The Caribbean island of Barbados was once nicknamed "Little England" because of its British ways and look.
A statue of Nelson stands in the capital's main square and if you fall foul of the Royal Barbados Police Force, you could spend time in Her Majesty's Prison.
Now all that looks set to change as the former British colony, independent since 1966, moves ahead with plans to become a republic and toss out the remaining vestiges of imperial rule. The government plans a referendum this year on whether Queen Elizabeth II should remain as the island's head of state.
"More and more, Barbados has proved that it can look after itself in all respects," the Attorney General, Mr David Simmons, said. "It will help complete our independence."
A final break with Britain will assert national pride and confidence as the tiny country of 266,000 people, known as Bajans, prospers on a thriving tourism and financial services sector, analysts say.
Barbados has avoided the unrest that periodically sweeps through other Caribbean nations, from Jamaica to Haiti.
"If something happened to the queen or Prince Charles tomorrow, all of us would have to swear allegiance to an 18year-old who has just finished his A-levels", the Prime Minister, Mr Owen Arthur, said recently, referring to Prince William. "That is a situation we really want to change."
Barbados, covering just 430 square kilometres east of the main Leeward Islands chain, has a history entwined with Britain and rooted in the Atlantic slave trade. It was claimed for England in 1625 when Captain Henry Powell landed there.
It was quickly settled and stayed in British hands over the centuries, unlike other islands that were fought over by the Spanish, British, Dutch, French and Americans.
The first plantation workers were Irish, English and Scottish indentured labourers. The introduction of sugar and African slaves to work the fields brought fabulous wealth for the white ruling class. The House of Assembly set up in 1639 is said to be the third-oldest parliament in the world.
While today's population is overwhelmingly African in descent, the cultural links to Britain are still evident. The Bajan accent has a burr akin to that of England's West Country, towns have names like Hastings and streets like Liverpool Lane.
Cricket is an obsession and cars drive on the left-hand side. More than 40 per cent of the half-a-million tourists who came last year were British.
"There is absolutely no hostility to Britain and, God forbid, the queen," said Mr Simmons. "But I think it's important for the psychological independence of people that a Barbadian person can aspire to be the head of state of Barbados."
No date has been set for the referendum, expected this year, but all three political parties have agreed on the need for one.
The referendum idea first emerged when a constitutional review commission set up in 1998 recommended that Barbados become a republic with a non-executive president.
The island would remain a member of the Commonwealth, but the governor-general, appointed by the queen, would be replaced by a president, and a new constitution would be drawn up to define the responsibilities of the state and its citizens - a vital consequence of the referendum, analysts said.
One point of dispute is the wording of a referendum, which, as the Bill now stands, says: "Do you agree that the head of state of Barbados should be a citizen of Barbados?"
"People are saying that's too simplistic and it should mention the word republic," Mr Simmons said.
The plan to end the queen's rule in Barbados follows an unsuccessful attempt in Australia last year as well as debate in Britain on the future of the monarchy.