Emperor Jonathan I and Princess Hannah return from Soria
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and the Princess Consort returned yesterday evening from a nine month stay in the Spanish city of Soria. Princess Hannah, as part of her university degree, spent the academic year abroad in Spain working as a language assistant in a Spanish primary school. Emperor Jonathan I lived with her for the year. Emperor Father Terry and Emperor Mother Margaret arrived in Soria on Tuesday to help the couple pack and move out. The four flew back from Spain yesterday evening, arriving at Gatwick Airport.
Emperor, Princess Consort and Emperor Father arrive in Soria
Emperor Jonathan I, Princess Consort Hannah and Emperor Father Terry arrived safely in the Spanish city of Soria on Monday evening. The Princess Consort, as part of her university degree, is spending an academic year abroad in Spain working as a language assistant in a Spanish primary school. Emperor Jonathan I will be living with her for the year, working as a private tutor. Emperor Father Terry flew out with the imperial couple from London Gatwick airport on Monday 11th, and will be staying with them until Friday. The Emperor retains full access to the internet, and has stressed that living in Spain for a year will not negatively impact his level of communication with members of government or his ability to exercise his duties as Monarch. Jonathan I and Princess Hannah will return from Spain for a week around Easter next year, and return permanently in June.
State Intelligence Agency publicly acknowledged
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor publicly confirmed the existence of the secretive State Intelligence Agency in an Imperial Edict published earlier today. The existence of the State Intelligence Agency (SIA) had been kept a carefully guarded secret since its creation eight years ago today, on 8 August 2009. The then Emperor Terry I had instructed his son the then Prime Minister, Crown Prince (now Emperor) Jonathan, to create an intelligence agency to guard the national security of the young Austenasian state. Since then, the SIA has engaged in several information-gathering operations to protect the Empire against both foreign and domestic threats. In today’s Edict, the Emperor relinquished direct control over the SIA. Iron Lord Daniel Dankovsky, Acting Representative of the newly-annexed town Jovanovo, has been appointed Director-General of the SIA. The precise activities of the SIA will remain covert.
Edd’s ashes buried in Wrythe
An urn containing the ashes of Edd has been buried in Wrythe Pet Cemetery after a short ceremony. Edd, Mascot of the Order of the Bullmastiff and pet of the immediate Imperial Family, passed away earlier this month from a stroke. This evening, a ceremony was held in Wrythe Public Park during which the urn containing Edd’s ashes was buried in the pet cemetery. The ceremony was attended by Emperor Jonathan I, Princess Consort Hannah, Emperor Father Terry and Emperor Mother Margaret. Jonathan I and the Emperor Father buried the urn while the Emperor Mother recited a poem. The Princess Consort then passed the Emperor the gravemarker, which was placed on top. The gravemarker is made from an old chew-bone of Edd’s, which will be used to mark the place of burial until a permanent plaque is obtained. The ashes were buried next to where those of Rose, Edd’s predecessor as Mascot, were buried in 2014.
Edd dies aged 8
Edd, beloved pet bullmastiff of the Imperial Family, has died aged 8 years old. Edd passed away yesterday in the Imperial Residence after having a stroke. Born in December 2008 and bought as a pet by the then Emperor Terry I in March 2009, Edd lived in the Imperial Residence with his distant relative Rose, whom he succeeded as Mascot of the Order of the Bullmastiff – practically the ceremonial embodiment of Austenasia’s national animal – upon her death in April 2014. With a superb showing pedigree, Edd was shown at ten dog shows between 2009 and 2012, and qualified to be shown at Crufts in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Edd has been succeeded as Mascot of the Order of the Bullmastiff by Lily, Rose’s daughter who lives with a family in Surrey. Edd will be cremated, and his ashes buried in Wrythe Pet Cemetery in the coming weeks.
Film maker visits Wrythe
Earlier today Wrythe was host to Tim Mercier, a film maker and director. Mr Mercier visited Wrythe, the Empire’s capital, to learn more about Austenasia and to assess the possibility of creating a documentary featuring the Empire. He was received by Emperor Jonathan I, who spoke to him about Austenasia’s history, government, and Imperial Family. Mr Mercier also met Emperor Father Terry, Mayor of Wrythe, and the Imperial Family’s two pets. He signed the Imperial Residence’s guestbook, and was given a postcard as a souvenir of the visit. Should the documentary go ahead, it is likely to be about twenty minutes long and shown at various film festivals. Mr Mercier has previously worked for the BBC, and has directed episodes of EastEnders and Holby City.
Emperor Father Terry and Countess Victoria elected Mayors
Apologies for the delayed publication of this news due to technical difficulties. Local elections on Thursday 9th February in Wrythe and New Richmond saw HIH Emperor Father Terry and Victoria Hathaway, Countess of Sidney elected as the respective Mayor for each city. The local elections also saw – as expected – the incumbents Emperor Jonathan I and Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy re-elected as Representatives of Wrythe and of New Richmond respectively. An Act of Parliament passed last month created city status to be granted to various prominent towns. The Emperor called local elections in the two towns granted city status in order for them to elect a mayor. Mayors have the power to chair their city council, veto changes to the city arms, and unilaterally implement bye-laws in relation to local governance. Since his abdication as Emperor in February 2010 up until now, the now Emperor Father Terry has not been involved in politics, but enlisted in the Austenasian Army in August 2011 and served as a consul in 2013. Victoria Hathaway, Countess of Sidney is a resident of a new area of New Richmond annexed to the city in December 2016, and was appointed one of this year’s two consuls on New Year’s Day.
First IGS Expedition held under new rules
The extended Imperial Family yesterday embarked on their annual New Year’s walk on Wimbledon Common, classified as an Imperial Geographical Society expedition under new rules for the organisation. In an Imperial Edict, Emperor Jonathan I laid out rules for the Imperial Geographical Society (IGS) in regards to its structure and the launching of expeditions. Any excursion in which two or more IGS members are partaking may be made an official IGS expedition after obtaining authorisation from the Director of the IGS. Yesterday’s walk, led by Lord Michael, was designated an IGS expedition with four of the eight taking part being members of the society. It is traditional for the immediate Imperial Family to have a walk on Wimbledon Common with the Boxalls (the family of Emperor Mother Margaret) on New Year’s Day, with the walk moved to 2nd January should the 1st be a Sunday. The expedition first explored woodland north of the famous Wimbledon Common Windmill, passing by the Queensmere and Kingsmere ponds, and then traversed the golf course and woodland south of the windmill. In the Imperial Edict, Jonathan I also directed that IGS expeditions “must do everything that is reasonably possible to refrain from damaging the natural environment”. The Imperial Geographical Society was founded in 2009. Yesterday’s expedition was the fifteenth since its foundation, and the third to Wimbledon Common.
Imperial Engagement Party held
Emperor Jonathan I and Princess Consort Hannah yesterday held an engagement party in Wallington. The couple had announced that they had become engaged to be married on 5 September earlier this year. The party was held at the Trinity Centre in Wallington. Emperor Father Terry led the toasts towards the end of the night, and a large buffet was available. The party was attended by the entire population of Greater Wrythe, members and friends of the extended Imperial Family, family and friends of the Princess Consort, and dignitaries such as the ex-Emperor Esmond III and Wildflowerian nobility.
Tourist visit to Austenasia
The Austenasian capital of Wrythe yesterday saw its second tourist visit. His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I met Mike Lewis at Carshalton railway station, from which he gave him a guided tour of the Carshalton Nations which concluded at Wrythe. Princess Consort Hannah joined the Emperor and Mr Lewis towards the end of the tour. Mr Lewis was shown Orly, the site of Rushymia and the Midget Empire, and Muschamp Alley, all sites which are relevant to the Carshalton Nations and their history, with the Emperor giving commentary as they went. They then walked to Wrythe, where – by this point joined by Princess Consort Hannah – the tour concluded with lunch. At the Imperial Residence in Wrythe, Mr Lewis met with Emperor Father Terry, Emperor Mother Margaret, Crown Princess Caroline and the imperial pets Edd the bullmastiff and Rosie the kitten. He was also shown various documents and artefacts of historical interest, presented with a gift of an Austenasian postcard, and signed a guestbook newly acquired for the Imperial Residence. This is the second time a tourist has visited Wrythe, the first having been Jonny Blair in March last year.
