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Diplomatic Residence inaugurated for Emperor and Empress

A property in Portsmouth was yesterday designated the Diplomatic Residence to serve as a home for the imperial couple.

Emperor Jonathan I and Empress Hannah moved into the property in November last year, shortly after their wedding.

The full title of the property is the Diplomatic Residence of the Envoy to Portsmouth, referring to a position officially given to the Empress on Tuesday 31st January.

Tuesday also saw the property blessed by an Orthodox priest who conducted a short house blessing service, sprinkling the rooms with holy water.

The Imperial Residence in Wrythe legally remains the official residence of the Monarch. However, Jonathan I and Empress Hannah have since their wedding lived in what is now the Diplomatic Residence.

The imperial couple travelled back to Wrythe following Christmas, spending just over a week with their families. The Emperor will continue to return to the capital for important occasions and state events.

The Diplomatic Residence, as well as serving as the imperial couple’s home, formally serves as a diplomatic base for the work of the Envoy to Portsmouth, an office tasked with providing diplomatic representation for Austenasia within the city in question.

About this article

Additional context relevant to this article.

About Wrythe Wrythe is the historic birthplace and symbolic capital of Austenasia. Austenasia was founded there in September 2008, when the Declaration of Independence was issued from what later became the Imperial Residence. Wrythe subsequently served as the Empire’s Imperial Capital and remains an important location in Austenasian history. Under the Constitution of 2026, Wrythe is retained as the symbolic capital of the Empire.
Who is Jonathan Austen? Jonathan Austen, formerly Emperor Jonathan I Augustus, is the founder and fourth Emperor of Austenasia. He co-founded Austenasia with his family in 2008 and served for many years as Prime Minister before ascending to the throne in 2013. During his reign, Jonathan oversaw a substantial period of Austenasian expansion and development and played a major role in establishing its institutions and foreign relations. He abdicated on 29 September 2024 after more than eleven years as Emperor. Following a period of continued public service after his abdication, Jonathan resigned from his remaining government duties in 2025.