# Governor of Hong Kong

The governor of Hong Kong was the representative of the British Crown in Hong Kong from 1843 to 1997. In this capacity, the governor was president of the Executive Council and commander-in-chief of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions. Upon the end of British rule and the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, most of the civil functions of this office went to the chief executive of Hong Kong, and military functions went to the commander of the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison.

## The governor

Authorities and duties of the governor were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions in 1843. The governor, appointed by the British monarch (on the advice of the Foreign Secretary), exercised the executive branch of the government of Hong Kong throughout British sovereignty and, with the exception of a brief experiment after World War II, no serious attempt was made to introduce representative government, until the final years of British rule.
The governor of Hong Kong chaired the colonial cabinet, the Executive Council (ExCo), and, until 1993, was also the president of the Legislative Council. The governor appointed most, if not all, of the members of the colony's legislature (known colloquially as LegCo), which was largely an advisory body until the first indirect election to LegCo was held in 1985. Initially, both councils were dominated by British expatriates, but this progressively gave way to local Hong Kong Chinese appointees in later years. Historically, the governors of Hong Kong were either professional diplomats or senior colonial officials, except for the last governor, Chris Patten, who was a career politician. In December 1996, the governor's salary was HK$3,036,000 per annum, tax-free. It was fixed at 125% of the chief secretary's salary.
In the absence of the governor, the chief secretary immediately became the acting governor of the colony. The chief secretaries were historically drawn from the Colonial Office or British military. One Royal Navy Vice Admiral served as administrator after World War II. Four Japanese military officers (three Army officers and one naval vice admiral) served as administrators during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War II.

## Transport

The governor of Hong Kong used a Daimler DS420 for day to day transport and a Rolls-Royce Phantom V landaulet for ceremonial occasions. Both vehicles were removed by the Royal Navy immediately following the handover to China on 1 July 1997.

## Residences

* The first governor, Sir Henry Pottinger, 1st Bt., resided at the site of the now Former French Mission Building from 1843 to 1846. It was used as the home of the Provisional Government after Japanese surrender from 1945 to 1946. The building now houses the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. His successor, Sir John Davis, 1st Bt., also lived there before moving to Caine Road.
* Since the 4th governor, Sir John Bowring, the governors resided at Government House, excluding the period from 1941 to 1946.
* From 1941 to 1945 the Commandant of Japanese Forces as Military Governor of Hong Kong occupied Flagstaff House as their residence. The residence was returned to the Commander of British Forces following the end of World War II.

## List of governors
### British administrators and governors (1841–1941)

| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Origin | Background | Ref |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Duration | Origin | Background | Ref |
| | | Sir Charles Elliot 義律 (1801–1875) Administrator | 26 January 1841 | 12 August 1841 | 198 days | Dresden, Saxony | Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China | |
| | | Alexander Robert Johnston 莊士敦 (1812–1888) Acting Administrator | 22 June 1841 | 1 February 1842 | 224 days | Colombo, Ceylon | Deputy Superintendent of British Trade in China | |
| | | Alexander Robert Johnston 莊士敦 (1812–1888) Acting Administrator | 13 June 1842 | 2 December 1842 | 172 days | Colombo, Ceylon | Deputy Superintendent of British Trade in China | |
| | | Sir Henry Pottinger 砵甸乍 (1789–1856) Administrator | 12 August 1841 | 26 June 1843 | 1 year, 318 days | Ballymacarrett, Ireland | Lieutenant-General, East India Company | |
| 1 | | Sir Henry Pottinger 砵甸乍 (1789–1856) | 26 June 1843 | 8 May 1844 | 317 days | Ballymacarrett, Ireland | Lieutenant-General | |
| 2 | | Sir John Francis Davis 戴維斯 (1795–1890) | 8 May 1844 | 21 March 1848 | 3 years, 315 days | London, England | Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China | |
| 3 | | Sir George Bonham 文咸 (1803–1863) | 21 March 1848 | 13 April 1854 | 6 years, 23 days | London, England | East India Company | |
| 4 | | Sir John Bowring 寶靈 (1792–1872) | 13 April 1854 | 2 May 1859 | 5 years, 19 days | Exeter, England | Member of Parliament (MP) | |
| | | William Caine 堅 (1799–1871) Acting Governor | 2 May 1859 | 9 September 1859 | 130 days | Maynooth, Ireland | Colonial Secretary | |
| 5 | | Sir Hercules Robinson 羅士敏 (1824–1897) | 9 September 1859 | 15 March 1865 | 5 years, 187 days | Westmeath, Ireland | Colonial administrator | |
| | | William Thomas Mercer 孖沙 (1821–1879) Acting Governor | 15 March 1865 | 12 March 1866 | 362 days | London, England | Colonial Secretary | |
| 6 | | Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell 麥當奴 (1814–1881) | 12 March 1866 | 11 April 1872 | 6 years, 30 days | Dublin, Ireland | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Henry Wase Whitfield 威非路 (1814–1877) Lieutenant-Governor | 11 April 1872 | 16 April 1872 | 5 days | England | Commander and lieutenant governor | |
| 7 | | Sir Arthur Kennedy 堅尼地 (1809–1883) | 16 April 1872 | 1 March 1877 | 4 years, 319 days | County Down, Ireland | Colonial administrator | |
| | | John Gardiner Austin 柯士甸 (1811–1900) Administrator | 1 March 1877 | 23 April 1877 | 53 days | Lowlands Plantation, Demerara | Colonial administrator | |
| 8 | | Sir John Pope Hennessy 軒尼詩 (1834–1891) | 23 April 1877 | 7 March 1882 | 4 years, 318 days | County Cork, Ireland | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Malcolm Struan Tonnochy 杜老誌 (1841–1882) Administrator | 7 March 1882 | 28 March 1882 | 21 days | Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, India | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Sir William Henry Marsh 馬師 (1827–1906) Administrator | 28 March 1882 | 30 March 1883 | 1 year, 2 days | England | Colonial administrator | |
| 9 | | Sir George Bowen 寶雲 (1821–1899) | 30 March 1883 | 21 December 1885 | 2 years, 266 days | County Donegal, Ireland | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Sir William Henry Marsh 馬殊 (1827–1906) Officer Administrating the Government | 21 December 1885 | 25 April 1887 | 1 year, 125 days | England | Colonial administrator | |
| | | William Gordon Cameron 金馬倫 (1827–1913) Officer Administering the Government | 25 April 1887 | 6 October 1887 | 164 days | France | Commander and lieutenant governor, British Army | |
| 10 | | Sir William Des Vœux 德輔 (1834–1909) | 6 October 1887 | 7 May 1891 | 3 years, 213 days | Baden-Baden, German Confederation | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Sir George Digby Barker 白加 (1833–1914) Officer Administering the Government | 7 May 1891 | 10 December 1891 | 217 days | Clare, England | Commander and lieutenant governor, British Army | |
| 11 | | Sir William Robinson 羅便臣 (1836–1912) | 10 December 1891 | 1 February 1898 | 6 years, 53 days | Wetherden, England | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Sir Wilsone Black 布力 (1837–1909) Officer Administering the Government | 1 February 1898 | 25 November 1898 | 297 days | Glasgow, Scotland | Commander and lieutenant governor | |
| 12 | | Sir Henry Arthur Blake 卜力 (1840–1918) | 25 November 1898 | 21 November 1903 | 4 years, 361 days | Limerick, Ireland | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Sir Francis Henry May 梅含理 (1860–1922) Officer Administering the Government | 21 November 1903 | 29 July 1904 | 251 days | Dublin, Ireland | Colonial Secretary | |
| 13 | | Sir Matthew Nathan 彌敦 (1862–1939) | 29 July 1904 | 20 April 1907 | 2 years, 265 days | London, England | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Sir Francis Henry May 梅含理 (1860–1922) Officer Administering the Government | 20 April 1907 | 29 July 1907 | 100 days | Dublin, Ireland | Colonial Secretary | |
| 14 | | Sir Frederick Lugard 盧吉 (1858–1945) | 29 July 1907 | 16 March 1912 | 4 years, 231 days | Madras, India | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Claud Severn 施勳 (1869–1933) Officer Administering the Government | 16 March 1912 | 4 July 1912 | 110 days | Adelaide, South Australia | Colonial administrator | |
| 15 | | Sir Francis Henry May 梅含理 (1860–1922) | 4 July 1912 | 12 September 1918 | 6 years, 70 days | Dublin, Ireland | Colonial Secretary | |
| | | Claud Severn 施勳 (1869–1933) Officer Administering the Government | 12 September 1918 | 30 September 1919 | 1 year, 18 days | Adelaide, South Australia | Colonial administrator | |
| 16 | | Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs 司徒拔 (1876–1947) | 30 September 1919 | 31 October 1925 | 6 years, 31 days | Oxford, England | Colonial administrator | |
| 17 | | Sir Cecil Clementi 金文泰 (1875–1947) | 1 November 1925 | 1 February 1930 | 4 years, 92 days | Cawnpore, India | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Thomas Southorn 修頓 (1879–1957) Officer Administering the Government | 1 February 1930 | 9 May 1930 | 97 days | Durham, England | Colonial Secretary | |
| 18 | | Sir William Peel 貝璐 (1875–1945) | 9 May 1930 | 17 May 1935 | 5 years, 8 days | Hexham, England | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Thomas Southorn 修頓 (1879–1957) Officer Administering the Government | 17 May 1935 | 13 September 1935 | 119 days | Leamington Spa, England | Colonial Secretary | |
| | | Norman Lockhart Smith 史美 (1887–1968) Officer Administering the Government | 13 September 1935 | 1 November 1935 | 49 days | Durham, England | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Thomas Southorn 修頓 (1879–1957) Officer Administering the Government | 1 November 1935 | 12 December 1935 | 41 days | Leamington Spa, England | Colonial Secretary | |
| 19 | | Sir Andrew Caldecott 郝德傑 (1884–1951) | 12 December 1935 | 16 April 1937 | 1 year, 125 days | Kent, England | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Norman Lockhart Smith 史美 (1887–1968) Officer Administering the Government | 16 April 1937 | 28 October 1937 | 195 days | Durham, England | Colonial Secretary | |
| 20 | | Sir Geoffry Northcote 羅富國 (1881–1948) | 28 October 1937 | 6 September 1941 | 3 years, 313 days | London, England | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Norman Lockhart Smith 史美 (1887–1968) Officer Administering the Government | 6 September 1941 | 10 September 1941 | 4 days | Durham, England | Colonial Secretary | |
| 21 | | Sir Mark Aitchison Young 楊慕琦 (1886–1974) | 10 September 1941 | 25 December 1941 | 106 days | India | Colonial administrator | |

### Japanese occupation (1941–1945)

| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Origin | Background | Ref |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Duration | Origin | Background | Ref |
| | | Takashi Sakai 酒井隆 (1887–1946) Administrator | 25 December 1941 | 20 February 1942 | 57 days | Kamo, Hiroshima | Lieutenant general | |
| | | Masaichi Niimi 新見政一 (1887–1993) Administrator | 25 December 1941 | 20 February 1942 | 57 days | Hiroshima, Hiroshima | Vice admiral | |
| 1 | | Rensuke Isogai 磯谷廉介 (1886–1967) | 20 February 1942 | 24 December 1944 | 2 years, 308 days | Tanba, Hyōgo | Lieutenant general | |
| 2 | | Hisakazu Tanaka 田中久一 (1889–1947) | 1 February 1945 | 16 August 1945 | 196 days | Himeji, Hyōgo | Lieutenant general | |

### British administrators and governors (1945–1997)

| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Origin | Background | Ref |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Duration | Origin | Background | Ref |
| | | Sir Franklin Charles Gimson 詹遜 (1890–1975) Provisional Governor | 28 August 1945 | 30 August 1945 | 2 days | Leicestershire, England | Colonial Secretary | |
| | | Sir Cecil Harcourt 夏愨 (1892–1959) Military administration | 1 September 1945 | 1 May 1946 | 242 days | London, England | Admiral (Royal Navy) | |
| 21 | | Sir Mark Aitchison Young 楊慕琦 (1886–1974) | 1 May 1946 | 17 May 1947 | 1 year, 16 days | India | Colonial administrator | |
| | | David Mercer MacDougall 麥道高 (1904–1991) Administrator | 17 May 1947 | 25 July 1947 | 69 days | Perth, Scotland | Colonial Secretary | |
| 22 | | Sir Alexander Grantham 葛量洪 (1899–1978) | 25 July 1947 | 31 December 1957 | 10 years, 159 days | London, England | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Edgeworth Beresford David 戴維德 (1908–1965) Administrator | 31 December 1957 | 23 January 1958 | 23 days | Dulwich, England | Colonial Secretary | |
| 23 | | Sir Robert Brown Black 柏立基 (1906–1999) | 23 January 1958 | 31 March 1964 | 6 years, 68 days | Edinburgh, Scotland | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Edmund Brinsley Teesdale 戴斯德 (1915–1997) Administrator | 31 March 1964 | 14 April 1964 | 14 days | Shanghai, China | Colonial Secretary | |
| 24 | | Sir David C. C. Trench 戴麟趾 (1915–1988) | 14 April 1964 | 19 October 1971 | 7 years, 188 days | Quetta, India | Colonial administrator | |
| | | Sir Hugh Norman-Walker 羅樂民 (1916–1985) Administrator | 19 October 1971 | 19 November 1971 | 31 days | London, England | Colonial Secretary | |
| 25 | | Sir Murray MacLehose 麥理浩 (1917–2000) | 19 November 1971 | 8 May 1982 | 10 years, 170 days | Glasgow, Scotland | UK Ambassador to Denmark | |
| | | Sir Philip Haddon-Cave 夏鼎基 (1925–1999) Acting governor | 8 May 1982 | 20 May 1982 | 12 days | Hobart, Australia | Chief Secretary | |
| 26 | | Sir Edward Youde 尤德 (1924–1986) | 20 May 1982 | 4 December 1986 | 4 years, 198 days | Penarth, Wales | UK Ambassador to China | |
| | | Sir David Akers-Jones 鍾逸傑 (1927–2019) Acting governor | 4 December 1986 | 9 April 1987 | 126 days | Sussex, England | Chief Secretary | |
| 27 | | Sir David Wilson 衛奕信 (born 1937) | 9 April 1987 | 3 July 1992 | 5 years, 85 days | Clackmannanshire, Scotland | Diplomat | |
| | | Sir David Ford 霍德 (1935–2017) Acting governor | 3 July 1992 | 9 July 1992 | 6 days | England | Chief Secretary | |
| 28 | | Chris Patten 彭定康 (born 1944) | 9 July 1992 | 30 June 1997 | 4 years, 356 days | Lancashire, England | Chairman of Conservative Party | |

## Firsts

* Charles Elliot, first administrator
* Sir Henry Pottinger, first governor, first Irishman and first Ulsterman to serve in the role
* Sir John Francis Davis, first Sinologist to serve as governor
* Sir John Bowring, first Puritan to serve as governor
* Sir John Pope Hennessy, first Irish Catholic to serve as governor
* Sir Matthew Nathan, first Jew to serve as governor
* Sir Francis H. May, first police chief to serve as governor and the first governor to suffer an assassination attempt (which failed)
* Sir Cecil Clementi, first Indian-born and Cantonese-speaking governor
* Sir Mark Young, first prisoner of war to serve as governor
* Takashi Sakai, first Japanese administrator to serve as governor
* Cecil Harcourt, first British military administrator to serve as governor (all past governors with military service had retired before assuming the post)
* Sir Murray MacLehose, first non-colonial officer to serve as governor; he was a diplomat, a foreign service officer
* Sir Edward Youde, first governor fluent in Mandarin; only governor to die in office
* Chris Patten, first politician to serve as governor; only governor not to don the formal dress as governor; only governor never to have held any title of nobility or knighthood during his tenure, the last Governor of Hong Kong under British rule before 1 July 1997

## Standards

* Standard of the governor of Hong Kong, 1910–1955
* Standard of the governor of Hong Kong, 1955–1959
* Standard of the governor of Hong Kong, 1959–1997