After 77 years operating under a British royal charter, one of the Caribbean’s most prestigious academic institutions is taking a historic step to sever its last remaining constitutional ties to the British monarchy, redefining itself as a fully sovereign regional university anchored in Caribbean governance. Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles announced that the University of the West Indies (UWI) will terminate its 1948 Royal Charter and transition to legal status embedded within the Treaty of Chaguaramas, the founding constitution of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Regional CARICOM leaders have already formally approved the request to end the charter, clearing the way for the structural transition.