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King's Representative in the Cook Islands

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King's Representative
Te Kauono o te Ariki
Coat of arms of the Cook Islands
Flag of the king's representative
Incumbent
Sir Tom Marsters
since 27 July 2013
TypeViceroy
AbbreviationKR
SeatAvarua
NominatorPrime Minister of the Cook Islands
AppointerMonarch
on the advice of the prime minister
Term length3 years
renewable
PrecursorHigh Commissioner of the Cook Islands
Formation1982
First holderGaven Donne

The king's representative (Cook Islands Māori: Te Kauono o te Ariki[1]), or KR,[2] is the official representative of Charles III, as King of the realm of New Zealand, in the Cook Islands.[3] The office of King's Representative is established by the Constitution of the Cook Islands. They are appointed by the King for a term of three years, and may be reappointed.[4] When the Cook Islands has a queen regnant, the viceroy is titled queen's representative (QR).

The king's representative fills the role normally filled by a governor-general in the Westminster system of a Commonwealth realm, being both a representative of the monarch and the titular head of executive government. They appoint the prime minister and Cabinet[5] and chair the Cook Islands Executive Council.[6] In performing their duties, they must act on the advice of their government.[7]

Originally these duties were performed by the high commissioner of New Zealand to the Cook Islands, but in 1982 these powers were repatriated and the office of Queen's Representative was established.[8] The governor-general of New Zealand still represents the king in matters pertaining to the entire realm.[9][10]

Following the death of Elizabeth II, the office formally became known as "King's Representative".[2] As of 2026, however, the office is still referred to throughout the constitution as the "Queen's Representative".[4]

In August 2025, Tom Marsters was reappointed as the representative for a fifth three-year term.[11]

List of sovereign's representatives in the Cook Islands

[edit]
№ Portrait Name Term of office Monarch Prime Minister
Took office Left office Length of office
1 Sir Gaven Donne
(1914–2010) 		1982 18 September 1984 2 years, 258 days Elizabeth II Sir Tom Davis
Geoffrey Henry
Sir Tom Davis
2 Sir Graham Speight
(1921–2008)
Acting 		18 September 1984 19 December 1984 92 days
3 Sir Tangaroa Tangaroa
(1921–2009) 		19 December 1984 19 December 1990 6 years, 1 day
Pupuke Robati
Sir Geoffrey Henry
4 Sir Apenera Pera Short
(1916–2011) 		19 December 1990 14 November 2000 9 years, 327 days
Joe Williams
Sir Terepai Maoate
5 Laurence Greig
(born 1929)
Acting 		14 November 2000 9 February 2001 88 days
6 Sir Frederick Tutu Goodwin
(born 1940)
 9 February 2001 27 July 2013 12 years, 169 days
Robert Woonton
Jim Marurai
Henry Puna
7 Sir Tom Marsters
(born 1945) 		27 July 2013 Incumbent 12 years, 337 days
Mark Brown
Charles III

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Kauono". Dictionary of Cook Islands languages. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b "'QR' effectively becomes 'KR'". Cook Islands News. 10 September 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  3. ^ "About Parliament". parliament.gov.ck. Parliament of the Cook Islands. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Constitution of the Cook Islands". PACLII. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  5. ^ Constitution of the Cook Islands, section 13.
  6. ^ Constitution of the Cook Islands, section 25.
  7. ^ Constitution of the Cook Islands, section 5.
  8. ^ "Constitution Amendment (No 10) Act 1981-82". PACLII. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  9. ^ "Government of the Cook Islands". Jarvy Web. 11 October 2014.
  10. ^ Townend, Andrew (2003). "The strange death of the Realm of New Zealand: The implications of a New Zealand republic for the Cook Islands and Niue" (PDF). Victoria University of Wellington Law Review. 34 (3): 571–607. doi:10.26686/vuwlr.v34i3.5768. hdl:10063/5877. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  11. ^ Tairi, Teitimoana (6 August 2025). "Sir Tom Marsters reappointed as King's Representative". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 31 August 2025.


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