Crown

"Crown" was the term ordinarily used in the colonial period in speaking or writing of the king or queen of England as monarch; it also applied to the authority that position represented. The jeweled crown worn by the monarch on state occasions was the symbol of office, rank, and power; hence the use of the word "Crown" in this impersonal sense. The Lords Proprietors of Carolina constituted the earliest source of authority for the colony in England, and it was to them that leaders in Carolina usually turned for advice and guidance.

Negotiations between the Crown and the Proprietors to make Carolina a royal colony were concluded on or about 11 July 1728. It was only a short time before that date that Crown officials began to demonstrate serious interest in the colony. Even after North Carolina became a royal colony, however, many officials appointed by the Lords Proprietors continued in office for a time.