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.
Emperor and Princess Consort announce engagement upon return from Seville
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I and his consort Princess Hannah of Wildflower Meadows arrived back in the country yesterday after a week-long holiday in the Spanish city of Seville. Whilst there, on Monday 5th the couple became engaged to be married whilst in Maria Luisa Park. The date of the wedding has yet to be announced, but will not be until after mid-2019, when the Princess completes her university course. The Princess Consort was crowned Princess of Wildflower Meadows by the Emperor on 12 May earlier this year upon the creation of a principality for her. On 11 November 2011, Hannah met the then Crown Prince Jonathan at a charity shop while lost in Carshalton. The two did not maintain contact, but met again on 10 September 2015. After several weeks of close friendship they announced the start of a romantic relationship on 5 November. Jonathan I and Princess Hannah spent eight days in Seville, during which they toured major sites of the city such as the Cathedral and royal palace. Whilst there, the imperial couple also met Sir Dominic Connolly, the Austenasian Ambassador to Spain, whom the Emperor knighted into the Order of the Bullmastiff in recognition of Connolly’s diplomatic service and in celebration of the imperial engagement.
Counsellors of State appointed as Emperor leaves on holiday
Emperor Jonathan I has appointed two Counsellors of State to exercise the powers of the Throne in his absence as he leaves for a week’s holiday in Seville, Spain, with his unmarried partner the Princess Consort. His Imperial Majesty will leave for Spain with Princess Consort Hannah tomorrow from Gatwick airport, arriving back on Thursday 8th September. The Emperor has appointed the Prime Minister, Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy, and King Adam I of Überstadt (who also serves as Governing Commissioner of the Austenasian Crown Dependency of Oregonia) as Counsellors of State. In his absence, the two Counsellors will be able to jointly exercise any power of the Throne. Unlike a regency, the appointing of Counsellors of State does not prevent the Monarch from exercising the powers of the Throne himself. This is the third time that Counsellors have been appointed during the current Emperor’s reign; the previous two occasions were also due to holidays.
Emperor graduates with first class honours
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I has graduated from the University of Roehampton, receiving a first class with honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology and Religious Studies. A graduation ceremony was held yesterday at the Royal Festival Hall in South Bank, London. Jonathan I attended along with his parents and Princess Consort Hannah. The Emperor started his three-year course at Roehampton in September 2013, and spent most of term time over said years living in accommodation on campus, in a flat which was temporarily designated Austenasian Embassy to the United Kingdom. During his course, Jonathan I took modules in which he studied topics including the Bible, Christian doctrines, classical and medieval philosophy of religion, the relation of religion to human rights and to art, the person of Jesus Christ, the history and doctrines of Islam, Judaism and Hinduism, and the religious make-up of London. The Emperor chose to take two extra modules in his final year rather than write a dissertation. His highest marked piece of work was a 3100-word essay he wrote in his final term on the way in which Jesus is presented in St. John’s Gospel.
MicroWorld Newsbites – June 2016
GRAND UNIFIED MICRONATIONAL On 4 June, after almost a year as a private venue for professional discussion between politicians and diplomats, the Grand Unified Micronational once more became an intergovernmental organisation, adopting a new Charter. The Empire of Austenasia and many other small nations are once more member states. On 25 June, Co-President Fionnbarra Ó Cathail of Leylandiistan and Gurvata was elected the twenty fourth Chairman of the GUM, beating sole opponent Lord Kit McCarthy by nine votes to one. KUMANO JIRITSU On 11 June, Prime Minister Hatsu Ryuho reached a unity government agreement with his sister the opposition leader Senator Hatsu Sakura under the supervision of Kumano’s head of state O-Hatsu Kenji-sama, father of the two siblings. The two resolved several political issues and resolved to work together for the country despite their disagreements. SANDUS On 29 June, the State of Sandus convened a legislative caucus to amend its citizenship laws. The last time a caucus was held was between February and April 2010, with legislative power usually wielded by the Sôgmô (head of state). ÜBERSTADT The Überstadti navy has been reduced in size to a single ship, with its amphibious landing craft the Bergstrom having been judged beyond repair after being damaged in a gale in August last year. A search for a new amphibious operations vessel is underway. WILDFLOWER MEADOWS On 16 June, Princess Hannah granted the title Duke of Sweetpea Valley to HIM Emperor Jonathan I. The duchy had formerly been held by the Princess herself. ZEALANDIA On 24 June, the People’s Electoral Commission revoked the registration of the Moderate Party, claiming that it was not sufficiently active.
Imperial Geographical Society Expedition to Sealand
The Imperial Geographical Society (IGS) yesterday conducted an expedition to Sealand. Not the Principality of Sealand, a tiny sovereign state off the British coast, but rather a Welsh town of the same name. The expedition, consisting solely of Emperor Jonathan I and Princess Consort Hannah, walked two and a half miles from the latter’s university accommodation in Chester over the English-Welsh border to Sealand, stopping for lunch near the border sign. Sealand is not only of interest due to it sharing a name with the famous Principality; the land used to be marshland under shallow seawater until a land reclamation project in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
MicroWorld Newsbites – May 2016
FLANDRENSIS On 9 May, Gwendolien de Loungville resigned from her post as Minister of Finances & Economy after completing the process of paying back all those who had invested money in the building of the nation, paying off the national debt. JUCLANDIA Over the last weekend of the month, the three political parties of Juclandia held their Congresses in the Palace of the Great National Assembly to elect a new President and General Secretary for each party. Furthermore, it has been announced via MicroWiki that a general election will be held in July or August later this year. LEYLANDIISTAN & GURVATA A new government website has been launched and can be seen here. MOLOSSIA President Baugh has set his nation a goal of having 200 tourists this year, to surpass the average of Nauru, the least-visited member state of the United Nations. As of 22 May, 42 tourists have so far visited Molossia in 2016. SANDUS On 22 May, Sogmo Gaius Soergel announced plans to gradually decentralise the currently absolute power of the monarch. On 26 May, Sandus celebrated seven years since its foundation as Sandefreistikhan in 2009. ÜBERSTADT On 26 May, the king’s father was replaced as High Chancellor – top judge – by Terrah Perera, who King Adam I described as “thoughtful, studious, and articulate… [and] the most qualified Überstadti for this job.” The king’s father, Baron Ballinger, had to resign due to taking up a ministerial position incompatible with being High Chancellor. WILDFLOWER MEADOWS A new sovereign state, the Principality of Wildflower Meadows, has been founded by Emperor Jonathan I and his unmarried partner Princess Consort Hannah, the latter of whom now reigns as Princess of Wildflower Meadows. The principality claims land in and around the British city of Chester, and the Empire earlier today ratified a treaty of mutual recognition which also gave Wildflower Meadows the status of a protected state of Austenasia. ZEALANDIA On 22 May, a new Constitution was published, with Zealandia now a socialist commonwealth after its latest revolution last month. The new Zealandian Constitution can be read here.
Emperor announces local elections as exile ends
As his final fortnight of exile comes to an end, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has announced local elections for four of the Empire’s ten towns: Thanasia, Palasia, New Richmond and Harenfall. The local election will take place on 28 May next month. Those eligible, between the 7th and 14th of May, may stand to be elected their town’s Representative. Since 8 April, Emperor Jonathan I has been in exile from Austenasia, voluntarily serving out a recommended sentence given after the outcome of a trial he arranged after pledging to have the legality of actions he committed while still Crown Prince against Esmond III examined by a court. The Emperor was sentenced to three fortnights of exile, the timing of which would be at his discretion. This final fortnight of exile was served primarily at the Austenasian Embassy to the United Kingdom in Roehampton. In one of the amendments to the Constitution passed last year, local elections can now take place in one or some towns instead of all at once. This is the first time since then that such has taken place. Although the Emperor’s self-imposed exile is now at an end, he will spend six days with his unmarried partner Princess Consort Hannah at her university accomodation in the British city of Chester before travelling back to Wrythe. He will arrive back at Carshalton station on the evening of Thursday 28th.
Christmas 2015 celebrated in Austenasia
The past few days have seen Christmas celebrated across the Empire. On Christmas Day, Friday 25th, the populations of Wrythe and Zephyria attended a morning service at Carshalton Methodist Church. The Imperial Family then had Christmas dinner at the residence of the Boxalls (the maternal relatives of the Emperor). On Boxing Day, Saturday 26th, roles were reversed with the Boxall family being hosted at the Imperial Residence by the Imperial Family. Also joining them was Princess Consort Hannah, the Emperor’s unmarried partner. Emperor Jonathan I published his third annual Christmas broadcast on YouTube on Christmas Day, which can be heard here. In the speech, he reflected on the events of 2015 and on the meaning behind celebrations and anniversaries. Furthermore, Pontifex Maximus Alexander III (also known as Bradley of Dullahan) published a Christmas encyclical, which can be read here. The Austenasian Times wishes all its readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!