Meillur News Networks

[Great Hyruke]

Tragedy at Belmont!

Princess Alexia of Connuriste

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Gido Augsburger (@G.AugsburgerRoyalsLife)
^{January 30 2083 | Lausanne, Switzerland}

11:16 am — A great tragedy has struck in the heart of the beloved Imperial Family today as events unfold in a terrible moment in history already being dubbed, the Belmont Incident as the nation and the world is exposed to learn of the murder-suicide of Princess Alexia and her bodyguard, Raul Ryter!

The bloody events occurred at Belmont House, the recently bought country lodge just a few miles northwest of Lausanne, purchased by the Princess in September of last year to serve as her home for visits from Scotland with her husband, the late Duke of Rothesay. Upon her return from Scotland in December, to Belmont House she retreated with Ryter being tasked with her and the house’s security.

Yesterday evening Alexia reportedly visited her parents and siblings at their palace in Lausanne for a family dinner, but left that evening, claiming to be planning a trip to Neuchâtel for the fashion week there with her brother, model Prince George. But whilst Prince George headed for Neuchâtel, Alexia (with Ryter) diverted and head to Belmont, planning to meet her brother in the morning.

However, this morning, when Alexia’s valet Lorian Ringger went to wake the princess, there was no response and Ringger found the door to be locked. Alexia’s friend and fellow socialite Georgina Brown joined in trying to call on her, but they received no response. Ringger hesitated in forcing the door open, but was told to do so by Brown. Ringger eventually broke down the door with an axe, revealing Princess Alexia lying on the bed in a pool of blood and Ryter rigid on the floor.

Without closer examination Ringger called for the Emperor and Empress. Brown, terrified of the scene mistakenly thought that Ryter had shot Alexia and then himself. Told that Alexia had been shot by her own guard, the Emperor and Empress rushed to Belmont with the arrival of police, with the pregnant Empress running into the room, bursting into tears as she went to her daughter’s side. The Empress, despite protests, held the princess’s cold body and it was revealed that she had slit her wrists.

A gun was stood found in the bed. It was then deduced that Alexia in fact shot Ryter and stayed in the room for perhaps several hours before slitting her wrists. As the Empress was attempted to be pulled away from Alexia’s body, she began to complain of abdominal pains and collapsed into her husband’s arms. Paramedics arrived on the scene as the Empress seems to have gone into premature labor.

Princess Alexia of Connuriste and Raul Ryter we’re both declared officially dead at 11:49 am. BelmoNt House and the surrounding area had been sealed by police and National Security services. Empress Charlotte is currently in the hospital, though her entire condition is unknown and the press have not been allowed inside by police and Imperial guard forces, however it seems she may have gone into labor two months early, perhaps induced by the shock of events in Belmont.

[Dutch-Empire]

Royals Life — Dutch Edition
Amsterdam, Dutch-Empire
20 February 2083

A Strategic Royal Wedding
Princess Elizabeth of the Netherlands

AMSTERDAM — Elizabeth Percy, famed and internationally beloved actress and fashion designer returned to the spot light reborn with her marriage to Prince Alexander of the Netherlands in the capital this afternoon. Coming just a week after the termination of Elizabeth’s brief marriage to wealthy banker, Alessio Rohrbach, the wedding was not a grand affair, at least not by royal standards, being uncharacteristically modest for Percy. Even more interesting was her choice in a groom, the 23 year old Prince Alexander of the Netherlands, eldest child and only so of the late King Willem-Alexander II of the Netherlands.

Nearly ten years Elizabeth’s junior, the Derita-born Dutch Prince has kept a low profile in the realm of dynasties and international events, causing him to be dubbed, the Forgotten Prince. Despite this those in power had kept a close eye on him, as by the Edict of Gravenhage he is a heir to the throne outside of the Imperial Family, and by a select minority group in the empire, the liberal Orangist, he is the rightful king. An interesting concern for Elizabeth, whose mother is the current Empress of the Dutch.

According to the Palace’s official statement regarding the wedding, the relationship of the prince and princess began in Vanessa at the Musée d'Orsay whilst Elizabeth was admiring a painting by Feza Mxenge and, struck by her beauty and charm, he asked her out. Elizabeth, already at this point separates from Rohrbach, agreed and the two began a casual courtship. On New Year’s Eve they attended a ball hosted by the Duke of Maine together. Elizabeth then left for Amsterdam, leaving Alexander with her shoe, and not long afterwards he arrive with her shoe and a ring.

Prince Alexander of the Netherlands

The ceremony, done in traditional Protestant procedures was attended by over 800 guests and included The Empress and the Imperial Family, the King of Espana, the Count of Mendoza (the bride’s father) who gave Elizabeth away, Queen Dowager Alexandrine (the groom’s Mother), the Kaiser and Empress of Rhine-East Berlin (the latter of who is the groom’s sister) and the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Hanshalt.

However rumors have taken flight that the story set by the Empress and the palace are false, made up by the Empress and thatvin truth Elizabeth and Rohrbach’s marriage was forcibly terminated, and that she has been forced to marry the much younger prince for political reasons and unite the houses of Wessex and Orange-Nassau. Could it be that the Empress wishes to keep the potential claimant tied down to her daughter so he is not a threat? After they say keep your friends close and enemies closer.

Or perhaps it truly was a love story out of a fairytale for Elizabeth and Alexander and this is the beginning of their happily ever after. Which story do you believe?

[Communist Espana]

Madrid News
Madrid, Espana
20 March 2083

Duke of Xàtiva slashes Foreign Aid

Following several investigations conducted by the Department of Foreign Affairs found that the vast majority of the money sent to other developing nations such as Nukasta and Visayanes found that there was trouble in the money actually reaching it providing the resources for those that need it. Following a rousing speech by Secretary of State, Catarina Cight before the Prime Minister and the King, in which she condemned the wasting of money on helping foreign nations and pointing out the troubled finances of Espana, especially in the wake of the illegal invasion and occupation of the planet of Coffa, it was decided with the King’s permission to cut all foreign aid programs effective immediately, and a hiatus to be placed on them for the next six months.

[Great Hyruke]

Empress Charlotte falls into Coma!

Empress Charlotte of Connuriste

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Gido Augsburger (@G.AugsburgerRoyalsLife)
^{March 23, 2083 | Lausanne, Switzerland}

4:25 pm — Roughly two months following the tragic suicide of Princess Alexia, Dowager Duchess of Rothesay, more struggles effect the Connuriste Imperial Family as Empress Charlotte fell into a coma.

The Empress, who suffered going into premature labor following the discovery of her daughter, the aforementioned Princess Alexia on January 30, gave birth to a small child that day, with the two of them needing to be place on life support as the birth saw the Empress suffer internal bleeding and future birth complications. Meanwhile the new born child, a girl, was having difficultly breathing and had to be rushed to an emergency room in order to save her life.

The delicate baby girl, born two months earlier than planned, was stabilized within a few hours of being born, but was kept under close watch for fear of relapse. Meanwhile, the Empress too went under the knife as a team of royal doctors moved to save her life, stopping the dangerous bleeding. Following nearly nine hours of operation, the Empress was stabilized but had fallen into a deep sleep and had to be closely monitored by doctors just like her daughter.

Two weeks later the two, the baby girl and the Empress seemed to have recovered in the hospital they were finally reunited, during which Charlotte name the child, Princess Alice Amelia Eleanor of Connuriste. However, even as she held little Princess Alice in her arms, the Empress was still unwell and collapsed back into her bed, nearly dropping the child, though she was luckily saved by one of her sisters. Doctors quickly rushed in and Charlotte once again had to be operated on.

Princess Alice of Connuriste however was allowed to leave the hospital after three total weeks, pictured with her eldest sister and brother, Crown Princess Emily and Prince George, though the air was a mixed following the tragedy and somber and the happy and tense series of events so closely set together. Again Charlotte took time to recover, but still she was made to stay at the hospital. It was then made note that the empress will no longer be able to produce children as a result of the difficult birth.

For the next few weeks the Charlotte fell in and out of good health, appearing perfectly fine in one moment and threatening to fall near death the next. Some began to fear that she would die of heart break. But still she fought on. However the future remains unclear as this afternoon, the Empress feel into a comatose state. Whilst she has been stabilized, it has been made the official report states that it is unclear if or when Her Imperial Majesty will wake.

For now thousands across Lausanne and Geneva have gathered to pray for her recovery.

[Kingdom of Derita]

Royals Life
Fontainebleau, Derita
April 11, 2083

Birth of Princess Adela of Anjou!

Today saw great celebrations in the Celestial Empire as the nation celebrated the birthday of the King-Emperor and Empress Alara, turning 90 and 88 respectively was marked with the birth of a new great-grandchild. Princess Louise, Duchess of Anjou, wife of Prince Antoine, Duke of Anjou gave birth a beautiful and healthy baby girl, named Adela Alara Theresa. She comes into the world as the first grandchild of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. As the daughter of the Duke of Anjou, she is fourth-in-line to the throne. She is the third of a select group of Deritain princesses, being a daughter to be the first born of a Deritain prince, with the only other three examples being former Queen Christina of Prussia and Crown Princess Thérèrsa of Romania. Her birth has been celebrated with fireworks and 21 cannons fired in Port Victoria. With her uncles childless, and being born in such a glorious day as this, some have taken it to a sigh that Adela of Anjou may become a great monarch, as the first ever Empress of Derita.

[Les Etats Connuriste]

Connuriste in Crisis? Recession on the horizon?

Emperor Connor II speaks in Lausanne

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Eleanor Riencourt (@EleanorRiencourtCBC)
^{March 27, 2083 | Lausanne, Switzerland}

With an economic crisis in the Empire of Connuriste a very real possibility, the country can pull together and get through these tough times together, claimed the Emperor in a speech he made today.

The GDP of Connuriste has taken hits in the past two successive quarters and many experts have been to quick the describe the situation as having the potential to cause a financial crash not just in our own nation, but around the world. However, according to the Emperor of Connuriste, the situation is not as precarious as some have claimed.

The current situation has been caused by a number of factors, including a shortage of liquidity in the national banks, which has led to reduced lending and consequently reduced investment. Whilst Connuriste in recent years has seen record numbers set in terms of its economic output, the growth may have been too quick and unsustainable which has led to high rates of inflation. Interest rates had been increased to try and offset this inflation, but higher interest rates have led to a fall in overall demand for goods and services in the current market. Governments under Chancellor MacDonald, who remains unresponsive and out of action in hospital, had been committed to maintaining a high value of the Swiss Franc, which has in recent months led to less demand for our exports overseas. In the absence of Chancellor MacDonald, the interim government has had less confidence in cutting deals with local and international businesses, according to Christian Democrat Elizabeth Cole. She said that MacDonald's economic policy is not to blame, only those who have managed this policy in her absence. However, Miss Cole has been accused of merely protecting her party leader by several members of the opposition.

The stagnation and recent drops in the national economy have led to reduced consumer and business confidence in the health of the economy, which in turn may have harmed the economy further. The Swiss People's Party has sought to pressure the rest of the Imperial Council and the Emperor into reducing spending and raising taxes in order to try and balance the books, which has been firmly rejected by Emperor Connor II in his speech today, who has as of last night allegedly promised the Christian Democrats that he will back their policy and plans, in addition to taking over the Chancellor's role in personally meeting with important business clients. To this end, his media team later informed us that the Emperor is in the process of agreeing a nuclear deal with the Kingdom of Racraigua.

As the Emperor stood unshaven in front of TV cameras shortly before noon, he at first appeared to be a man under great stress, understandable in these times, but as he begin to speak, he put fears that he would be disinterested or unmotivated to rest, appearing confident and determined. The Emperor said that 'the (financial) outlook isn't fantastic' but that 'we have to remember that we have been enjoying record highs' and 'the idea that we might enjoy endless growth is unsustainable and ridiculous'. Connor II added that whilst we may not as a nation enjoy the level of luxury we have become used to over the past decade, there is still more than enough to go around for all of us. He promised solutions for unemployment such as recruitment programs for the armed forces and the Connuriste Space Agency, who have completed the construction of several colony ships ready to embark on a journey to creating interstellar colonies - many people will be able to find a place for them in the new world that must be built up.

Continuing with fervor, Connor stressed the importance of unity in what are 'tough times for us all'. Whilst the year seemingly goes further downhill for Connuriste, with matters of money being a problem in addition to terror threats and the absence of several key figures, he urged the people that they must come together and keep faith in their government - 'especially as there are those who seek to further divide us.' The Emperor then went on to claim that further division would only exacerbate our current issues. Expanding on this topic, he declared that despite those in government calling for higher taxes and reduced public spending - aka fiscal austerity - that he would not be authorising such a change in policy as 'either higher taxes or reduced spending, let alone both, will make the common person feel the pinch in their pockets that much harder'. Taxes for the super rich will see a slight increase but for the majority of common middle class people there will be no change. Emperor Connor II then said that he 'will maintain, if not step up public spending, even if it has to come out of my own pocket.' This move has seen mixed reception from financial analysts, there are those who believe higher taxes and reduced public spending (deflationary fiscal policy) would only increase the fall in consumer confidence and spending, causing a secondary decline in the overall economy and causing the country to get stuck in a paradox of thrift, whereby people would have low confidence and spend less, leading to a worse recession, leading to subsequently lower confidence and lower spending and worse recessions if the government offers less services or takes more in tax. However there are also those who worry that keeping policy the way it is will dig us further into a financial hole. However public reception to this proposal has been mostly positive with many individuals believing that ultimately not much in their way of life will change because of the market struggles, with many older citizens of Connuriste reminding others that Connuriste was never an economic powerhouse in the past and that everyone will be just fine. Additionally, according to a poll on CBC conducted yesterday, just over half of voters believed that the economy may fix itself with the return of Chancellor MacDonald. However, there is no way to tell when that may be.

The Emperor proceeded into the latter part of his speech, addressing several less pressing and slightly more trivial affairs, most notably that he and his eldest daughter would be making increased charitable commitments. Before he finished he reiterated that whilst it may be called a recession, there is no shortage of money in the system for anyone, and that those in need of assistance will find that assistance.

At the end of the Emperor's speech there was a short period of questions from select members of the press. These were mostly run-of-the-mill questions but one man asked something particular of note. Christophe Rabiot of Connuriste News Network (CNN) asked the Emperor how confident he was to lead the country in this time of personal turmoil, whether his country was his first priority at its hour of need. A press officer was at first uncertain about the appropriateness of said question, but Emperor Connor II waved their concerns aside, commenting that to be fair, it was a good question. He told Mr. Rabiot that whilst in the past he had not been the most effective servant to his country in his previous periods of personal struggles, he had learned from the past. The Emperor explained that like many of his fellow countrymen and women, the most precious things to him are his family and friends. "Whilst some of my strongest motivations are centered around my family and friends, I'm sure that is the same for most of you." he began to say. "You may be journalists but I doubt journalism is your absolute top priority at all times. Regardless, my friends, such as the Chancellor, and my family, such as Empress Charlotte, aren't with us at the moment. Am I upset about that? Completely. But in their absence I have to hold the fort, and I intend to prove that I can be relied upon and make these people proud, as well as everyone else in our country. That is my motivation, plain and simple."

Shortly following this, Emperor Connor II announced to the media gathered that he would be on his way because he has a charity ball to organise. Time will tell whether his plan for fixing the economy - or at the very least, alleviating the negative effects of the recession - will be effective or not. It seems that his speech today has alleviated some of the fears of the nation, but can he follow up his words and promises with actions and results? Let us know your opinion in the comment section below.

[Monarch Republic]

Monarch News

Just Yesterday,a large Embargo was started by the Monarch Republic on the CPA until the CPA stops selling the following: Slaves, slave meat,and anything slave related.
Here is the Embargo Statement:

Embargo Statement:As per Executive Orderd
73,The Monarch Republic has started a embargo of CPA until the CPA stops selling the following:Slaves,Slave Meat,and anything slave related. All nations that have bought anything off of the CPA except nations that have all ready bought from the Monarch Republic/Asked to not be within the list of Embargoed nations are also under this embargo. If it is violated, the violating Nation will be invaded by the Monarch Republic.

Some critics call this Embargo dumb. Here is some social media reactions:

@Realtyguy46This Embargo is the stupidest thing ever, especially the last line.

@Sniperoftruth I've seen some stupid things,but this is the stupidest thing I have seen. That's from a guy who reads WA proposals all day and is a former sniper for the Army of The Monarch Republic!

The response to this outlash on social media by the Government Of the Monarch Republic:

@GovermentOfMonarchRepublic We are sticking with this plan and that's final!

[Racraigua]

King Jonatan XI announces ambitious power project

King Jonatan XI gives speech in the palace

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Elies Alfaras (@EliesAlfarasRNN)
^{April 1, 2083 | Envodaigua, Racraigua}

"Lights in every house, to show the bright future." These were the words stated by King Jonatan XI in the Istme Daurat Palace as he gave a short announcement speech as he and his advisory council, the National Assembly of Racraigua on his new "Envodaigua Power Project, or Enpopro as some have dubbed it. For the last two decades, following the terrible Eruption of Mount Colldefont in 2061 and the disastrous Trenscomtat Earthquake of 2063 that cost the lives of nearly sixty thousand people, struggles to further progress the nation have plagued the nation, especially in the south and the west, with much of the nation gaining its electricity from aged energy systems such as the old gas burning power plants.

While some companies, such as Taulats Energy Inc. have tried to see the nation switch over to renewable energy, construction beginning enmass wind farms across the northern and windy peninsulas and isles in 2067. Solar Farms too have been tried, though they have been found to only be optimal in a few areas across the southern coast in the tropical hills of the Duaigues Mountains. But even with this, the costs have found many unable to enjoy the profits as in the end, renewable energy only provides about! or roughly one fifth of the energy consumed by the entire nation and not nearly enough to provide power to everyone in the country.

Enter Enpopro, the Envodaigua Power Project, a plan to introduce nuclear fusion power to the nation by providing power to an estimated 66.29% of the residents of the capital city of Racraigua, or roughly enough power for 579,690 people. According to King Jonatan XI, "it is time for Racraigua to move forward, upward and beyond", stating that "this [project] will provide jobs for thousands of workers in the capital. It will provide safe and clean energy for hundreds of thousands." The project came about as the result of a series of deal making between the King and Emperor Connor II of Connuriste in order to act as "a mutually beneficial project". According to sources the project is predicted to last five years for the construction of the Enpopro Plant outside the capital and set to be paid off by 2092.

"The world," King Jonatan XI said as he closed, "is ever changing, and it does not benefit those who lag behind. No matter what struggle or strife that may have attempted to bring us down, it shall not over come us. Envodaigua is just the beginning. By the end of the century it shall be the entire kingdom. There will be power and light in every home across Racraigua. And we shall see that our future is bright, and we shall not stop there, for above it all we stand."

[Beliany]

Bleugate Observer
Bleugate, Beliany
April 12, 2083

Marthe Masson new conservative Prime Minister

Marthe Masson has been appointed the new Prime Minister of Beliany following a general election after a vote of no confidence was place in Étienne de Rhodeste, who has been the liberal Prime Minister for the last ten years. The election brought about an unexpected sweeping change to the National Assembly as conservatives seized power in the country. As Prime Minister Masson arrived at Rue de la Roi / Wetsraat, she had this to say:

”I am very excited, very aware of the responsibilities. His Majesty The King has asked me to form a new administration and I have accepted. It is, naturally, the greatest honour that can come to any citizen in a great democracy such as ours. I know full well the responsibilities that await me as I take on this great office and I'll strive unceasingly to try to fulfil the trust and confidence that the Belian people have placed in me and the things in which I believe. And I would just like to remember for everyone that this is a strong nation of strong people, and we shall prosper over any herdle that may be so unfortunate to come in our way. and to all the Belian people—howsoever they voted—may I say this. Now that the Election is over, may we get together and strive to serve and strengthen the country of which we're so proud to be a part. And finally, one last thing: There is now work to be done.”

[Great New England Confederation]

Interstellar News Channel

Military News

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Stellar Army Conducts Trials for Fast Assault Tank (F.A.T) Program

Jenkins Engineering JF-17, winner of the Fast Assault Tank (FAT) Trials

Trinity Enginnerings TN-57 Jackel, Runnerup in the trials

Excalibur Aeronautics EA-8 Jaguar, disqualified due to reliability issues when compared to its competitors


The Stellar Army put out specifications for a new battle tank last month, seeking to replace aging and obsolete main battle tanks that remained in Service from the time of the reign of the Stellar Imperium. While this had originally been planned for relatively conventional vehicles, this changed when three companies came forward with a radical design. The three competitors, Trinity Engineering (Subsection of Trinity Driveyards), Excalibur Aeronautics, and Jenkins Engineering, each came forward with a different variation and concept of hover tank. Each vehicle had far surpassed the specifications required by the trials, and each of the three vehicles far outperformed their more conventional contemporaries during the trial. The Vehicles were subject to five different testing categories during the trial, which tested them under stressful battlefield conditions in the Ash Wastes of Necromunda. These five categories included Mobility, Endurance, Accuracy, Firepower and Survivability, and included both blank and live fire demonstrations of both the main and secondary armaments of each vehicle, as well as live fire testing of the defenses of each vehicle (without a crew of course). The Trials lasted for around five days, with each day being dedicated to a testing category.

There Were multiple observers viewing the trials, including multiple high ranking Stellar Army commanders, King William, and a few foreign observers from Connuriste who had been invited to observe the trials. The three hover tanks each completely outstripped their contemporaries in the Mobility category, with the JF-17 proving to be the most agile and mobile of the three, thanks to its ability to sidestrafe while in motion. It was in the Endurance Category that the Excalibur Aeronautics entry ran into a snag, as it experienced a minor failure in its lift system after around four hours of operation. Both of the other two options managed to make the rest of the Endurance phase with no malfunctions or break downs, though the JF-17 did prove to be able to go longer without refueling, thanks to its optimally designed hydrogen fuel cells. It was in the Accuracy phase that the JF-17 really hit its stride, as it managed to hit 497 out of 500 shots, with the final 150 all being shots on the move, and with the farthest target being at around seven kilometers. During the firepower phase the TN-57 proved that it had the more destructive gun, however the JF-17 proved it could make up for its smaller caliber with its far deadlier shells and much higher rate of fire, allowing it to put twenty rounds down range for every one round the TN-57 fired, with only a minor loss of penetrative ability. Both vehicles were extremely similar in the Survivability phase, though the TN-57 did have somewhat thicker armor, the JF-17 made up for it with the implementation of a forcefield, which allowed it to prevent a round from impacting its armor in the first place.

The results of the trial were analyzed carefully by the commanders present, as well as King William, all of whom agreed on which vehicle had proven superior, and announced that the JF-17 had won the trials, and would be brought into service, although the TN-57 would still be considered as a secondary vehicle for use in supplement to the JF-17. The Stellar Army Command Council has placed an order for 45,000 JF-17s, with intentions to expand the order as needed to stock the many armored and mechanized battalions of the Stellar Military. The Stellar Navy Marine Corps has also placed an order of an additional 65,000 vehicles, while the Stellar Army Reserve Guard has ordered around 15,000, again with intentions to expand the order as necessary.

---

Necromunda Arms Company Signs Arms Agreement with Connuriste

The N-5 Necromunda Pattern Beam Rifle

The planet of Necromunda is famous for being a particularly hostile and deadly place, just barely crossing the threshold of habitability. However Necromunda is also the place of origin of the primary small arm of the Stellar Army, the N-5 Beam Rifle, also commonly called the Necromunda Pattern Beam Rifle, which is famed for its accuracy, reliability, lethality, and ease of manufacture. Until now the weapon has been almost exclusively used by the Stellar Military, however that has changed, as Necromunda Electronic Arms (NEA), with approval from the Stellar Military, has agreed to sign an Arms Contract with the military forces of Connuriste, in which it will sell the weapons to the Connuristes.

[Beliany]

Royals Life — Beliany Edition
Bleugate, Beliany
April 15, 2083

King and Queen’s Separation.

BLEUGATE, — Schonenberg Palace wrote the unhappy ending today to a storybook marriage gone badly wrong, a seven-sentence-long announcement that Leopold I, King of Beliany, and Antoinette of Polonge, Queen of Beliany had agreed to separate after 6 years as husband and wife.

Prime Minister Marthe Masson, only recently elected, who broke the news in a nationally televised appearance before a hushed National Assembly, sought to cushion the blow by emphasizing that the royal couple did not intend to divorce and would continue to carry on their royal and constitutional duties separately as the King and Queen of Beliany.

'This decision has been reached without issue, and they will both continue to participate fully in the upbringing of their children,' Mrs. Masson said, reading from the text. Though some have doubted the nature of the separation, with already rumors flying that it is being forced upon the Queen, who was seen leaving the Schoneburg Palace in tears with Prince Régis and Prince Quentin. Some have gone as far as to call it the greatest upheaval in the monarchy since its restoration.

Among other things, the arrangement poses difficult questions about how, exactly, the monarchy will function in the future, with the King and Queen leading separate lives, inside separate palaces, surrounded by separate and potentially rival courts.

It also raises doubts on a more human level: can the ancient protocols and traditions of the monarchy accommodate the tricky conventions of marriage and family in the 2080’s, with the special demands of single parenthood and joint custody? Even trickier, will the royal couple be able to date other people?

The sudden announcement seemed to stun many Belians, despite months of intense speculation in Belian newspapers that the marriage that began in 2082 as a fairy tale come true had devolved into a loveless affair, with the King and the Queen living all but separate lives, though in all fairness these reports had been regulated to the pages of seemingly baseless tabloids.

When the King wed the former Archduchess Antoinette of Polonge in November 2077, their marriage was breathlessly described as 'the wedding of the century,' a spectacle of pomp and pageantry broadcast to millions of viewers around the world. The Queen, in particular, went on to become a beloved icon of the Belian monarchy, widely admired in Beliany and beyond for her charitable personality and elegant beauty.

Today, even as the announcement was being read in Parliament, King Leopold, who is 41, and the Queen, 28, were in different parts of Beliany. The Queen has already left Schonenberg Palace, the Royal Castle just outside of Bleugate for the smaller but still luxurious Château les Colrgues in Uccle and was organizing the upcoming Royal Easter Egg Hunt. The King, in Schonenberg was unreachable. Neither made any remarks referring to the separation.

The gravity of today's announcement was underscored by Mrs. Masson, who is in the midst of forming the new Administration of government. She was forced to cancel a scheduled afternoon meeting with the Deritain ambassador, Count Christophe de Pamor, in order to read the palace statement to the National Assembly.

Both Mrs. Masson and the palace insisted that the line of succession to the throne was unaffected, and the Prime Minister even told National Assembly there was nothing in the decision to prevent the Queen form continuing to act and be respected as the position she still currently holds.

Mrs. Masson said the King and Queen only intended to live separately while jointly rearing their two sons, Princes Régis, 4, and Quentin, 16 months. It was not made clear the arrangement set for the three princes of the King from his first marriage, Prince Baudouin, Duke of Brabant, 17, Prince Christopher, 13, and Prince Philippe, 12.

In recent months, unconfirmed press reports in Beliany have suggested that the King might have had other romantic interests. King Leopold was said to be closer to Lady Ine Wauters, music instructor to the Duke of Brabant, than to his wife when sources said that “[the King] prefers sinful music versus any faithful service with the Queen.” It was noted that the King’s first marriage to the late Queen Cécile began as a scandalous affair with a lady.

There have been recurrent reports over the past few months that the King and Queen were growing apart, their differences magnified over time. He likes solitary days on the piano; she prefers family beach outings. He is fond of classical music; she adores pop. He immerses himself in playbooks and poems and organic gardening; she reads light romantic novels and the Holy Bible.

At the same time, the Queen emerged more and more as a person in her own right, plunging into charity causes and speaking out on cultural tolerance, searching to deal centuries old divisions in the country. She has been described as the “most pious woman to ever walk through Beliany” and the “most devout Christian queen”.

Meanwhile, in public appearances, the couple often appeared uncomfortable in each other's company. On a trip to Seidang last month, their discomfort was so apparent that reporters took to calling them 'Mon. and Mde. des Pondent.', a play on the word despondent. Even more so that it has been pointed out that the king has made less and less public appearances, leaving tasks to be completed by the Queen alone.

Both the Government and the palace appealed to Beliany’ aggressive tabloid press today to give the King and Queen privacy in the coming days, although the news is almost certainly going to increase pressure on the couple from photographers.

In the National Assembly, Mrs. Masson’s announcement today brought widespread expressions of sympathy. Étienne de Rhodeste, the former Prime Minister, rose in the National Assembly to describe Mrs. Masson’s announcement as “one of the saddest made by any Prime Minister in modern times.”

But one person, Robin de Koster, a militant member of a third Party who favors abolition of the monarchy, said the royal family had pushed its own “self-destruct button”, claiming further that “It is high time we stopped this charade of swearing allegiance to the King and his heirs and successors, because we don't know from time to time who they are,' he said.

To loud cheers, Mrs. Masson turned to Mr. de Koster and said, “You do not, I believe, speak for the nation or any significant part of it.”

[Rhine-East Berlin]

Berlin Times
Berlin, Rhine-East Berlin
April 16, 2083

Deadly Plan Crash in Berlin!

9 people are dead and 53 injured as a deadly plane crash struck the city center in the capital today. The disaster began when the private jet of the Duchess of Saxe-Hanshalt suddenly stalled as it prepared to land at the Kaiser’s private airport just outside the city as she was returning from a trip to Amsterdam. Suddenly, for as of yet unknown reason, the plane turned to a nose dive, plummeting into the city, exploding just several blocks from the Zentrumpalast.

The crash site, spanding several cities blocks had yet to be cleared, with fires having raged in many of the buildings nearby. There has also been spotted a large opening in the road, suggesting that the force of the plan caused the road to crack and collapse into the subway lines. Firefighters are working to stop the fires, and have managed to pulled nearly seventy people from the ghastly scene. The Duchess and all occupants have been found among the dead.

[Dutch-Empire]

De Laaglanden
Amsterdam, Dutch-Empire
April 17, 2083

Journalist Reece Saunders flees to Netherlands

Reece Saunders, a former journalist for the An Beag, a popular newspaper company in Saunders’ native Scotland, has been given asylum in Amsterdam following a made dash flight from the city of Edinburgh two weeks ago. According to Saunders the An Beag has become censored heavily by the Scottish Crown, and has been made to show only stories that support Queen Adelaide and her regime. Saunders says that he recently received sensative information that would make a headlining story but was told that he could not run the story as it would not be in the interests of the Queen. When Saunders protested, his superiors threaten to had him over to the police and face judgement, a judgement that Saunders argues would have surely meant death. Instead he sneak out of the country, arriving first in Great Hyruke before fleeing to Amsterdam where the Dutch government has granted him asylum and protection.

[Beliany]

Royals Life — Beliany Edition
Bleugate, Beliany
April 19, 2083

Crown Prince Baudouin Engaged

Prince Baudouin, Duke of Brabant

The forthcoming wedding of the crown prince to a fetching foreign princess has given the country something to smile about after a monumental scandal in the monarchy broke out. The government hopes the marriage, set for spring of next year, will revive national pride and perhaps halt what many observers see as the slow fragmentation of Beliany.

The monarchy is one of the few institutions widely accepted by both the Dutch-speaking in the east and the Deritain speakers in the western region and the highest contested enclave of Bleugate. The reasoning is that anything that strengthens the monarchy also strengthens the tenuous bonds between east and west. But at the same time, Beliany’s bipolar tensions are being highlighted by the country's major administration change in the past week.

Following a centuries-old custom, Prince Baudouin and his fiancée, Princess Sofia of Scots, are making a series of ceremonial visits, known as joyeuses entrees, to the towns that may one day form part of their realm.

In this pluvious country, however, it seems that a little rain must fall on every parade. The media have latched onto rumors of an indiscretion by the prince's father, King Leopold. This is all in the wake of his separation from Queen Antoinette last week. The buzz is that the king has a lover in the Royal Court.

From behind the high walls of its vast estate at Laeken in Bleugate, the royal household has declined to comment on the rumors filling the newspapers and the nightly television news. The Belian royal family is one of the world's most secretive. King Leopold, before this sudden scandal, was known to be austere and remote, the artist king.

Princess Sofia of Scots

Baudouin, the Crown Prince and the future king of Beliany is quite young, having just turned seventeen years old two weeks ago. He has left a very private life raised in a loving relationship with his father and mother, the late Queen Cécile in Great Hyruke before becoming the Duke of Brabant. He has attended Baladenord Academy, a prestigious private school in Laeken. He was in a relationship reportedly with Princess Stéphanie of the Netherlands, but following the second treaty of Glasgow he started a relationship with Princess Sofia.

The king and government's assent is needed for a member of the royal family to marry, and King Leopold and Mrs. Masson both quickly gave it. One journalist spoke on his support of the match and the monarchy, in distasteful reference to de Koster. "In a republic, the election of a president would probably very quickly result in a definitive division of Beliany," the paper remarked. "So better to have a king, provided that he knows his place in the world, and does not attempt to exert too much influence on social and political life."

However with the King’s shocking and unpopular separation from the Queen, who was noticibly absent from the engagement party, and his opinion polls marking a drop to 78% from last year’s 85% it seems that a new royal face is needed and now heads turn to the little talked about but hugely important Prince Baudouin.

One possibility is that the lovely and free spirited Princess Sofia, 22, will bring a breath of fresh air into the stuffy royal household. Plans are afoot for a big, informal party at the Laeken palace next month, with 1,000 ordinary Belians invited from every corner of the nation.

The young Prince Baudouin sees keeping Beliany together as his most important task. But will there be a kingdom for him to look forward to? Eastern demands for more tax autonomy and for a separation of the health-care and family-allowance regimes, two key factors holding the country together, clash with Western interests. And the upheaval of the monarchy may see it break apart.

Schonenberg Palace

Perhaps however the wedding of Prince Baudouin and Princess Sofia shall bring everyone together once again in friendship and compromise.

[Kingdom of Derita]

Fontainebleau Times
Fontainebleau, Derita
April 20, 2083

Variés the Younger takes Office!

Variés the Younger amongst celebrators of his political victory

FONTAINEBLEAU— Magnus Variés Jr., better known as Variés the Younger, has followed in his father’s footsteps as he was appointed the fifth Prime Minister of the Celestial Empire, breaking the four year old hold that the ultra-royalists have hand on the government under the Hollande Administration. The Duke of Angoulême, serving as Prime Minister since 2079, quietly stepped down last night at the request of he King-Emperor, retreating to his private estate in the fashionable Lacmontaigne Region.

Variés the Younger, the 37 year old third son of Magnus Variés the Elder (Prime Minister from 2067 to 2079) has made a great name for himself over the past few years, becoming internationally known as a strong believer of the importance of peace and international cooperation during his speech during the frightful Lacmontaigne Crisis in 2081, leading to his greater gain powers as First Secretary of the Celestial Empire. He was notably a great supporter of the formation of the League of Harmony.

As he becomes prime minister, he is being seen as both a compromise and a dissatisfaction for many, nicknamed the Light Blue Secretary for his great loyalty to the King-Emperor and official conservative stance but his many liberal leanings. Variés the Younger has said that he wishes to protect the Celestial Empire from threats that might come from outside of the empire’s borders, but that he wishes to reverse the heavily militaristic and aggressive policies of the Duke of Angoulême in order to return Derita to the peace making capital of the galaxy.

[Beliany]

Royals Life — Beliany Edition
Uccle, Beliany
April 21, 2083

Has the King broken the Monarchy?

Leopold, King of Beliany, who further shocks the nation

At the Royal Easter Day Banquet it was hoped that today, set to remember resurrection of the Christian savior Jesus Christ, that we would see the resurrection of the King and Queen’s marriage. We were terribly mistaken in that hope.

The Royal Family arrived at the Château les Colrgues, the two halves together as Queen Antoinette hosted the Easter Day Egg Hunt. As the Queen and the Duchess of Brabant to be Princess Sofia charmed the guests with their two types of charm, the Queen being soft spoke and pious and regal; whilst the Princess is lively, outspoken and fun; things seem to be going well.

This marked the first time since the announcement of the couple’s separation announcement that they were in the same place. But they were just two in a sea of guests that included aside from the Royal Family, Count Jans and Countess Frederica van Sessné, the maternal great-grandparents of The Duke of Brabant, and Archduke Maximilian of Polonge.

Queen Antoinette, learning of the engagement of the Duke of Brabant, congratulated her stepson and the lovely bride-to-be. Meanwhile the Duke of Brabant performed a short musical piece composed by Archduke Maximilian. The sky was clear and the weather positively beautiful as the younger ones, including Prince Christopher and Prince Philippe, participated in the Egg Hunt, becoming the perfect day.

As the day winded down the Royal Family treated the public to gifts, the princes and princess passing out baskets of food, toys and candy. Archduke Maximilian was seen showing off tricks with his dog, Liszt (a gift from the King) to local children. Meanwhile the Queen lead a prayer. The King however for a time seem to completely disappear from view.

Inside the Château les Colrgues the King greeted the Royal Family as they sat down for dinner. The last super one might say of the precious calm and piece that the monarchy had so long enjoyed in Beliany. The trouble began almost immediately as the three princes sat with the Count and Count van Sessné and the King and Archduke Maximilian. As Princess Sofia entered the dining room, the doors were suddenly closed and the Queen was barred from entry.

According to eye witness accounts, the Queen attempted to have the doormen open up the doors to the dining room and when they refused she attempted and failed to gain entry before breaking down in tears. Two of her lady-in-waiting, Princess Tiffanie de Moerde and Countess Hélène Deramoudt has to rush to her side and attempted to escort to another room. When the Queen declared “I am the Queen!” in protest, a doorman said “Not for long.”

Queen Antoinette, who has taken residency in Colrgues

At this, Queen Antoinette fainted and Countess Deramoudt and Princess de Moerde has to bring her to a fainting room in order to recover.

Meanwhile in the dining room, confusion erupted at the unexpected absence of the Queen. King Leopold however alone seemed prepared for the moment, as the cause of the chaos he was naturally the master of it. The King rose and raised a glass in a toast much to the Royal Family and the other guests bewilderment.

“The Queen and I are good friends,” declared the King, “and I love and respect her if not as a husband. I know it is a time of celebration for my son’s engagement and his beautiful fiancée, but I can no longer hold back my own excitement and announcement. Mrs. Masson has attempted to cover up the truth, stating fantasies, but allow me to set the record straight. I have no intention of reconciling with the Queen, and I filling intend on seeking a divorce.”

This naturally caused shock throughout the room, eve as the King spoke cheerfully, but he was not finished and continued, pulling out a ring and slipping on to the Archduke’s hand then holding it. “I wish to announce my own engagement to the true love of my life, Maximilian. He shall be my husband and the new Prince Consort.”

This left the room utterly silent, with the Count van Sessné choking on his drink, the Duke of Brabant slack jawed. Even Archduke Maximilian himself seemed to be surprised at the turn of events. Only the Princess Sofia seems to have been able speak, raising up in her own smooth and smartly done toast.

“I think that it is wonderful to see actions done under the influence of love, for love is blind and can not care for the boundaries we actually live it. It think that in times like these it is necessary that we come together as a family and make sure that we spread our love to one another. I speak not only to you all who will soon be my dear in-laws, but to all of Beliany, who I already feel are my family.”

After a few mumbled words for the Duke of Brabant, the King and the Princess both sat down and the dinner continued. The Queen did not ever join them. It soon became quite clear the depth of the affection of the King for Maximilian, who he also quietly, but officially, gave the title of Prince of Bastenaken, showering him great attention and never once letting go of his hand. The Archduke, famously shy, was seen blushing and quiet throughout the entire meal.

Maximilian and his pet dog, Liszt

Maximilian, for those unaware, is the younger brother of Queen Antoinette, famous and popular among Belians and the world for his musical creations known to dazzle wide arrays of audiences. In only his twenties, he is much younger than the King (nearly half his age), in fact he is much closer to the Duke of Brabant than the King. Many have agreed that the dashing Archduke has a face worthy of a model and it seems that the King’s passion for pretty blondes continues. However it must seem quite obvious the attraction between the two musical geniuses.

As the dinner end however the rifts set by the King has already been set, with himself firmly on one side and the Queen on the other. There was a brief silent but tense confrontation between the two factions as the new Prince of Bastenaken attempted to speak with his sister, but the Queen refused to do so. Further lines were drawn when the Duke of Brabant and his fiancée refused to return to Schonenberg Palace with the King and the Prince of Bastenaken.

In the end the King and the Prince of Bastenaken left for Schonenberg Palace alone.

In light of this shocking and twisting series events, the nation is once again left reeling as the entire month has seen such developments in the monarchy and royal family hitherto unprecedented. Divisions have broken up with the minority radicals like the distasted de Koster saying that the continued crisis calls for the abolishment of the monarchy, whilst many liberals are pointing out the chaos under less than a month of conservative rule, with both sides pointing to the fact that the King called Prime Minister Masson a liar.

Some have lamented that had Leopold married Maximilian in 2077 instead of Antoinette that everything would be much better, whilst others say that he simply would be leaving him for her had he. Others have pointed out that the King’s timing has been off and that is the cause of the shock and in some places, outrage. There is question over the fate of the King’s reign as he is married, if only in name and in law, but engaged, but to be divorced he requires a formal permission from the Vatican, and what that will mean.

Should he go through with this, he will become the first sovereign monarch in history to be legally in a same-sex marriage, and Maximilian will become the third Consort of the Belian monarch and the first Prince Consort. However is are already another group forming, declaring that should the King divorce his wife, he should abdicate the throne in favor of his son, the Duke of Brabant.

The fate of the monarchy for the moment is uncertain, left to rule a divided nation, a divided family, trapped in the romantic triangle that has been the creation of King Leopold. May the kingdom be blessed, and now, more than ever, may God bless the King.

[Imarati]

The Imarati Journal
Soikon, Imarati
28 April 2083

The King and new Queen

Official portrait of the wedding of King Kai-Kavus and Queen Alexandrine

Today marked the wedding of King Kai-Kavus and Princess Alexandrine of Rhine-East Berlin as the first celebration in the nation since the deaths of Crown Prince Kavus and the late King Kayas VII last year. The King, 16, was engaged to Alexandrine, 28, in February as the mourning period of the late king came to an end. The two were said to be enamored with one another for months before that but kept their relationship secret do to the king's young age. Grand Duchess Auguste is said to have been their greatest supporter.

At 11:30 am, King Kai-Kavus departed the Sabch’os Sasakhle in an open landau to the Bagrati Cathedral, where months ago the young king was coronated. Soon after, King Kai-Kavus' mother departed for the Dongvani Palace in a closed coach to bring Alexandrine to the Bagrari Cathedral.

At the Bagrati Cathedral, Alexandrine was dressed in her wedding gown and imperial mantle. Her Honiton lace veil had been designed by her maternal grandfather Napoleon LeCastle and had been worn at the weddings of her mother, Grand Duchess Auguste and her sisters. She also wore the traditional Giorgadze nuptial crown, a 475 carat necklace and matching earrings that had belonged to Queen Gvanca. Across her body, she wore the star and sash of the Order of St. Andrei.

At 12:10, the procession into the Great Church began, with canons of the Isidore Fortress announcing the beginning of the ceremonies. Princess Regent Arus led the procession, accompanying her daughter-in-law to be, with Kai-Kavus walking behind them in his Hussar's uniform, complete with his medals and the orange sash of the Order of Hesse und Bei Rhein.

Along with the Giorgadze Grand Dukes and Duchess, foreign royal relatives processed into the church, headed up by the queen to be's paternal grandfather, former Kaiser Edward IV of Rhine-East Berlin. Other relatives included Prince Okropir and Princess Ekaterine (uncle and aunt of Kai-Kavus), and their daughter, Eleneka, The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Selesburge (mother and step father of Alexandrine), the King and Queen of Suomi, their son Christian. Alexandraine brother, Kaiser Wilhelm III had come from Rhine-East Berlin, as had one of her sisters, Duchess Frederica and her husband, Duke Charles of Mantova.

The service was presided over by the Archpriest Grigol Chakhunashvili, the private royal confessor and chief of the Palace clergy, along with other clergymen. After Kai-Kavus mounted the dais, Princess Regent Arus led Alexandrine to the dais, and the priest brought rings on a tray. After blessing them, Chakhunashvili announced the betrothal of Kai-Kavus to Alexandrine to the congregation, and then handed them their rings.

After exchanging them three times, Kai-Kavus and Alexandrine knelt and exchanged formal wedding vows, with Kai-Kavus's best men, Grand Dukes Aleksandre, Erekle Alavidze, Sergei Ochiauri and Prince Christian of Suomi holding the nuptial crowns above their heads. Following being led around the lectern, they knelt and kissed a gold cross, and following a final prayer, King Kai-Kavus and Alexandrine were pronounced man and wife, at which point the church bells across Soikon rang and guns were fired from the Isidore Fortress.

[Communist Espana]

Royals Life - Milan Edition
Milan, Grand Duchy of Milan
May 12, 2083

Princess Josefina of Mantova born!

Frederica of Brunswick, Duchess of Mantova and Queen Dowager of Zidaria has given birth to her second child and first daughter with Don Carlos, Duke of Mantova earlier today after a ten hour labor. The child, a healthy baby girl, has been named Josefina Auguste Calogera di Mantova after her two grandmothers the former Queen of Espana and the Grand Duchess of Selesburge. Princess Josefina of Mantova would be fourth-in-line to the Spanish throne should her grandfather, former King Charles III of Espana be restored to the throne. The Crown Prince and Princess of Derita and the Hereditary Duke and Duchess of Savoy have been made the child's godparents. In celebrations of the birth, a royal thanksgiving has been declared in Milan.

[Royal Genes]

Royals Life — Sassone Edition
Dresda, Kingdom of Sassonia
May 15, 2083

Royal Wedding fever sweeps over Sassonia!

Engagement photo of Crown Princess Louise of Sassonia and Prince Philippe de Conde

Limited edition champagne, chocolates and china fill the shop windows around the city centre. Gold and black flags fly outside the cathedral and the town hall. Posters, postcards and pins show the same gorgeous engagement photo of Crown Princess Louise, 22, and her Gênoise fiancé, Prince Philippe de Conde, 23.

Sassones have a reputation for being cold and reserved, but there is a strong undercurrent of excitement sweeping through the cobbled streets. "A wedding is always something special," says Heiko Haussegger, a businessman and professional wine-taster taking a walk in the spring sunshine.

His friend Didimo de Taddei, originally from Gênes, is less optimistic about the international impact of the wedding. "Even in Gênes I think very few people know where Sassonia is located, let alone about the ceremony," he laughs."But I will tell my friends about what is going on. The royal family is very popular here. They interact with normal people and they don't appear like they live on another planet."

There is a surprising amount of global interest in the upcoming festivities for a couple that most people around the world have probably never heard of. More than 120 international media organisations have requested accreditation for the event, including TV channels and newspapers from Derita, Seidang, Russlande and the Dutch Empire.

Dresda Tourist Office is organising a three-day wedding-themed tour for royalty fans, although it would not be drawn on how many trips had actually been sold.

The official guest list for the ceremony includes the King and Queen of Racraigua, the Crown Prince of Cinyras, and Prince Alexandre and Princess Elizabeth of the Netherlands. Prince Philip and Princess Marie will be representing Great Hyruke. Fabien Botrel is providing commentary for local television channel RTL. He used to be the secretary general of the parliament and says he is the country's top expert on nobility as well as a close friend of the royal family.

"I met the couple just a few days ago and they are excited like all young couples are before their wedding," he announces from beneath an expensive-looking brown bowler hat."Crown Princess Louise told me that during the ceremony she will try to forget all the cameras around her and they will just look into each other's eyes as they make their vows."

So far, so fairytale. In fact, anyone hoping for the drama and gossip often linked to royal weddings is likely to be disappointed.

Philippe de Condé is an uncomplicated choice of bridegroom for Princess Louise. The couple have known each other for years, started dating in 2080 after being reunited at a charity gala and got engaged in late 2082. He is a member of Gênoise Royalty as a grandson of Queen Adela and is fluent in Deritain, Prussian and Russen after studying languages at the Catholic University in Sparazzio, Gênes. In interviews with the Sassone press, he has spoken of their mutual love of cooking and his delight at marrying his "very own Princess Charming".

The only controversy in the run-up to the ceremony has been the decision to grant him Sassonia citizenship, avoiding a usually long and complex legal process and if their children will be of the House of Wettin or House of Valois.

Mon. Botrel says Princess Louise is "very concerned" about whether she and herb groom will keep their privacy after the wedding, especially seeing the hounding of Royals by the press in Connuriste and Beliany.

"She and her husband might want to do some shopping, like any other couple in the world, and it is important that even with all the security they have some kind of private life left. That is why I will not tell anybody where they are going to live…I do know, but I am not going to tell you."

The chances of the world's paparazzi chasing Sassonia’s future monarchs across the globe are probably slim but local security is tight ahead of their brief moment in the limelight.

On Monday the doors to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Dresda were locked after florists delivered the flowers for Saturday's ceremony and staff declined interviews or photos. But royal-loving wine taster Heiko Haussegger was less discreet about his involvement. "Of course, I know and I have tried the wine they will be having this weekend," he grinned. "It is very delicious!" The celebrations will begin on Friday with a civil ceremony and a gala dinner for visiting monarchs and nobility.

Saturday will see the religious wedding taking place in the cathedral, before the bride and groom parade through Dresda’s city centre and then appear on the balcony of Dresdner Residenzschloss, the Royal palace. In the evening there will be a public fireworks display followed by live performances from the Gênoise songwriter Sabrina Sartre and Sassonia soul group Stadtbild.

The couple are believed to have selected the music themselves and will dance alongside locals in the city's main square. Princess Louise will then take her new husband to a surprise honeymoon destination before they begin their new life together.

[Great Hyruke]

New Heir to the Throne

Cece, Princess of Éirea

Gido Augsburger (@G.AugsburgerRoyalsLife)
^{June 1, 2083 | Londres, Great Hyruke}

2:38 pm — All of the nation is in celebration this afternoon as Queen Caroline presented the Succession to the Crown Act before the nation, changing previous laws of succession and the line for who will be next in line to the throne.

“Terrible business, having to talk about my own death,” Queen Caroline herself said in an interview at Darlington Palace, “But I cant live forever and it must be done.”

So exactly will rule after the Queen? Why, another Queen.

As the Succession to the Crown Act of 2083 declares: Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
1Succession to the Crown is to follow Matrilineal primogeniture, that is the preference of the throne, that eldest female child inherits the throne, with the total exclusion of males unless there are no eligible female kin.

In determining the succession to the Crown, the gender of a child born female after 11 June 2026 gives that person, and that person’s descendants, precedence over any other person born male or descended from a person born male (whenever born).

With this new rule, this would mean that the Queen’s brother, Prince Philip would remain as heir to the throne, but that second in line to the throne would be his daughter, ahead of her three older brothers and her niece. However Prince Philip has been removed from the line of succession on account of him being “unfit and ill prepared or suitable to govern the nation as sovereign”. As such he has been stripped of the title of Prince of Éirea and means that his daughter is the new heir to the throne.

Caroline, Princess of Éirea, or as she has preferred to go by, Princess Cece has been declared the kingdom’s delight. Having just recently turned 17 earlier this year, Cece is beautiful, as seen by Emilia Day‘s official Portrait of the Princess of Éirea. She is also quite good nature, humorous, witty, kind and intelligent.

“She is everything that the nation could hope for in a future Queen.” Said former prime minister Madeleine Dawson. “She has been blessed with a sort of happiness not seen in any member of the royal family in a hundred years. Cece is the merriest member of the monarchy.”

Princess Cece herself made her official debut last night at a royal ball at Darlington, where she was presented as “Princess of Éirea”, and is said to have danced the night away with the greatest grace and pose that any princess anywhere was ever blessed with. Princess Cece, never too far from a smile on her lips spoke in an interview as well, saying:

“I am so honored to be the new Princess of Éirea. I really hope to make everyone proud, and I promise to do my best.” Cece said cheerfully. “I hope that I will be a good Queen, though I hope I don’t have to be one for a long time, I love my auntie too much.”

As Princess of Éirea, the young Cece will be given the duties of her position. The main part of The Princess of Éirea’s role as Heir to The Throne is to support Her Majesty The Queen as the focal point for national pride, unity and allegiance and bringing people together across all sections of society, representing stability and continuity, highlighting achievement, and emphasising the importance of service and the voluntary sector by encouragement and example.

The Princess will likely represent The Queen by welcoming dignitaries to Great Huruke and attending State dinners during State visits. Along with other members of the Royal Family, Her Royal Highness will always attends the Trooping the Colour ceremony which forms part of the official celebration of Her Majesty’s birthday. The Princess will likely represent The Queen and Great Hyruke overseas at state and ceremonial occasions such as state funerals or jubilees.

With the Succession to Crown Act passed without any opposite with the continued dissolvement of Parliament, all threats of there ever being a King Buffoon (Prince Philip) have been wiped away and instead replaced with the kingdom’s delight. Long live Princess Cece, the Great Star of Great Hyruke, our great light of hope.

[Communist Espana]

Star Chronicles
Vitogena, Hueguna
June 15, 2083

Fighting resumes in the space port city of Vitogena as Carlist forces began strategic strikes around the outskirts of the second largest city on the Spanish planet colony of Hueguna. The Carlists, lead by Queen Josefina launched an invasion of Hueguna eleven weeks ago with a force of 175,000 soldiers landing in the northern Torrellon Islands at Alvco Spaceport, and quickly gaining control of the region there. Three weeks later the Queen launched an invasion of the main landmass of Hueguna along the norther coast, resulting in the death of over 53,800 people, including nearly 10,000 civilians. Six weeks ago another operation was launched with the Queen herself arriving in the south at Gego whilst the Duke of Croy arrived in the north at Oudrom. Croy, acting as the ambassador for Queen Josefina spoke with Governor-General Abram Dengra Encarnacion at Carcon following the Battle of Carcon Rocks which resulted in the death of over 19,700 people, including nearly 5,000 civilians from nearby villages caught in the cross fire. Governor-General Encarnacion and the Duke of Croy agreed to a cease fire. with this came the end of the 1st Battle of Vitogena.

However, in the wee hours of morning, just as the alien sun over Hueguna was rising in the sky, the Carlist forces began attacks on the port city of Vitogena. After several hours, at least 4,500 people are reported dead or injured in the city of two million people. In the capital city of Hueguna, Getanada, Governor-General Encarnacion has called for an reasoning of the break in the ceasefire. Secretary of Defense, Carolina Lacasa Cortes has remarked that the people of Hueguna must rise up and help defend the colony as it seems clear that far away Madrid is for the forseeable future unable to protect them pointing out that whilst Josefina and her "Amazon Army" easily broke through the small stellar defensive fleet, with many of the starships fleeing the battle, they have managed to slow down the forces on the ground. Meanwhile humanists call for the end of the fighting in Vitogena for fear of the ripple effect it shall have. As the strategic port it is, it could cause wide spread hunger in order cities on the planet, with an estimated 357,500 people suffering.

Vitogena native in Getanada, Yvonne Sanz Gisbert has told news sources that: "This has to stop immediately or quite literally, tens of thousands of children will starve and die."

[Racraigua]

Cervesera Tariffs set to protect local Auto Industry

King Jonatan XI gives speech in the palace

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Elies Alfaras (@EliesAlfarasRNN)
^{June 16, 2083 | Envodaigua, Racraigua}

It was announced today that King Jonatan XI has put in place tariffs on goods and products of the auto industry, scheduled to begin in full on July 1. The move to protect the economic interests of Racraigua comes following a serious debate with the leaders of the local Racraiguan industry, with the tariffs taking the name of Jacint Cervesera, union manager who lead the political and economic compromise policy alongside automobile company, Través Auto's current CEO, Amadeu Descárrega.

While the move has been called protectionist by some critics of the new tariffs that will cause economic problems in the future, the king has stood by his decision fiercely,declaring that "it is in the best interest of the Racraiguan people that our local businesses be allowed to flourish at home instead of being crushed by foreign companies." The tariffs have been marked at a punitive rate of 31.3% on all foreign automobiles and 19.8% on foreign steel and 22.5% on foreig rubber.

[Les Etats Connuriste]

Crown Princess Emily named patron of Connuriste Heart Foundation

Crown Princess Emily said she "owes her life" to the work of the CHF

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Eleanor Riencourt (@EleanorRiencourtCBC)
^{June 17, 2083 | Lausanne, Switzerland}

Crown Princess Emily, Duchess of Lausanne, was today named as the official royal patron of the Connuriste Heart Foundation, one of the largest charity and research organisations in the country.

Emily, who will turn 22 in August, described the matter as "quite literally close to my heart", as the young heir to the throne was announced as the new face of the foundation, which has begun a new fundraising campaign across the country.

Most of - if not all - of the Emperor's and Empress's children will be expected to become a patron of a charity at some point in their lives, and are advised to choose a cause which they find particularly meaningful. Whilst the Crown Princess as well as some of her other siblings have been no stranger to charity work in the past, Emily is the first to represent one as an official patron, although she is indeed the eldest.

In a small press conference organised this morning Emily praised and commended the work of the Connuriste Heart Foundation, whose volunteers help promote emergency first aid courses in schools and workplaces around the country, as well as raising awareness about the other work of the CHF, which includes funding for public defibrillators and sharing advice about how to keep a healthy heart, the warning signs of heart attacks, and the pioneering research undertaken in the name of investigating cardiovascular diseases.

"In 2020, only one in five people in Connuriste survived cardiac arrest, and worse than that for those that occurred outside of hospital. Sixty years later, that number has been made almost one in two." she began, cool, calm and collected in front of the cameras and reporters present. "We owe a lot of that not simply to government policy or the advancement of technology, but the Connuriste Heart Foundation who have been behind this medical progress, and worked alongside the government to make sure that every single person in this country has the potential to save a life."

Emily began to recount her own story of survival, a story that the nation had surely not forgotten in the two years that had passed since the attempt on her life - but this time it was told in her own words, a far more personal and in-depth affair than how I had reported it in the news in May of 2081. Going as far to say that she "owed her life" to the organisation, she described the moment she first knew something was wrong. "In the beginning, it felt like indigestion, I generally felt sick and light-headed and I attributed that to alcohol. But I hadn't drank a lot and it kept getting worse, and that's when I remembered the symptoms of heart problems in women are often different to those in men. I didn't know it was happening for sure, I didn't know I'd been poisoned, but from then it was only a couple of minutes until I was out on the floor." The Crown Princess paused and sighed quietly before drinking from a bottle of water and pressing on, smiling with sad eyes as she reflected and continued with her story. "I got quite lucky that the people around knew what they could do to help and the next thing I know for sure is waking up in hospital, with a sense that I'd almost been blessed to live in era where more people than ever before manage to pull through in these situations of life and death. So, it's not difficult to see why I care so much about the CHF, and why I want to help them share that blessing of another chance with as many people as possible."

Following the conclusion of the Crown Princess's short speech and the sharing of her own experience, the Connuriste Heart Foundation announced a new fundraising campaign and new special targets, consisting of a 50% cardiac arrest survival rate by 2100 and further reducing the amount of deaths each year caused by cardiovascular diseases. Already the CHF has seen a notable increase in those interested of becoming a part of the foundation, on both a volunteer and donor basis - perhaps a crucial first step in their wider plans to lessen the amount of unnecessary death by the turn of the century.

[Polonge]

Royals Life — New English Edition
Boston, New England
June 21, 2083

Cheers greet the birth of a future King

Queen Maria Karola and Crown Prince Alexander

The Queen of New England gave birth to a healthy, green-eyed son last night after more than 13 hours of labour. She is well and King William was present at the birth. The Royal Palace said in the announcement, made amid champagne and cheers just before 10 pm: "Her Majesty the Queen of New England was today safely delivered of a son at 9:03. Her Majesty, “ and her son are both doing well."

Two minutes later a Palace spokeswoman added: "The baby weighs 7lb 1/2 oz. He cried lustily. The King of New England was present. A name has been provided for the new Crown Prince as family members have already been told of the child’s name. Alexander Eugene William.

The palace’s Roman Catholic Archbishop in the circle of the Queen, the Most Reverend Arthur Barton, said: " We offer a big welcome to the new baby and loving and loyal congratulations to his parents and the Royal Family."

The Queen’s mother, former Empress Josephine of Polonge said: " Karola was absolutely marvellous. They [The King and Queen] are both over the moon. It was a very slow delivery, but very good. It is a very historic occasion and I am very proud to be part of it. It has been worrying, but that is the sort of thing that happens if you have a girl. The baby is very lucky to have Karola as a mother."

Crown Prince Alexander is first in-line to the Throne, becoming the heir apparent and pushing back the unofficial heiress presumptive Princess Victoria back. With the crown prince’s birth it seems that the future of the House of Julie is secure.

[Dutch-Empire]

De Laaglanden
Amsterdam, Dutch-Empire
June 22, 2083

Journalist Reece Saunders dies mysteriously in Amsterdam

Reece Saunders, a former journalist for the An Beag, a popular newspaper company in Saunders’ native Scotland, was found dead in his apartment in Amsterdam this morning. Saunders, who arrived in the city just three months ago following his search for asylum after he fled from his home country had been residing in an apartment building in the capital city was found this morning by his neighbor. When police arrived on the scene Saunders was found at his desk with his wrists slit. The shocking scene was further highlighted by the terrible state of affairs surrounding Saunders' death. His apartment was ranshacked and partly destroyed. While it was orginially believed that he committed suicide, the Amsterdam Police Department has officially changed their statement, declaring that it is believed that Saunders was murdered, with it framed to appearing to look like suicide. With this, eyes have turned to Scotland. It is believed that Queen Adelaide or her government have played a hand in the murder do to his stance against her.