High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Governor of Hong Kong was the representative of the British Monarchy by the order of the Privy Council, head of the Government of Hong Kong, ex- officio Commander-in-Chief and Vice-Admiral of Hong Kong during British rule between 1841 and 1997. Upon the end of British rule and the transfer of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China in 1997, most of the civil functions of this office went to the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, and military functions went to commander of the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison.