Queen's man in Tuvalu and the Prime Minister of the tiny Pacific island try to sack each other Duke and Duchess of Cambridge toured the Polynesian island last year The Queen is head of state despite the country gaining independence in 1978 Prime Minister Willy Telavi has written to the Queen for support in sacking his Governor-General Queen has not yet responded to the unusual request The Queen was dragged into an extraordinary constitutional row last night as the Governor-General and Prime Minister of a tiny Pacific island nation tried to sack one another. The Prime Minister of Tuvalu, where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge toured last year, has despatched a letter to the Queen asking her to support his attempts to remove the Governor-General from office. As the nation's flag, with the British emblem in the corner, fluttered over the Parliament building, Governor-General Iakoba Italeli and Prime Minister Willy Telavi, fired angry words at one another as each demanded that the other step down. Row: Governor-General Iakoba Italeli (left) and Prime Minister Willy Telavi (right) have both tried to make the other step down The tit-for-tat row erupted in the capital, Funafuti, after Mr Telavi refused to allow parliament to debate a no-confidence motion in his government, which has ruled since late 2010. Monarch: The Queen is still the head of state in Tuvalu The Governor-General ordered the Prime Minister to remove himself from office, but Mr Telavi was hearing nothing of it. Instead he fired off a letter to Buckingham Palace, informing the Queen that it was his intention to dismiss the Governor-General. "It's is a very complex and confusing constitutional crisis that we're facing," said a spokesperson for the Governor-General who officiates over one of the last outposts of the Commonwealth. He said the Queen, who remains Tuvalu's head of state despite the country of 10,000 gaining independence from Britain in 1978, had not yet given any indication whether she accepts the dismissal of the Governor-General. "Until we hear whether the Prime Minister's attempt to remove him has been confirmed by Her Majesty he remains in office," said the spokesman. Throwing a political spanner into the works is opposition leader Mr Enele Sopoaga, who told Radio New Zealand International that he was standing in as caretaker Prime Minister and he intended to oversee a no-confidence vote in Mr Telavi's government. The 15-seat parliament is expected to meet next Tuesday and decide who should be the new Prime Minister - and if that happens it is likely the Queen will be excused from being drawn into the row. Mr Telavi tells the world in his website that Tuvalu, lying about half way between Australia and Hawaii, is an "undiscovered paradise" with a unique and intact Polynesian culture. Royal connections: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Tuvalu on their tour of the Far East last September He describes its white beaches and turquoise, crystal-clear waters and the natural friendliness of the people and their relaxed way of life. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have visited the islands only once, in 1982, when they were carried around in a ceremonial litter. Princess Margaret arrived there in 1978, but her visit was cut short when she fell ill with viral pneumonia and had to be flown to Australia to recuperate. When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Tuvalu in September last year they danced the night away with flower garlands on their heads and traditional grass skirts on their hips. Island visitors: The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh saw the country during their trip in 1982 Memorable: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were carried above the crowd in a ceremonial litter in Tuvalu