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Emperor’s great-uncle Lord Geoffrey passes away aged 94

Lord Geoffrey Trory, Duke of Belfast yesterday passed away aged 94. A great uncle of Jonathan I on his mother’s side, Lord Geoffrey was first made properly aware of Austenasia during a visit to Wrythe in September 2009. He expressed great interest in and enthusiasm for the then relatively new country, and was named Duke of Belfast by the Emperor in September 2014, a title for which he expressed great thanks. Geoffrey was born in Essex in 1926, and moved to London in 1940. An accomplished church organist, he was a Graduate of the Royal College of Music and held a professional diploma from the Royal College of Organists. He moved to Belfast in 1953, where he spent the rest of his life. Lord Geoffrey is survived by his wife Lady Mabel, whom he married in 1963, their three sons (the eldest of whom, Lord Graham, has inherited his peerage) six grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. Emperor Jonathan I has called for a state of mourning to be observed through the Empire until his late great-uncle’s funeral. UPDATE 13 APRIL 17:10 – Lord Geoffrey’s funeral will take place on the morning of Thursday 15th.

Emperor Grandmother Joyce passes away aged 96

Yesterday evening, HIH Emperor Grandmother Joyce passed away aged 96 after a short illness. Grandmother to Jonathan I and mother-in-law to former Emperor Terry I, Joyce was born in Essex in 1922. Her family moved to London in 1940, and from 1943-46 she served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. On Boxing Day 2008, soon after Austenasian independence, Joyce was given a knighthood by then Emperor Terry I – only the fifth person to be awarded such – after expressing interest in the new Empire. She was also appointed one of the two annual Consuls in 2016, but otherwise had very little actual involvement in Austenasia and never became an Austenasian subject. Emperor Jonathan I has requested that a state of mourning be observed through the Empire until the Emperor Grandmother’s funeral, and for the privacy of the Imperial Family to be respected during this time.