Democracy Dies in Darkness

Barbados declares Rihanna a national hero after ditching Queen Elizabeth II as head of state

By
November 30, 2021 at 8:45 a.m. EST
Barbados declared superstar Rihanna a national hero a celebrations in her hometown of Bridgetown in an overnight ceremony that began on Nov. 29. (Video: Reuters)
4 min

After 55 years, Barbados has officially severed ties with Queen Elizabeth II — and one of its first actions as the world’s newest republic was to honor global superstar Rihanna with the title of “national hero.”

During her distinguished career, the 33-year-old singer has racked up many titles — award-winning musician, billionaire makeup mogul, actor, philanthropist, entrepreneur, fashion designer.