What's Up Wednesday (Arcwhite State Tour)

In our current news slot today we will discuss last week's State Tour of Lady Arcwhite. The Island nation of Arcwhite decided to make the diplomatic move of acknowledging the two newly restored monarchies of  Normandia and Syldavia. As lady Arcwhite couldn't attend the Investiture Ceremonies due to her being a head of state equal in rank to a King, she felt it necessary to make state visits to the respective countries.  

A state visit is a government sanctioned and extremely official visit from one country to show goodwill to another. It normally involves the visiting nation sending its head of state in full official state and ceremonial capacity to be received in the same manner on the soil by the hosting nation. The function is to show goodwill, to exchange symbolic gifts, to tour relevant sites and to open talks of collaboration, trade and support between various departments. On this blog we will obviously focus more on the glamour surrounding the nitty-gritty. 

Lady Arcwhite is not just the ceremonial head of her country but as a veritable despot holds absolute power. A visit from the actual ruler of a country requires great planning, security and protocol. She took a week long tour starting on Monday from her capital city of  Glacialle and was received with full pomp in Normandia. She was welcomed at the airport by Queen Gloria I's husband, the prince of Northwold and after a short press conference was taken to the Royal Palace to settle down before the evening's state banquet held in her honour. The Kingdom of Normandia is a close neighbour logistically of the Islands of Arcwhite and the primary trade between the two nations is based on off-shore oil, fishing and technologies. Normandia is the world leader in cellphone manufacture and as such hold interest for Arcwhite's more disadvantaged communication's industry. 

The Arcwhite, characteristically white, State Jet arriving in Normandia in the late afternoon last week Monday.

Here we see the two main persons of the state visit dressed in their finery for the banquet. We have come to expect unquestionable style from Lady Arcwhite. Here she is at left wearing her stunning brown and yellow diamond imperial kokoshnik and a sleek gunmetal grey velvet dress from an unknown designer. Queen Gloria wears Barbie International and a never-before-seen emerald necklace and her historic Franconian Diadem.

To the left is Drielle Mormaer, the niece of Lady Arcwhite and one of the five "Ladies of the White Robe". These ladies are an exclusive order of servants/proteges to the ruler of Arcwhite. These are groomed while they serve their mistress until one day the new Lady Arcwhite is selected from their ranks. It is Lady Drielle's first public foray in an official capacity. To the far right is the husband of Queen Gloria, the Prince of Northwold. The visit to Normandia lasted for 2days and then the entourage left for the Kingdom of Syldavia.

The white state limousine of Lady Arcwhite, that travels in the Boeing with her arrives at Ploch Palace in Syldavia. She was welcomed at the airport by Queen Maxima who drove with her followed by a police escort until they reached the palace gates. It is common protocol to have a visiting head of state stay in the official residence of the hosting nation's counterpart. Lady Arcwhite enjoyed the hospitality of the two palaces of the kingdoms she visited for the duration of her stay. A state banquet is also common practice and Syldavia didn't hold back on the glamour.

Lady Arcwhite, glorious in pink from Barbie International and her huge diamond tiara, standing next to the newly restored King Nikolas III of Syldavia.

The official guests just before they entered the state banquet hall where more than fifty dignitaries were ready to enjoy the meal. Queen Maxima also chose "new" emeralds like Queen Gloria. More on these jewels will be discussed on a Tiaras and Trinkets on Tuesday slot.

Which of the evening gowns is your favourite pick from this tour?

Lady Arcwhite made a point to visit her old friend the Grand Duke of Serbieski who spent a lot of his years in exile living in Arcwhite. This was part of her official itinerary as well as a personal visit. The Serbieski coastline provides a vast trading opportunity between the nations of Syldavia and Arcwhite. Found only two miles off-shore are Europa's largest underwater source of natural gas. The Grand Duke who is campaigning towards being elected governor of the Province of Serbieski in next months local elections, knows that negotiating a successful trade agreement would only bolster his popularity.

The Grand Duchess Davina, Lady Arcwhite and the Grand Duke of Serbieski at the Natural Gas Summit in Serbieski on the last day of Lady Arcwhite's State Tour.

This week's "Mine" magazine did not hold back in singing its owner's praises in its report on the landslide tour. Friend or enemy? Charismatic leader or despotic tyrant? There is apparently no such thing as bad publicity. Lady Arcwhite is here to stay and to make an indelible mark. Let's just hope it is not just, for her own good. Regardless, it will at least be an extremely stylish mark.