Barbados has cut its political and ceremonial ties with the United Kingdom and celebrated its status as a new republic last night during its presidential inauguration ceremony. Barbados native Rihanna flew in to be part of the historic moment, and she dressed in a silk, one-shoulder orange dress by Bottega Veneta worthy of the occasion.
The singer was named a national hero by the country’s Prime Minister Mia Mottley during the ceremony. While Barbados remains in the Commonwealth organization of nations, per The Hollywood Reporter, Queen Elizabeth II is no longer its head of state.
In a clip of Rihanna receiving the honor, Mottley told her, “On behalf of a grateful nation, but an even prouder people, we therefore present to you, the designee, for national hero of Barbados, ambassador Robyn Rihanna Fenty. May you continue to shine like a diamond and continue to bring honor to your nation by your words, by your actions, and to do credit wherever you shall go.”
The Hollywood Reporter noted that Rihanna is the second woman to receive the country’s national hero honor and the 11th person overall. She can now use the title the Right Honorable in front of her name.
Rihanna was declared a billionaire by Forbes earlier this year with a net worth of $1.7 billion. Rihanna candidly spoke to Extra’s Rachel Lindsay in September about why the title frightens her a bit.
“It’s scary,” Rihanna said. “I do think about it all the time. I make it a point to think about it, because I… get scared when, you know, the pedestal comes into play and we’ll put you up there and they keep wanting to put you up there… I’m like, ‘No, I want to be on the ground.’ I want to feel my feet on the ground because I know it’s not going to be a fall at all if anything, right?… I don’t want to be this icon… I want to remember who I am.”
Lindsay told her, “I know you said you do’’t want to be like put up on this pedestal, but as a Black woman doing your thing, you know, your billionaire status—people are watching, and what does it make you feel like to know that young girls are looking at you and saying, ‘I can do that, too!’”
“I think that is what makes it worth it,” Rihanna said. “That’s what I want. That’s what I worked for. I want to be able to share my inspiration, I want to be able to be an inspiration, and I want to be inspired by even my fans, people who look up to me, I look up to them. And it’s mutual respect that I have because I wouldn’t be here without them.”
