A Governor-General is the person who stands in for the British king or queen in a Commonwealth country that still has that king or queen as head of state — not a republic with a president. Australia, Canada, and New Zealand are the examples students usually know; there are smaller realms too. The Governor-General opens parliament, signs some papers, and represents the Crown on big days. Though actually, the real day-to-day running of the country is done by the elected government; the Governor-General’s job is mostly formal now, a living symbol more than a boss. This is not a US state governor, and it is not the old colonial governor who really ruled a territory. It is also not used for the United Kingdom itself. In a republic inside the Commonwealth, you will look for a president, not a Governor-General. The title is often written with a hyphen in British style.