Barbados was first occupied by the British in 1627 and remained a British colony until internal autonomy was granted in 1961. The Island gained full independence in 1966, and maintains ties to the Britain monarch represented in Barbados by the Governor General. It is a member of the Commonwealth. The first postage stamps of Barbados appeared in 1852 and were the Perkins Bacon “Seated Britannia” (Britannia is the national personification of Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield) design also used in Mauritius (1849) and Trinidad (1851). These stamps had no denomination, the postage value being determined by color alone. Todays stamp is from the first issue.