The population of Austenasia yesterday saw a huge expansion to its highest ever level, rising to 150 after an unprecedented grant of non-residential subjectships.
Thirty six applications for naturalisation have been approved by the Home Office, the largest ever single increase in Austenasia’s population.
The applications came from the Empire’s Honorary Subjects, who were invited to apply for naturalisation in March after a new process for such was authorised by Parliament.
Of the thirty six new non-residential subjects, seven already served as honorary diplomats representing the Empire abroad.
The new Austenasians are from around the world, living in countries including Bulgaria, Egypt, Poland, and Venezuela, although most are from the UK, United States, India, Argentina, and Italy.
This huge influx has resulted in a dramatic change to the proportion of residential and non-residential subjects. The former have always been a significant majority, but although residential subjects still outnumber non-residentials, they now do so only by seventy nine to seventy one.
Political representation of non-residential subjects – already a topic of interest since the premiership of Lord John Gordon – will now be a far more prominent topic of prospective reform.
The government will be communicating with the new Austenasians to find ways in which their specific skills and interests can contribute to the nation.