Imperial Family celebrates Christmas
Christmas Day was yesterday celebrated across the Empire. His Imperial Majesty supported UNICEF in his annual Christmas message. In the morning, the Imperial Family attended a service at Carshalton Methodist Church, joined by the Boxall family (the maternal relatives of the Emperor) and other Austenasians. The Imperial Family later hosted the Boxalls at the Imperial Residence for Christmas dinner, presents, and parlour games. Emperor Jonathan I published his yearly Christmas speech on YouTube, quoting from a work which reflects on the contrast between traditional, peaceful views of the Nativity and the grim story of the Massacre of the Innocents, asking his listeners to consider areas of the world today where children are under threat and asking for support for UNICEF, a charity currently working to alleviate suffering in Yemen. Christmas Day has been a public holiday in Austenasia since the country’s foundation. An Imperial Edict was published last year designating Christmas Eve as a day which local authorities can choose to also make a public holiday.
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.
Easter celebrated by the Imperial Family
Easter was yesterday celebrated by the Imperial Family, and across the Empire. Austenasia recognises both Western Easter and Orthodox Easter as public holidays, which this year fell on the same date. Emperor Jonathan I attended a midnight service on Saturday evening at his church, the Greek Orthodox Church of Ss. Constantine and Helen, whereas the rest of the Imperial Family joined the population of Zephyria at a morning service at Carshalton Methodist Church. On Sunday afternoon, Jonathan I and Princess Consort Hannah were hosted with the rest of the Imperial Family at the residence of the Boxalls, the maternal relatives of the Emperor. An evening buffet was enjoyed, and board games played. Western Easter is calculated by the Gregorian calendar and observed by Protestants and Roman Catholics, whereas Orthodox Easter is calculated by the Julian calendar and observed by the Orthodox Church. The two Easters are therefore usually observed separately, but sometimes – as on this year – fall on the same date. This last happened in 2014, and will not occur again until 2025.
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.
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.
Christmas 2016 celebrated by the Imperial Family
Christmas has been celebrated by the extended Austenasian Imperial Family over the past few days. Christmas Day (Sunday 25th) begun with the immediate Imperial Family opening presents in Parliament Hall, then joining the population of Zephyria and the Boxall family (the relatives of Emperor Mother Margaret) for a morning service at Carshalton Methodist Church. Emperor Jonathan I spent the rest of the day with his fiancée Princess Consort Hannah at her house, while the rest of the Imperial Family spent the day at the Boxalls’ house. Emperor Jonathan I released his Christmas broadcast on YouTube, which can be heard here. On Boxing Day (Monday 26th), the Imperial Family hosted the Boxalls and Princess Consort Hannah in the Imperial Residence for the afternoon and evening. A buffet was provided and parlour games enjoyed. Finally, yesterday (Tuesday 27th), the Princess Consort again joined the Imperial Family as they hosted the Allens, family friends of the Imperial Family, for an evening meal. The Austenasian Times hopes all its readers have had a Merry Christmas, and wishes you all a happy 2017.
New pet expected for the Imperial Family
The immediate Imperial Family have announced that they plan to acquire a pet kitten, to arrive in Wrythe on Saturday 10th December. The family have decided that the kitten will be named Rosie, in honour of the late Mascot of the Order of the Bullmastiff, Rose, who passed away in April 2014. Rosie will join Rose’s successor as Mascot, Edd, who – being of a very gentle temperament – is expected to get along well with the new arrival. This will be the first time that the immediate Imperial Family have owned a pet cat, having previously only owned dogs, fish, and hamsters. Rosie was born on 18 October to a cat owned by a friend of the family.
IGS Expedition revisits original route
An expedition of the Imperial Geographical Society (IGS) yesterday retraced the route of its original expedition in 2009, through woods and farmland south of the British village of Bletchingley. The 2009 expedition was the very first launched by the IGS, which had then been in existence for barely two months. Twenty seven people participated in total, with it remaining to date the largest expedition of the IGS. Yesterday’s expedition walked the same route as that taken in 2009, comparing the area today with how it was seven years ago. A small detour had to be taken to find an alternative spot for lunch, with the gate to the clearing used during the original expedition having been locked by the landowners. There were only eight people on yesterday’s expedition; far smaller than the original, but numbering one more than last year’s May bank holiday expedition. Yesterday’s expedition was led by Emperor Jonathan I, with other members of the Imperial Family taking part alongside members of Carshalton Methodist Church. A film of the expedition can be seen here.
Consuls appointed for 2016
New Year’s Day 2016 has seen the appointment of the Emperor’s mother and grandmother as the year’s consuls. The two Consuls of Austenasia are the Empire’s highest judicial authorities, with the duty of passing sentence on convicted criminals. However, due to Austenasia’s practically non-existent crime rate, their function is mostly ceremonial, primarily being used to name the year after. Prime Minister Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy has appointed as 2016’s consuls Emperor Mother Margaret and Emperor Grandmother Joyce, the only two members of the immediate Imperial Family to have not yet served as consul. Emperor Grandmother Joyce, at 93, is the oldest person to have been appointed consul to date, as well as the first consul who is not technically an Austenasian national.
