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.

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.

Adam takes charge of GUM

[Disclaimer: The Austenasian Times does not by publishing this article recognise the claim of Thomas of Zenrax to imperial rank.]

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.

Cities Act passed

His Imperial Majesty the Emperor earlier this morning granted Imperial Consent to the Cities Act 2016. The Act of Parliament allows certain towns to be given the status of cities, and designates Wrythe (the capital) and New Richmond (Austenasia’s largest and most populous town) as the Empire’s first two cities. Wrythe and New Richmond will officially become cities in January. Cities will not only elect a Representative to elect them in Parliament, but a Mayor to oversee their local government. The Cities Act specifies that Mayors will be elected alongside Representatives in local elections, but forbids the two offices from being simultaneously held by the same person.

Environmental Office downgraded to Home Office department

An Act of Parliament, granted Imperial Consent this morning, has downgraded the Environmental Office from a government ministry to a department of the Home Office, renaming it to the Environmental Agency in the process. The Environmental Office was founded in February 2009, administered by the Minister for the Environment. This office has now been renamed to the Under-Secretary for the Environment, and the holder of the position will be appointed by the Home Secretary. The Environmental Agency retains all the powers and functions that were held by the Environmental Office. Emperor Jonathan I, who appointed himself Minister for the Environment after the resignation of Lord Charles Clarke in September, has remained as Under-Secretary for the Environment. Speaking to the Austenasian Times, His Imperial Majesty said that “the care of Austenasia’s natural environment should not be seen as an issue separate from others, but as an intrinsic part of our government’s care for the Empire as a whole. All policy decisions made in regards to the internal affairs of Austenasia must be taken with the natural environment constantly in mind, not as an issue to be dealt with by another ministry, and so we felt it appropriate to merge the Environmental Office into the Home Office at the suggestion of His Imperial Highness the Prime Minister.”

Expansion for Wildflower Meadows

The Principality of Wildflower Meadows expanded yesterday for a second time since its foundation in May. A 550 feet-long stretch of the River Wandle and an adjoining area of grass and trees were claimed by Princess Hannah and named Wandleside. Wandleside is situated mere feet away from the Princess’ home in south London, where she was staying having travelled from her university accommodation in Chester for the mid-term reading week. The new annexation has been recognised by Princess Hannah’s fiancé, Emperor Jonathan I, who was present at the annexation and co-founded the principality with her earlier in the year. Wandleside is the first area to be claimed by Wildflower Meadows within the vicinity of the Carshalton Nations, having previously been based entirely in Chester. The principality also expanded last month with the annexation of Grosvenor Park in Chester.

Princess Consort Hannah named Augusta

Emperor Jonathan I has granted the rank of Augusta to his fiancée Princess Consort Hannah in celebration of one year since they entered into a romantic relationship. The new Augusta – who is also the sovereign Princess of Wildflower Meadows – entered into a romantic relationship with the Emperor on 5 November 2015, and the two became engaged to be married on 5 September earlier this year. Princess Hannah now has the style Her Imperial and Serene Highness, and ranks second only to Jonathan I in the Empire in terms of precedence. The title of Augusta is the highest-ranking that the Monarch can bestow. In the classical and medieval Roman Empires, it was given to wives and family members of the Emperors. Only two others have been made Augustae by Austenasian Emperors: the late Dame Bette, former Emperor Mother of Terry I, and Countess Eritoshi, Prime Minister from 2013 to 2015 who relinquished the rank upon her resignation from national politics.

Holy Roman Empire restored!

The Holy Roman Empire, an imperial polity which existed between 800 and 1806, has been re-established by King Quentin I of Wyvern. Emperor Jonathan I yesterday signed a treaty with Quentin I in which the latter was granted recognition of his claim to imperial rank, thus finally legitimising his restored Holy Roman Empire (HRE), a project by Wyvern which has been ongoing since 2014. Taeglan I Nihilus, the Reylan Emperor, gave his consent for Quentin I to be recognised as an Emperor. With Jonathan I, Taeglan I, and Quentin I all now recognised as holding the rank of Emperor, this marks the first time since 1867 that there have been three Emperors of three different imperial states in the West. The original Holy Roman Empire was effectively established in 800, before dissolving during the Napoleonic Wars. Quentin I based his claim to have re-established the HRE on the grounds that Wyvern is situated on land formerly belonging to the Empire, and that he himself is descended from various Holy Roman Emperors. The re-established HRE is structured very similarly to the way in which the original was in the latter part of its existence, as an imperial confederation of sovereign states over which the Holy Roman Emperor holds imperium. The member states of the new Holy Roman Empire are the Kingdom of Wyvern, the Kingdom of Natal, the Principality of Montania, and the Free City of Hoogland, the latter three of which are exclaves of the United States of America.