Fifteen years of independence celebrated
The Empire of Austenasia yesterday celebrated Independence Day, marking fifteen years since the Declaration of Independence was sent in September 2008. Independence Day is celebrated annually on the third Saturday in September. An special commemorative Act of Parliament passed yesterday – the two hundredth of the current reign – extended the public holiday to Wednesday 20th, the actual anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. To mark the occasion, a broadcast has been published by Lord William Wilson, the Prime Minister, reflecting on ideas of identity and legacy, praising the Empire’s governmental system, and encouraging Austenasians to play a role in the civic and cultural life of the nation. Lord Wilson used the broadcast to reveal that he will not be running in next year’s general election. In the capital city, Wrythe, Emperor Jonathan I hosted the Reylan emperor Taeglan I and King Calum I of the Grove for a semi-formal diplomatic reception. Both monarchs hold the rank of Caesar. Wrythe Public Park also saw a time capsule buried to commemorate the occasion. This replaced an earlier capsule buried in 2012, which was unearthed and opened, with its contents to be studied by the Imperial Geographical Society. Celebrations will continue until Wednesday 20th, when an honours list will be released by the Throne.
Diplomatic Residence inaugurated for Emperor and Empress
A property in Portsmouth was yesterday designated the Diplomatic Residence to serve as a home for the imperial couple. Emperor Jonathan I and Empress Hannah moved into the property in November last year, shortly after their wedding. The full title of the property is the Diplomatic Residence of the Envoy to Portsmouth, referring to a position officially given to the Empress on Tuesday 31st January. Tuesday also saw the property blessed by an Orthodox priest who conducted a short house blessing service, sprinkling the rooms with holy water. The Imperial Residence in Wrythe legally remains the official residence of the Monarch. However, Jonathan I and Empress Hannah have since their wedding lived in what is now the Diplomatic Residence. The imperial couple travelled back to Wrythe following Christmas, spending just over a week with their families. The Emperor will continue to return to the capital for important occasions and state events. The Diplomatic Residence, as well as serving as the imperial couple’s home, formally serves as a diplomatic base for the work of the Envoy to Portsmouth, an office tasked with providing diplomatic representation for Austenasia within the city in question.
Emperor pays tribute to Elizabeth II
His Imperial Majesty has released the following statement after learning yesterday of the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II: It was with great sadness and shock that Our Imperial Majesty yesterday learnt of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Having achieved a great age of 96, it was not a surprise; but it was a shock. The end of a reign which lasted for over seventy years could be nothing else. Her passing is a moment of historical significance equalled by little any of us have experienced. It is truly the end of an era. A person who has been an ever-constant presence in the background of our lives has now gone. A symbol par excellence of continuity, dignity, stability, identity, constancy, diplomacy, and duty; gone. Austenasia has always promoted an identity for its people that has complemented rather than conflicted with their existing nationalities. It is due to this that the Imperial Family mourns not just the Queen, but our Queen. We mourn not just as Austenasians, but as Britons. As well as British Austenasians, there are also Austenasians who are Canadian and Australian. Elizabeth II was Queen of just over a quarter of the Austenasian population, and so her death is a blow to our nation as well. The Austenasian Star is flying from the Imperial Residence today vertically, in its customary position of mourning, and as Emperor of Austenasia, our Imperial Majesty pays respectful tribute to the life, reign, and memory of Elizabeth II. Her Majesty was last pictured at the start of this week as she exercised her constitutional duty in the appointment of a new British Prime Minister. Although frail, she was standing and smiling, and few us of who saw those photographs would have imagined she would be dead in two days. Even in the very last days of her life, she carried on working until the very end, performing her duty to her country and her people, informed and inspired by her strong Christian faith. She was, a paragon of duty and service, who dedicated her life to her people until its very end, and a true example to us all. ICJAWrythe, 9 September 2022
Carshalton Day marked with visit from Attorney General
Anthony R. Clark, Attorney General and Governing Commissioner of Amerdansk, visited Carshalton today by invitation of Emperor Jonathan I. June 24th is Carshalton Day, an annual celebration both of the heritage and unity of the “Carshalton Nations” as well as the anniversary of the Liberation of Orly. The occasion was taken by the Emperor to give Mr Clark a guided tour of Orly, before they headed to Wrythe for a working visit to the Imperial Residence. At the Imperial Residence, the Attorney General met the Emperor’s parents and the imperial pet cat Baby, and was able to view various objects of significance including the Imperial Regalia, King Alex’s Bottle, and Diplomabear, in addition to the Micronational Collection in the Imperial Numismatic Museum. The Emperor and Attorney General were then able to have a productive meeting in regards to various issues facing the Empire, before Jonathan I walked Mr Clark to Morden station to depart. As Attorney General since December last year, Mr Clark oversees the Ministry of Justice and is responsible for providing legal advice to the government. His visit to Wrythe marks the first time a Cabinet Minister has visited the capital while in office – with the exception of the Emperor – since Countess Eritoshi the then Chief Ambassador visited Wrythe in early 2016. It was around the same time, March 2016, that Mr Clark founded Amerdansk. He was initially known as Lord Anthony Clark, as Baron of Amerdansk, before it transitioned into a Crown Dependency. He stood in the February 2019 general election, managing to gain 5% of the vote even after dropping out, and was recently elected 33rd Chairman of the Grand Unified Micronational.
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.
Imperial Guard established
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I has established the Imperial Guard by recruiting its first two members on Saturday 25th July. The Armed Forces Act 2020, passed last month, enacted radical reform to the Austenasian military, dissolving the standing armed forces and establishing a system primarily based on reserve militias. One exception to this was an Imperial Guard, which the Monarch was authorised to personally recruit as a standing military unit on active service. The Imperial Guard is to serve as an elite bodyguard unit for the Monarch. Out of the two guards recruited on July 25th, one will be stationed in Wrythe and the other in Chester, thereby providing protection for Emperor Jonathan I in whichever of the two cities he most regularly frequents he happens to be in. The guard stationed in Wrythe is none other than HIH Emperor Father Terry, who has been appointed Captain of the new unit. The Emperor Father served as a tribune and as a legate in the Austenasian Army from 2011 and 2017 respectively up until last month’s reforms.
Coronavirus measures implemented as pandemic continues
On 16 March, three cases of suspected coronavirus infection were reported by the Austenasian Times. All three individuals have by now either tested negative for the coronavirus or stopped displaying symptoms. Despite this good news, the ongoing pandemic and the reactions of governments around the world continue to affect life for all Austenasians, both residential and non-residential. Palasia and Bregusland restricted travel last month, a fact reported by Lonely Planet in a recent article about the reactions of various “micronations” to the pandemic. However, these are not the only towns of Austenasia to have implemented a response to the disease. The Austenasian capital Wrythe, the towns of Theodosiopolis and Dragovina, and the Harlemum March are all under lockdown. Theodosiopolis and Harlemum, which are both represented by Dionisiy I, have furthermore stocked up on protective masks and anti-viral medicine. Kingeston, which consists of uninhabited parkland bordered by Canada, has declared a state of emergency, and is encouraging visitors to observe social distancing and wash their hands. Peach Ponds meanwhile, which likewise consists of parkland (albeit bordered by the USA) has taken a stricter approach, enforcing a stay-at-home and not accepting visitors. In Mouzilo, the sole resident – Manolis Afentoulis, Duke of Thessalia – has implemented strict social distancing and remained within the borders of the crown dependency for over three weeks, working on various cultural projects. With lockdowns and social distancing being enforced in the United Kingdom, United States, and other countries around the world, many activities which Austenasians would usually join outside the borders of Austenasia itself have also been cancelled. Last weekend saw Western Easter unable to be celebrated by the Imperial Family by attending church with other Austenasians, as is customary. Likewise, Emperor Jonathan I and the other Orthodox Christians of Austenasia will be unable to observe Orthodox Easter this upcoming Sunday 19th with church attendance. The Emperor will instead be listening to a livestreamed service from the safety of the Imperial Residence. Likewise, the Imperial Geographical Society conducts an expedition on the first Monday of May, but will not be doing so this year. As long as the pandemic continues, similar measures and precautions will unfortunately have to be taken in order to ensure public health.
Imperial visit to Green Gate
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor visited Green Gate earlier today in the first ever imperial visit to an Austenasian Territory. Green Gate was annexed last month, and is comprised of a wooded area bordering a golf course. This marks the first time that Jonathan I has visited an Austenasian claim other than his home city of Wrythe and the nearby Crown Dependency of Rushymia since Zephyria and Thanasia were ceded to the United Kingdom in 2017. The geographical proximity of Green Gate to Wrythe – both being enclaves of south London – facilitated the ease of planning the visit. While in Green Gate, the Emperor raised the Austenasian Star and surveyed the area. Jonathan I was unable to be received by Lord Zarel Smith, Governor of Green Gate, due to the latter falling ill, but a meeting between the two is planned for the summer.
Tourists hosted at Wrythe
Yesterday saw two tourists visit Wrythe, the first of 2019. Sir Ginge Fullen and Sir Dean Simpson, both knights of the Principality of Sealand, were met by Emperor Jonathan I at Carshalton railway station. After being given the customary tour of historically and culturally significant local sites, including Orly and the former location of Rushymia, the two knights were received at Wrythe, capital of the Empire. At Wrythe, the tourists were given refreshments and signed the Imperial Residence’s guestbook. They also bought some coins and postcards as souvenirs. This visit to Austenasia and Orly is the latest in many trips that the two knights have taken to geopolitical oddities around the world, including Bir Tawil, Freetown Christiania, and Mt Athos. Austenasia’s first tourist visited in 2015, and every year since has seen a small number of tourists visit.
March sees territorial changes for Austenasia
Austenasia has both annexed and ceded land and residents so far this month. A new town, Theodosiopolis, and two new territories, Bregusland and Green Gate, have both been annexed to Austenasia, and the city of New Richmond has expanded with a new property being claimed. Meanwhile, the crown dependency of Jovanovo was ceded to Montenegro on Thursday 21st. Jovanovo had previously been a town, but was made a crown dependency a year ago in order to prevent its founder, Daniel Dankovsky, from influencing the central government after having made various racist statements. Dankovsky was stripped of Austenasian nationality in July last year, and since then Jovanovo had been governed completely autonomously by its own residents. With Jovanovo having no contact with the government, the decision was made to cede all claims to the land. The two new territories of the Empire, Bregusland and Green Gate, are enclaves of Arizona and Greater London respectively. Green Gate is a relatively short distance from the capital, Wrythe, and there are plans for its governor, Lord Zarel Smith, to visit in the near future. Theodosiopolis, the newest Austenasian Town, is an enclave of Amsterdam. Founded by Lord Dionisiy Tedzhan-Smahin – who helped to design last year’s commemorative coins – the town is comprised of two properties and has a population of four people. Finally, Saturday 2nd saw New Richmond expand with the annexation of a sixth non-contiguous property, named Alexandria and currently used as the residence of the Prime Minister. Although the cession of Jovanovo has on paper resulted in a drop in the number of Austenasians (with the population now standing at 83), the new annexations have for all practical purposes greatly increased the population in terms of those who will take an active interest in the government and in their Austenasian identity.