The Emperor catches Covid-19
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and his parents have tested positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus, developing cold-like symptoms. Emperor Jonathan I tested positive for the disease on the morning of Sunday 27th February, after starting to feel unwell the previous evening. The Emperor continues to display cold-like symptoms, and Emperor Mother Margaret has also tested positive for the virus. Emperor Father Terry had tested positive a few days previously, and was likewise displaying cold-like symptoms, but has now recovered. Wrythe had previously been free of the virus since the start of the pandemic. His Imperial Majesty continues to conduct governmental business, and has not stopped working on his duties as Monarch. However, given – in his own words – “any unforeseen developments regarding the ongoing crisis in Ukraine may require a robust and immediate response from the Throne”, Jonathan I has appointed two Counsellors of State to exercise some of his powers if necessary should he be unavailable while resting or should his condition worsen. Counsellors of State are dignitaries who the Emperor can authorise to exercise various of his duties and powers as Monarch in case of short-term unavailability or incapacity. The Prime Minister, Lord William Wilson, has been authorised “to exercise all military functions of the Throne and any duty or power of such related to the administration or command of the Austenasian Armed Forces”. Furthermore, in an emergency, Lord Wilson and fellow Counsellor of State Lord Michael Simpson have been given the authority to jointly give Imperial Consent to an Act of Parliament on the Emperor’s behalf should such be considered urgently necessary. The appointment of Lord Wilson and Lord Simpson as Counsellors of State will last until the end of March, unless otherwise shortened or extended by the Emperor.
Imperial Guard established
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I has established the Imperial Guard by recruiting its first two members on Saturday 25th July. The Armed Forces Act 2020, passed last month, enacted radical reform to the Austenasian military, dissolving the standing armed forces and establishing a system primarily based on reserve militias. One exception to this was an Imperial Guard, which the Monarch was authorised to personally recruit as a standing military unit on active service. The Imperial Guard is to serve as an elite bodyguard unit for the Monarch. Out of the two guards recruited on July 25th, one will be stationed in Wrythe and the other in Chester, thereby providing protection for Emperor Jonathan I in whichever of the two cities he most regularly frequents he happens to be in. The guard stationed in Wrythe is none other than HIH Emperor Father Terry, who has been appointed Captain of the new unit. The Emperor Father served as a tribune and as a legate in the Austenasian Army from 2011 and 2017 respectively up until last month’s reforms.
Military reform passed by Parliament
An Act of Parliament was passed yesterday implementing radical changes to the Austenasian Armed Forces (AAF), dissolving the existing units and making provisions for new ones to be formed. The majority of soldiers in the AAF had enlisted for the Austenasian Civil War over a decade ago, with most having since fallen out of contact with the central government and some even assumed to have forgotten that they were considered Austenasian soldiers. The Austenasian Army and Imperial Air Force have therefore been dissolved, with their members receiving honourable discharges. These reforms reflect that fact that Austenasia has little need of a standing army, having last been in an official state of war in December 2010. In the words of Emperor Jonathan I in Parliament, “the days of teenage gangs marauding around Carshalton in support of various claimants to local thrones is long past”. Yesterday’s legislation has created three new branches for the AAF. Local claims may recruit regiments of Limitanei, which will serve as reserve militia to be mobilised for local defence or emergency purposes. During wartime, the Ministry of Defence will recruit units of Comitatenses, which will not be bound to a specific area but serve as active field troops. Finally, the Imperial Guard will be a bodyguard unit recruited specifically by the Monarch for their personal protection, and will be the only ordinarily active unit.
Military reform act passed
Emperor Jonathan I yesterday gave Imperial Consent to the Armed Forces Act 2015. The Prime Minister, Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy – the author of the legislation – released a statement briefly describing the main points of the Act: “The Armed Forces Act 2015 has codified the rank structure of the Armed Forces in a code similar to that used by the United States Armed Forces, has completely reformed the ranks of the Imperial Air Force, and has established the Joint Administrative Chiefs for the overall administration of the Armed Forces during peacetime.” The Austenasian Armed Forces (AAF) are comprised of the Austenasian Army, the Imperial Navy, and the Imperial Air Force (IAF). The new legislation also adopted flags for the three branches of the AAF. The Austenasian Army currently has 27 personnel, the Imperial Navy has 18, and the Imperial Air Force has 6.