coincided with the country's 55th anniversary of independence.

The Prince of Wales gave a speech at the ceremony, acknowledging the "appalling atrocity of slavery" the Caribbean island had suffered.

The country will remain part of the Commonwealth.

Journalist Kareem Smith was at the ceremony for Barbados Today. He told us that portraits of the queen will be removed from government buildings and replaced with portraits of Barbadian people painted by Barbadian artists. He explained why the queen was not an appropriate head of state.

"The symbolism of having some person as your head of state who is not a citizen of your country, who does not look like the citizens of your country, and who cannot identify with the day-to-day struggles and challenges associated with being a Barbadian."

(Photo: The new president of Barbados, Dame Sandra Mason at the Inauguration Ceremony. Credit: Getty Images)

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