For two years from Malawi's independence in 1964, the country was a monarchy with Elizabeth II as its queen. She was also the Sovereign of the other Commonwealth realms, including the United Kingdom. The 1964 Constitution of Malawi vested executive power in the Queen, as head of state, though her constitutional roles were delegated to her representative, the Governor-General. Malawi was granted independence by the Parliament of the United Kingdom's Malawi Independence Act 1964, which transformed the Protectorate of Nyasaland into an independent sovereign state called Malawi.