As founded in 1922, the Irish Free State was, like all other Dominions, a constitutional monarchy. It recognised the monarch of the United Kingdom as monarch of Ireland as well. However, most of the monarch's functions were performed on his behalf by the Governor-General, in practice on the advice of the Executive Council. This remained unchanged when the Statute of Westminster stripped away nearly all of the UK Parliament's authority to legislate for the Free State–effectively making the Free State the first internationally recognised independent Irish state.