Editing Iceland (section)

===1918–1944: independence and the Kingdom of Iceland===
{{see also|Kingdom of Iceland|Invasion of Iceland|Iceland in World War II}}
[[File:HMS Berwick (65).jpg|left|thumb|{{HMS|Berwick|65|6}} led the British [[invasion of Iceland]].]]

The [[Danish–Icelandic Act of Union]], an agreement with Denmark signed on 1 December 1918 and valid for 25&nbsp;years, recognised Iceland as a fully sovereign and independent state in a [[personal union]] with Denmark. The Government of Iceland established an embassy in Copenhagen and requested that Denmark carry out on its behalf certain defence and foreign affairs matters, subject to consultation with the Althing. Danish embassies around the world displayed two coats of arms and two flags: those of the Kingdom of Denmark and those of the [[Kingdom of Iceland]]. Iceland's legal position became comparable to those of countries belonging to the Commonwealth of Nations, such as Canada, whose sovereign is King [[Charles III]].

During World War II, Iceland joined Denmark in asserting neutrality. After the [[German occupation of Denmark]] on 9 April 1940, the Althing replaced the King with a regent and declared that the Icelandic government would take control of its own defence and foreign affairs.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.icelandicroots.com/post/2014/11/11/the-occupation-of-iceland-during-world-war-ii |title=Icelandic Roots {{!}} Post |website=Icelandic Roots {{!}} Genealogy Ancestry |date=11 November 2014 |access-date=5 April 2019 |archive-date=18 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220318033638/https://www.icelandicroots.com/post/2014/11/11/the-occupation-of-iceland-during-world-war-ii |url-status=live }}</ref> A month later, British armed forces conducted [[Operation Fork]], the invasion and occupation of the country, violating Icelandic [[Neutrality (international relations)|neutrality]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/politics_and_society/2015/05/12/history_british_forces_occupy_iceland/ |title=History: British forces occupy Iceland |website=Iceland Monitor |access-date=5 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203172541/https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/politics_and_society/2015/05/12/history_british_forces_occupy_iceland/ |archive-date=3 December 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1941, the Government of Iceland, friendly to Britain, invited the then-neutral United States to take over its defence so that Britain could use its troops elsewhere.<ref name=":0" />