NationStates Jolt Archive

Having recently attained his sixty-fifth year and celebrating his forty-second year on the throne, King Robert VI announced to Parliament today that he would abdicate in favour of the Crown Prince, HRH Prince Henry, citing ‘the desire to enjoy my later years in some measure of peace.’ Upon His Majesty’s renunciation of the throne, the King and Queen will adopt the title of Duke and Duchess of Andvari ‘in celebration of the great successes of Our subjects in shipbuilding and informatics.’ This unprecedented voluntary abdication was met with shock and dismay by the Loyal Monarchist Party (LMP) who promptly stormed from the Hall of Audience in mid-speech, an act that may result in the offending members expulsion from Parliament for lèse-majesté.

In recent years, the King and the Queen Consort Sophia have disengaged themselves from much of court life, prefering to confer such duties on their eldest son ostensibly to prepare Crown Prince Henry for the throne. In a candid interview with Patricia Golminster of INBC 1 two years ago, the King joked that ‘at thirty-seven years of age, it’s about time the Prince took some responsibility in learning the family business.’ The Crown Prince has, however, attended sessions of the Council of State and the Privy Council with his father since his sixteenth year.

HRH Prince Henry follows in the long and distinguished history of the House of Glaines. He attended the University of St Semprini where he achieved a first with honours in chemical engineering, after which he served in the RINN where he rose to the captaincy of the Monarch-class battleship HINMS Queen Ursula. Where he and his brother parted with tradition, the King supported them firmly. When the Crown Prince sought to marry a commoner, the present Crown Princess Christine, the governing Conservative Party split leading to an election and the formation of the Loyal Monarchist Party. When HRH Prince Edward declared he was gay, the Royal Family stood behind him, though their effort to pass a law allowing him to marry the Marquess of Langdon failed in the Senate. It has been said that that event marked the King’s disenchantment with politics.

The King, however, seeks not simply to break with tradition but scuttle it. Before the coronation of a new monarch, the heir or heiress of Nieland is expected to burn an effigy of the former sovereign both to send the old king’s soul to Heaven and to mark the beginning of a new age. As the King seeks ‘to take great pleasure in having a productive and rewarding retirement,’ he has requested that in lieu of the customary byre on the Tueslynn Commons the Royal Shipyards and the Royal Isselmere-Nieland Navy will perform a field testing of the new Coronation-class battleship’s weapons against the retired Monarch-class battleship HINMS Robert VI. ‘Nothing would give me greater honour than to see the power of Our Navy’s flagship in action.’

This has been Sarah Plehven for INBC 1 News.

To: His Isselmerian-Nielander Majesty's Government
From: Mike Sarzo
President, Incorporated States of Sarzonia
Subject: Congratulations

On behalf of the Incorporated States of Sarzonia, I wish to extend my best wishes to King Robert VI of Isselmere-Nieland and to HRH Prince Henry on his ascending to the throne of the United Kingdom. The bells in the Woodstock Chapel will chime 25 times tomorrow in celebration of the King's reign and for HRH Prince Henry.

[OOC: a subtle *tag* and *bump*]

To: His Isselmerian-Nielander Majesty's Government
From: Mike Sarzo
President, Incorporated States of Sarzonia
Subject: Congratulations

On behalf of the Incorporated States of Sarzonia, I wish to extend my best wishes to King Robert VI of Isselmere-Nieland and to HRH Prince Henry on his ascending to the throne of the United Kingdom. The bells in the Woodstock Chapel will chime 25 times tomorrow in celebration of the King's reign and for HRH Prince Henry.

[OOC: a subtle *tag* and *bump*]
To: Mike Sarzo
President, Incorporated States of Sarzonia
From: Robert VI, King of Isselmere and Nieland, etc., Wentworth Palace, Isling, Daurmont, Isselmere, UKIN
Subject: Re:Congratulations

Most honoured brother,

We thank you for the kind words with which you greet us in this time, and we shall forever cherish the kindness you have shown our United Kingdom in our times of need. We hope you will be able to attend the Conference for the Cartel and attend my symbolic (thankfully!) immolation with the Royal Family. We -- though we'll have reverted to a simple 'I' again by then! -- guarantee you a grand wake afterwards. We, by which I mean all eight of us in the Royal Family, would be greatly honoured to meet you and the First Partner.

With deepest respect,

Robert VI
KING
His Isselmerian and Nielander Majesty's Government
Wentworth Palace, Isling, Daurmont, Isselmere, UKIN

To: Robert VI, King of Isselmere and Nieland, etc., Wentworth Palace, Isling, Daurmont, Isselmere, UKIN
From: Grand Admiral Jim, Commander in Chief, Jimnam
Subject: Congratulations.

Honoured Majesty

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate your majesty for your fine leadership that has been shown over the years. We would also like to congratulate Prince Henry on his accention to the throne.

To further show Jimnam's friendship and goodwill to your nation, we would like to offer you a trip to Jimnam. I and my government would be most honoured if you would accept.

Jimnam will celebrate at this momentus occasion for our friends and allies in Isselmere-Nieland.

Long live the King!

Grand Admiral Jim

To: Robert VI, King of Isselmere and Nieland, etc., Wentworth Palace, Isling, Daurmont, Isselmere, UKIN
From: Grand Admiral Jim, Commander in Chief, Jimnam
Subject: Congratulations.

Honoured Majesty

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate your majesty for your fine leadership that has been shown over the years. We would also like to congratulate Prince Henry on his accention to the throne.

To further show Jimnam's friendship and goodwill to your nation, we would like to offer you a trip to Jimnam. I and my government would be most honoured if you would accept.

Jimnam will celebrate at this momentus occasion for our friends and allies in Isselmere-Nieland.

Long live the King!

Grand Admiral Jim
To: Grand Admiral Jim, Commander in Chief, Jimnam
From: Robert VI, King of Isselmere and Nieland, etc., Wentworth Palace, Isling, Daurmont, Isselmere, UKIN
Subject: Congratulations.

Most honoured brother,

We thank you for your kind words in our final days as King of this United Kingdom. We have always taken immense pleasure in the generous and loyal friendship your Exalted Excellency and have witnessed the rise of the great nation of Jimnam under your wise leadership.

It will be our great privilege to visit your glorious nation once the onerous shackles of kingship have been released. We are tremendously honoured to receive such an invitation from your Exalted Excellency.

We hope your ambassador will be able to attend the ceremonies and bear witness to the pride of the United Kingdom's fleet!

Long live Grand Admiral Jim!

With deepest respect,

Robert VI
KING
His Isselmerian and Nielander Majesty's Government
Wentworth Palace, Isling, Daurmont, Isselmere, UKIN

To: Robert VI, King of Isselmere and Nieland, etc., Wentworth Palace, Isling, Daurmont, Isselmere, UKIN
From: Grand Admiral Jim, Commander in Chief, Jimnam
Subject: Official Visit

Honoured Majesty

I would like to thank you personally for accepting my gracious invitation. My Government and myself look forward to showing you and your family around some of Jimnam's beautiful countryside.

Our ambassador will of course attend the ceromony to mark the end of your reign. I would personally like to attend this event and if this is accepted by yourself and your government, I am more than happy to fly out immediately.

Long may our two great nations remain friends and live in peace.

With gracious respect

Grand Admiral Jim

To: Robert VI, King of Isselmere and Nieland, etc., Wentworth Palace, Isling, Daurmont, Isselmere, UKIN
From: Grand Admiral Jim, Commander in Chief, Jimnam
Subject: Official Visit

Honoured Majesty

I would like to thank you personally for accepting my gracious invitation. My Government and myself look forward to showing you and your family around some of Jimnam's beautiful countryside.

Our ambassador will of course attend the ceromony to mark the end of your reign. I would personally like to attend this event and if this is accepted by yourself and your government, I am more than happy to fly out immediately.

Long may our two great nations remain friends and live in peace.

With gracious respect

Grand Admiral Jim
To: Grand Admiral Jim, Commander in Chief, Jimnam
From: Robert VI, King of Isselmere and Nieland, etc., Wentworth Palace, Isling, Daurmont, Isselmere, UKIN
Subject: Re:Official Visit

Most honoured brother,

It would be our great privilege to have your Exalted Excellency attend the ceremonies marking the end of our reign. The Royal Family will be honoured the gracious leader of the glorious nation of Jimnam. We look forward to your arrival.

Long may the great friendship between our two lands last, and long live Grand Admiral Jim!

With utmost respect,

Robert VI
KING
His Isselmerian and Nielander Majesty's Government
Wentworth Palace, Isling, Daurmont, Isselmere, UKIN

(bump in lieu of soon to be written post)

[OOC: Technically, this was supposed to have taken place ages ago, but work and other things prevented all that…]

On the docks of the Sleethaven Royal Naval Base, a majestic island in light grey made ready to depart. It had taken five long years to complete and prepare the HINMS Coronation for RINN service, but it was now ready to embark upon its maiden voyage. The band of the Royal Marines readied itself for three national anthems as the heavily protected motorcades drove up. Though native Isselmere-Nielanders had no qualms with the honoured guests who were generously attending this ceremony of the rebirth of royal authority, the potential threat from foreign agents necessitated the most stringent of measures.

The Royal Family arrived first, followed by the esteemed leaders of Jimnam and Sarzonia. Music filled the air as the band played the Heads of State aboard the Coronation. As the parties alighted on the deck, they were saluted and greeted by the ship’s captain, Capt. Alexander Hardwicke, and a platoon of Royal Marines, whose rifle salute woke an unusually dozy Princess Emma. “The Peers kept me awake all night,” she elucidated, glowering at her sister whose raised eyebrow presaged the making of a lewd comment. As the gangway was removed and the battleship edged itself away from the dock and out into the open sea, Capt Hardwicke took them on a tour. The guests visited the aft main gun turret as it prepared a salvo for the mock engagement before walking through the hangar deck as anti-submarine helicopters and drones were readied for flight. They toured the ship’s other weapons systems before proceeding to the bridge, watched over by Commander Eldridge, to witness the Coronation and her escort cut through the North Atlantic waves en route to the target. The Crown Prince chatted amiably with his fellow captain as the King and Queen chatted with the Sarzonian First Couple and Grand Admiral Jim.

A short note on the ship’s intercom informed Capt Hardwicke the ship was now ready to complete its mission. He duly assembled his guests and escorted them down to the CIC where they would witness the entire process. Rear Admiral Trilby rose from his seat in front of four large screens that relayed the ship’s status and progress. “On the top right-hand screen, we see real-time satellite imagery of the target interposed with targeting information relayed by the Rooks [drones],” Trilby explained. “The red circle advancing over the target in the top left-hand screen indicates the optimum firing range of the Hurricane anti-ship missile. Since we’ll want to get in close enough to use the guns and other missiles, we’ll try to hit something non-vital.”

[to be continued]