Lady Evren Filgert and Sir James von Puchow visit Carshalton
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor yesterday gave Lady Evren Filgert and Sir James von Puchow a guided tour of the Carshalton Nations. Emperor Jonathan I met Filgert – currently Acting Representative of the newly annexed Town of Porthbokon – at Mile End in London, where they were then joined by von Puchow of Landashir, who became a non-residential subject of Austenasia last month. The three travelled by train to Carshalton station, and walked the short distance to Orly, where they were given a tour by the Emperor of its constituent states Copan and the Grove and their respective capitals of Memphis and the Secluded Place. The Emperor spoke at length about the history of Orly, mentioning the recent floods, its liberation from foreign rule, and the strange discovery of a turkey carcass in the Grove one and a half years ago. After the tour of Orly, the three of them went to Carshalton High Street and had lunch at a café there. The tour then continued, with Filgert and von Puchow being shown the former site of Rushymia and the Midget Empire from the vantage point of the neighbouring recreation ground. The final point of the tour was the capital itself, Wrythe. The two guests briefly met Crown Princess Caroline and pet bullmastiff Edd, and were then shown Wrythe Pet Cemetery and the ruins of the Orange Pyramid in Wrythe Public Park. The tour of the Carshalton Nations over, the three went back into London. After von Puchow left for Landashir, the Emperor explored Mile End with Lady Evren until it was time for them to depart.
Rose’s ashes buried in Wrythe
An urn containing the ashes of Rose has been buried in Wrythe Pet Cemetery after a short ceremony. Rose, Mascot of the Order of the Bullmastiff and pet of the immediate Imperial Family, died in late April after being diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. After being cremated, her ashes were brought back to Wrythe on 13 May, where the urn containing them was placed in Bullmastiff Hall for the rest of the month. This afternoon, the immediate Imperial Family held a ceremony in Wrythe Public Park during which the urn containing Rose’s ashes was buried in the pet cemetery. The Emperor Father said a few words and placed the urn in the grave which had been dug, after which he, the Emperor, and the Crown Princess each placed some soil on the urn in the grave. The Emperor Mother was also in attendance together with Edd, the surviving pet bullmastiff of the Imperial Family. After the urn had been buried, a plaque was placed over the grave to mark the place of burial, and a rose was fittingly placed on the grave. The ashes were buried close to the grave of Alpha Primus, a puppy of Rose’s who was still-born during her pregnancy in June 2010. In other news, the Emperor announced today to be the first day of Summer 2014 in the Austenasian calendar.
Crown Princess Caroline celebrates 16th birthday
Her Imperial Highness Crown Princess Caroline has celebrated her 16th birthday. Presents and cards were opened in the Imperial Residence in the morning, with the immediate Imperial Family going out for lunch in the early afternoon. The Crown Princess was presented with a birthday cake in the evening. As Heir to the Throne, Crown Princess Caroline has automatically become a member of the Privy Council upon turning 16.
Pancake Day celebrated in Wrythe
Residents of Wrythe this morning celebrated Pancake Day – also known as Shrove Tuesday – the day before Lent in Western Christianity. The tradition in Britain is for pancakes to be made on this day, due to Lent having been a time of fasting from animal products, with milk and eggs needing to be used up. Although fasting during Lent is now rarely observed so strictly in western Europe, the tradition of making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday remained in Britain, and has been continued by the population of Austenasia. Pancakes were cooked this morning in the Imperial Kitchen and enjoyed by the Crown Princess, Emperor Mother and Emperor Father. The Emperor himself was not present due to currently living in university accommodation at Roehampton.
Imperial Family celebrates confirmation and birthday
Not only did the Imperial Family today celebrate the 58th birthday of Emperor Mother Margaret, but also the confirmation of Crown Princess Caroline into the Methodist Church of Great Britain. The day started with both individuals opening some presents in the Imperial Residence. The Imperial Family then attended the confirmation service at Carshalton Methodist Church, joined by the Boxalls (the family of the Emperor Mother). Emperor Jonathan I – who finishes his first term at university at the end of the week – also attended, having come home for the weekend. During the service, Crown Princess Caroline and several other younger people (including Sir Joseph, former Prince of Copan) were confirmed into membership of the Methodist Church of Great Britain. The Imperial Family and Boxalls then had lunch at a nearby gastropub, before the group travelled to the Imperial Residence. At the Imperial Residence, more presents were opened and cake and coffee were served. A list of those present at the celebration in the Imperial Residence is as follows: Emperor Jonathan I, Crown Princess Caroline, Emperor Mother Margaret, Emperor Father Terry, Emperor Grandmother Joyce, Lord Michael (brother of the Emperor Mother), Dame Rosalind (wife of Lord Michael), and their children Lord Timothy and Ladies Catherine and Jennifer.
Countess Eritoshi elected Prime Minister
Her Imperial Highness Countess Eritoshi of Memphis has been elected Prime Minister of Austenasia in the General Election held yesterday, receiving two-thirds of the votes. The remaining one-third of the vote went to Lord John Gordon of Palasia, who has become Deputy Prime Minister. Surprisingly, Lord Marshal William – the third candidate, and Acting PM before the election – did not receive a single vote in the General Election. He and Eritoshi had been considered by many to be the two with the most chance of winning the election. A Local Election took place at the same time. All those elected Representatives gained 100% of the vote in their respective Towns, with nobody choosing the option to abstain from the election implemented in response to only one person running for each office. In Wrythe, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor was re-elected Representative, winning back the seat which he lost to his sister the then Princess Caroline in December 2011. In Zephyria, Lord Marshal William was re-elected Representative, a position he has held uninterruptedly since September 2010. In Thanasia, Countess Eritoshi was elected Representative, having been Acting Representative since Thanasia was annexed in May earlier this year. In Palasia, Lord John Gordon was elected Representative, having been Acting Representative since Palasia was annexed in July earlier this year. Emperor Jonathan I has congratulated Countess Eritoshi on her victory, and has also announced a Cabinet reshuffle, with his sister Crown Princess Caroline no longer a Representative. He himself has replaced the Crown Princess as Chancellor and Secretary-General, and Lord John Gordon has replaced Lord Marshal William as Home Secretary, but the Lord Marshal has kept his other two Cabinet offices as Minister of Defence and Minister for the Environment, and Countess Eritoshi has remained Chief Ambassador. Turnout was 81.8% for the Local Election and 60% for the General Election.
Local Election candidates announced
Those running for Representative in each Town of the Empire for the Local Election on Monday 18th November later this month have been confirmed. Between 28 October and 4 November, any subject (or, under certain circumstances, resident) willing was permitted to publicly announce their intention to run for Representative of their Town. The holder of the office represents their Town in Parliament and is eligible to become Prime Minister and hold positions in Cabinet. In Wrythe, the incumbent Crown Princess Caroline has chosen not to run for a second term as Representative. Her brother the Emperor, who was Representative of Wrythe (while Crown Prince) between September 2008 and December 2011, is running to regain the position. In Zephyria, the incumbent Lord Marshal William is running to be re-elected. Lord Marshal William has been Representative of Zephyria since September 2010, when it was renamed from South Kilttown. In both Thanasia and Palasia, the Acting Representative is hoping to be elected to Representative proper. Countess Eritoshi of Memphis is currently Acting Representative of Thanasia, and Lord John Gordon is currently Acting Representative of Palasia – both have been Acting Representative of their Town since Thanasia and Palasia were annexed by Austenasia in May and July respectively earlier this year. In response to only one candidate standing in every local election, the Emperor has passed an Imperial Edict stating that in each local election there will also be an option to abstain. Should that option receive more votes than the sole candidate, then the election will be regarded as legally inconclusive. Should that happen, the relevant Town Council could exercise the powers of the Representative via voting or appoint their own Acting Representative. Apologies for this news being posted late. This was due to technical difficulties.
Jonathan I celebrates 19th birthday
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I has celebrated his 19th birthday this weekend after returning to Wrythe from Roehampton University on Friday 11th. On Saturday 12th, the Emperor was accompanied by Countess Eritoshi, Emperor Father Terry, Crown Princess Caroline, Air Chief Marshal Micheal, and M. Jones of the Imperial Air Force to a game of laser-tag in Sutton, after which a meal was had at a nearby restaurant. Today, Sunday 13th – the Emperor’s birthday – he attended church in the morning before returning to Wrythe to open presents and cards. Birthday greetings have been received from many friends, foreign leaders, and members of the extended Imperial Family.
Five years of independence celebrated
The fifth anniversary of the Austenasian Declaration of Independence is being celebrated across the Empire with a three-day-long public holiday. The actual anniversary of Austenasia’s founding was Friday 20th, but Independence Day is celebrated today (21st) on the third Saturday of September. His Imperial Majesty the Emperor announced last weekend that a public holiday would be held over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 22nd in celebration of this milestone. Emperor Jonathan I returned home to Wrythe from Roehampton University yesterday on the 20th, having spent the afternoon at Thanasia with Countess Eritoshi of Memphis on the way back. The Emperor appointed her to the ceremonial rank of Augusta by an Imperial Edict, granting her the style of Imperial Highness and making her second only to himself in the order of precedence in the Empire. This morning, Independence Day was marked in New South Scotland with a parade by its Constabulary, an organisation founded by Governing Commissioner Haakon Lindström to enforce law in the Crown Dependency. The celebration was concluded with Mr. Lindström having drinks with the members of the Constabulary. Celebrations continued as Jonathan I this evening accompanied Crown Princess Caroline, Emperor Father Terry and Emperor Mother Margaret to a quiz night at Carshalton Methodist Church with a fish and chips supper, joined by Lord Marshal William and the population of Zephyria and by Lord Michael, Dame Rosalind and Lady Catherine of the Boxall family (the family of the Emperor Mother). Tomorrow, the final day of the independence anniversary holiday, looks set to be a more relaxed day, with no major celebrations planned.
Potato crop harvested
His Imperial Highness Emperor Father Terry has harvested several dozen potatoes which were planted in Wrythe Public Park earlier this year. The Imperial Family ate some of the potatoes with their evening meal tonight. Crown Princess Caroline called them “normal” and “potatoey”. The now Emperor Father also grew a crop of potatoes in August 2009 while still Emperor. Some tomato plants have also been planted in Wrythe Public Park. While the Empire is far from self-sufficient, growing some of our own food is a small step towards decreasing our reliance on the neighbouring United Kingdom.