Coronation of Emperor Jonathan I

Several dignitaries visited the Imperial Residence today to attend the coronation of His Imperial Majesty Jonathan I as Emperor of Austenasia. Jonathan I, who ascended to the Throne after the abdication of Declan I last month, crowned himself in his capacity as Founder of Austenasia with the Imperial Diadem on the spot from which he sent the Declaration of Independence via e-mail in September 2008. The guests present were Emperor Taeglan I Nihilus of Reyla, Premier James Puchowski of Landashir, Countess Eritoshi of Memphis, and Air Chief Marshal Sir Micheal Mitchell the head of the Imperial Air Force. Declan I had been invited but was unable to attend due to illness. Acting Prime Minister Lord Marshal William was also unable to attend due to having made prior commitments. A photographer from local newspaper the Sutton Guardian took photographs and video of the guests and the preparations for the coronation and recorded the ceremony, which began at roughly 11:45. The coronation ceremony was based on the guidelines laid out in the 2011 Constitution and the precedent set by the 2009 coronation of Emperor Terry I (now Emperor Father), with influences from the coronations of the British and Russian monarchs. The ceremony began with Jonathan I – wearing the Imperial Robes and Imperial Chain – being seated on a chair on the exact spot where Terry I was crowned and from where the Declaration of Independence was sent. He swore an oath to rule fairly and wisely, defend Austenasia and its people, and to uphold and abide by the law. He was then annointed with holy oil before being handed the Imperial Sceptre by Countess Eritoshi, who helped to officiate as Leader of Ceremonies. With the words “as Founder I crown myself, Imperator Caesar Jonathan Augustus, Emperor of Austenasia”, Jonathan I then placed the Imperial Diadem on his head to shouts of “Vivat Imperator” as those present bowed and saluted before the Austenasian national anthem was played. After the ceremony, Jonathan I and Taeglan I signed the Treaty of Wrythe, in which both emperors formally gave recognition of each other’s full imperial rank while agreeing that either of them addressing another as “Emperor” would not constitute recognition of imperial rank under the Carshaltonian political doctrine of Imperium without the consent of the other, and reaffirmed an earlier treaty of friendship between the two states. The ceremony over, Emperor Father Terry took photographs of the Emperor and his guests before joining them at the Racehorse, a pub in Carshalton, for lunch. There followed a quick visit to the (very) nearby Wessaxon constituent country of Orly and a brief (and unplanned) meeting with Lord Marshal William’s father before Taeglan I and Premier Puchowski departed. The Emperor, his father, the Countess and Air Chief Marshal returned to the Imperial Residence, with the Air Chief Marshal and then the Countess also departing after a few hours of socialising with the Emperor and his sister Crown Princess Caroline. The Sutton Guardian will most likely be publishing an article on the coronation on Thursday 28th February, once more bringing Austenasia to the attention of thousands of local Britons. This will be the third time the Empire has been featured in said paper, which ran articles on Austenasia in January 2009 and September 2011. An album of photographs taken at the coronation can be seen by following this link.

Observation balloon successfully launched

Britons living in the United Kingdom around the Austenasian capital of Wrythe had a strange sight early this afternoon as a large bunch of balloons went floating over their gardens with a camera phone attached. His Imperial Majesty’s Observation Balloon (HIMOB) Ascension was launched by the Emperor and Crown Princess Caroline from the back patio of the Imperial Residence. Constructed by attaching helium balloons to a camera phone, the Ascension had fishing line tied to the balloons with which to guide the craft and pull it back to the ground. The launch, codenamed Operation Roy in honour of the late Prince of Sealand who passed away last year, is the first time that the Empire of Austenasia has constructed and launched any form of aircraft. Developed by the Austenasian Army (with the Emperor overseeing the launch in his capacity as Dux Britanniarum), the designs of the Ascension and a report on Operation Roy will be given to the Imperial Air Force later this week, with an intention for more sophisticated craft to be built in the future.   The Ascension rose far into the air before drifting north due to wind, recording an aerial view of not only Wrythe but several nearby British residences. The fishing line used to guide it got caught around a chimney for some minutes, but the craft floated back around it and was able to be reeled in and the recorded footage uploaded.   A film of the launch of the Ascension can be seen here. Readers who suffer from vertigo or related conditions are warned that the footage is jerky and the camera rotates several times due to the way in which it was attached to the balloons.

Jonathan I announces start of filming on Cool Barbie VIII

I’m very pleased to announce that filming is currently underway for Cool Barbie VIII. I’m hoping this will be a huge success, the best episode yet since IV. I’ve understood from reviews that episodes V and VII are generally people’s least favourite (on the basis of plotlines – the less said about the horrendous effects of episode I the better), and I think that may be because they are very much “stand-alone” episodes. Cool Barbie V shows Corporal Barbie joining Spectrum, and Cool Barbie VII does tie in with the ongoing story arc of Colin, but you don’t need to watch any of V other than the opening scene to understand how VI follows on from IV, and you won’t need to watch episode number VII to understand VIII, it’ll effectively continue straight on from the end of VI. Episode VII just prolongs the storyline, building a bit of tension for the drama of VIII. And it will be dramatic. Two old enemies will return at the same time and bring with them a new one. The ending, too, will be very surprising, although I really can’t give any clues as to what happens. This was originally going to be a two-parter, but I eventually dropped this idea simply because it would take so much time and effort to create the masterpiece originally planned. I’m talking about something maybe as long as forty minutes, with pyrotechnics and CGI required – while it would have been a great achievement to create, the story has been condensed into a single episode with few scenes demanding amazing special effects, just so that this film can be realistically made some time this year. Those of you wanting stories with more than one episode needn’t be disappointed, though, as a tetralogy will follow VIII with a trilogy as a finale afterwards. That being said, VIII will still be a brilliant film. This story has been in the works – believe it or not – since December 2008, when the ATP scripts were first being drafted. It’s been edited quite a bit since then, but it’s great to know that this story will finally be told. ICJA Cheam, 7 February 2013

Austenasia gains a Crown Dependency

The Empire of Austenasia has annexed New South Scotland as a crown dependency, expanding for the first time since 2011. Sovereignty over the former colony of New Wessex was given to Emperor Jonathan I by Declan I on 20 January, a matter of minutes after the former ascended to the Throne, but New South Scotland has only this morning been formally made a crown depencency after the Emperor issued an Imperial Decree setting out its system of government. New South Scotland was created in November last year as a colony for New Wessex by Haakon Lindstrom, who has remained the territory’s leader as Governing Commissioner. Instead of ruling in the place of the King of New Wessex, he now rules in the place of the Emperor. The new territory has been made highly autonomous. Austenasian legislation only applies to the crown dependency by the discretion of the Governing Commissioner, or if the legislation itself explicitly states that it does. New South Scotland will not be taxed, does not have representation in Parliament, and will probably have to be responsible for its own defence. Nevertheless, it is a part of the Empire, with the Austenasian government representing it internationally. New South Scotland is an enclave of the Australian city of Sydney, becoming the first overseas Austenasian territory. It is also by far the largest, spanning over 30,000 square feet. The territory was part of a university campus before being annexed by New Wessex. This marks the first territorial expansion of the Empire since Tincomarus Department (in Commius Flats) was re-annexed in March 2011. New South Scotland has no permanent population, but the Governing Commissioner may recruit New South Scottish citizens – while not Austenasian subjects, they will be regarded as holding allegiance to the Emperor.

Coronation date announced

His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has announced the date of his coronation. The new Monarch, Jonathan I, has announced that the crowning ceremony will take pace in the Imperial Residence on Saturday 23 February, just over a month after he ascended to the Throne. This is much sooner than the previous two coronations – that of Terry I took place eight months after he became Monarch, and that of Esmond III took place just over seven months after he ascended the Throne. The Emperor’s predecessor, Declan I, did not have a coronation, as he was the only Austenasian Monarch to have never set foot in the Empire. Planned visits of Declan I to Wrythe in February and April 2012, for which the possibility of a coronation was discussed, never took place. The Emperor will be crowned with the Imperial Diadem while wearing the other Imperial Regalia (the Chain, Sceptre, and Robes) and sitting in the same spot in which the Declaration of Independence was sent in 2008. Foreign heads of state and nobility have been invited to attend the ceremony.

Declan I abdicates – Jonathan I ascends to the Throne

Declan I has abdicated from the Throne of Austenasia, with the until today Crown Prince becoming Monarch as His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I. At 17:18:07 this afternoon, Declan I made a Declaration of Abdication, announcing his “intention to renounce the Throne of Austenasia and the title and office of Monarch.” At 17:26:30, Emperor Jonathan I – known since the founding of the Empire in September 2008 as Crown Prince Jonathan – signed the Ascension Act 2013, ascending to the Throne. Said Act had been hurriedly written up by the now Emperor as soon as he learnt of his predecessor’s wish to abdicate, and was passed through the House of Representatives in a matter of minutes. The Act was given consent by the Representative of Wrythe, and the now Emperor gave his deciding vote as then Prime Minister to pass it through the House, losing that position by signing it and thus becoming Emperor. As the Emperor cannot be the Prime Minister, Lord Marshal William has becoming Acting Prime Minister until the next General Election, which will take place in or before December 2015. The aforementioned Representative of Wrythe, Princess Caroline, has now become Crown Princess as Heir to the Throne upon her brother’s ascension. Declan I stated that his abdication was for “personal reasons”, and that his life had been “going in a different direction for some time”. HIM Emperor Jonathan I ascends to the Throne as the fourth Emperor of Austenasia, also becoming the fifth King of Rushymia, the sixth Midget Master, and the seventh Theocrat of Atkantia, titles in union with the Austenasian Throne.