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The State of Malta, known unofficially as Malta, was a predecessor to modern-day Malta. It existed between 21 September 1964 and 13 December 1974, when Malta became a republic within the Commonwealth.
When British rule ended in 1964, the Malta Independence Act 1964 transformed the British Crown Colony of Malta into an independent sovereign Commonwealth realm; the British monarch, Elizabeth II, became Queen of Malta (Reġina ta' Malta). Malta shared the Sovereign with a number of other Commonwealth realms. The monarch's constitutional roles were mostly delegated to the Governor-General of Malta. The royal succession was governed by the English Act of Settlement of 1701.
The monarchy was abolished and the Republic of Malta came into existence on 1 July 1974 on the promulgation of the 1974 constitution. Former Governor-General Sir Anthony Mamo became the first President of Malta. | 
