Breaking News (Arcwhite Crisis)

International press teams were gathering earlier today in the Arcwhite capital city for the official press conference granted by the Arcwhite Emergency Government.

 The press conference was hosted in "The Spire" showcase office building of Arc Industries.

 In a surprising media revelation, Sable Blackwood, infamous nightclub owner and businesswoman,  stepped up behind the microphone wearing all white. She announced herself as the immediate subordinate to Lady Arcwhite within the secret ranks of the Order of the Veil. She is in fact, the Mother of the White Veil and as such acting head of governement in the absence of Lady Arcwhite. In unity with Drealle Mormaer, acting head of state as Lady of the Silver cuffs, the two will rule Arcwhite until the current crisis is solved. Drealle Mormaer, the niece of Lady Arcwhite was not present at the press conference.

The Mother of the White Veil then said: "The political ramifications of a deserting head of state claiming international refugee status and seeking asylum in another country is unprecedented and unacceptable. The act in itself should either be seen as one of gross treason or a deliberate "act of war" and as such, those who harbour such a person could be viewed as collaborators in said intent on war." She aked for Lady Arcwhite's extradition from the Principality of Swann back to her native country to be tried and punished under Arcwhite law and failure to do so would incite an aggressive response from Arcwhite."

Arcwhite have also released an official statement from their government office that their borders are for the time being remain closed due to the military threat posed by Lady Arcwhite and all the knowledge she bears.

The world famous company, Arc International, privately owned by Lady Arcwhite has had all its assets seized by the Arcwhite government. All trading of its shares and bank transactions have for the time being been frozen. This will cause losses in the millions of dollars for many trading with the company at present. We can expect delays in all fields covered by Arc International.

Viscount Hays, the Vice President of Arc International is said to have resigned and left the country. No comment has yet been issued by his press team.

What's Up Wednesday (Arc International Natural Gas Power Plants Update)

Viscount Hayz arrived in Arcwhite this past Monday for an "emergency" meeting with Lady Arcwhite and subsequent press conference. The meeting was concerning world wide protest about Arc International's growing proprietorship of new state of the art Nuclear and Natural gas power plants. Supposed danger to the environment and threats to human health and safety are being tabled by the world's leading environmental groups.

Arriving on the main Island of Arcwhite in his own private jet, Viscount Hayz was in a hurry and did not comment at that stage.

"The Spire" Office Building is the tallest in Europa and serves as the headquarters for Arc International. Viscount Hayz was ushered into a two hour long private meeting with Lady Arcwhite and then continued on to the promised press conference at 3 o clock in the afternoon.

Lady Arcwhite seemed unusually and uncharacteristically stressed and distracted as she and Viscount Hayz faced the world press. The main topic was the facts surrounding Arc International now owning three controversial power plants world wide. The first is the already well known Natural Gas Plant in the politically volatile Serbieski. Although the situation in Serbieski has to a large extent become one of amicable constraint. Lady Arcwhite refused to comment and all the talking was left to Viscount Hayz. 

This map of Europa shows the location of the various Arc International power plants. The stars point to their location. Two new plants, one on Arcwhite itself and a brand new nuclear plant situated on the Africanian continent may seem economically aggressive and also a very real danger to the environment. One would be forgiven for noticing their strategic placement as this is obviously for efficiency but could also be seen as so precise as to be on the level of militarily strategy. The locations, may cause Arc International to have monopoly on all power generation for the continent of Europa in no less than 10 years. The threat to the environment is also of great concern as problems at these plant could have disastrous effects.

The new plant in Africania promises economic growth for the region and will serve Africania as well as Europa. So close to an arid desert region even the worst nuclear meltdown would have little consequence but the plant is of the mist advanced design on earth, Viscount Hayz said.

As far as the plant in Arcwhite, it is small and within our sovereign territory and owes no explanation to the outside world. This was the slightly evasive conclusion of the press conference. An International inquiry is to inspect all three plant to ensure International Standards Compliance and Viscount Hayz promised full co-operation. 

We can only hope that Arcwhite is playing by the rules and that all ends well as this unexpected possible threat may escalate into a far larger issue.

What's Up Wednesday (Wedding of Viscount Hayz and Donna Hernanda of Aragon)

This past weekend saw yet another wedding in the string of weddings we have celebrated over the last year or so. This happy event, held in the ancestral home of the Duchess of Aragon in Hispania, was the first wedding for 2014 and even though the couple may be considered quite prominent, the ceremony was tiny and low key. Let us take a brief look at the wedding of the I.T. millionaire, Viscount Hayz and the heir to the preeminent Hispanic Duchy, Donna Hernanda of Aragon. 

This photo shows the very stylish couple and the bride is wearing a positively awesome Madame Frumsetta dress for this day time wedding. The spectacular feature of the hat finishes the ensemble in a way that a super nova finishes a solar system. Donna Hernada also chose to add the small detail of her mother's sapphire brooch as her something blue. 

From left we see the mother of the bride, the Duchess of Aragon wearing a distinct Hispanic National colour scheme, then the bride and groom and to the right, Drealle Mormaer close friend and business associate of Viscount Hayz. 

The bride looked awesome for her special day.

It is rumoured that the couple will settle in Arcwhite to accommodate Viscount Hays' commitments to his various business contracts with the government of Arcwhite. Their jet-set lifestyle however will certainly allow us to see them gracing red carpets the world over. 

What's Up Wedenesday (Arcwhite Natural Gas Treaty)

There is some controversial current news a brewing between the Islands of Arcwhite and the Grand Duchy of Serbieski. During Lady Arcwhite's State Visit to the Kingdom of Syldavia earlier this year, she also made a stop in Serbieski and met its local leaders concerning potential natural gas trading. The extraction of the gas from Serbieski's off-shore deposits promises great profits but is controversial due to effects on the environment and also as to the distribution of funds by virtue of Serbieski having to share profits with the rest of Syldavia. Serbieski is merely a province of the greater Kingdom of Syldavia but local traditionalists still remember the days of the independent Kingdom of Serbieski.

Lady Arcwhite has called for a meeting between herself and the Grand Duke of Serbieski to continue talks in order to reach final agreement on the topic of the natural gas. Arcwhite is in desperate need of the commodity and has the finances and infrastructure to maximise the use of the gas. The Grand Duke of Serbieski is merely seen as a symbolic leader of the people and holds no political power. He is however running for the office of governor of the province later in August and if he gains that position will be able to sign a trade agreement.

Lady Arcwhite receives the Grand Duke of Serbieski in full State to continue the talks.

The full contingent for the talks included from left; the director of Arcwhite Logistics Viscount Hayz, Lady Arcwhite, Drielle Mormaer, The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Serbieski and representing the King of Syldavia, Princess Miranda.

Lady Arcwhite is running one of her signature, "media" campaigns. She really knows how to work a crowd. Meeting the Grand Duke of Serbieski officially and in state gives a lot of weight to his position as representing Serbieski. This will surely get him elected governor and then he may return the favour by signing the deal.

The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess have come a long way since their exile in the Islands of Arcwhite after the 96 Revolution. They do however genuinely seem to prioritise the needs of their region above all else. Let's hope that the coastline of Serbieski does not get adversely affected by this deal.

What's Up Wednesday (Engagement Cancelled)

This blog does attempt to give the news concerning the Royals as it happens and the news is often not always good news. We love to report on happy events like weddings and glamorous occasions like balls and banquets. However thing do go wrong and this week we have to report the sad news of the separation of an engaged couple. Where we were anticipating another glitzy wedding to perhaps take place before the end of 2012. It is with disappointment that we share the news of the end of the engagement between Lady Mairi D'Bacquemme and the Viscount Hayz.

The last photo of the couple leaving a nightclub earlier this year.'

The news was already rumoured for over two weeks but we could not report on it until it was officially announced. We received and email at our news office here in the Principality of Swann from the Viscount stating the facts that the relationship had come to a final end. He cites the irreconcilable difference of Lady Mairi not accepting his business dealings with ARC International and its owner the Lady Archwhite. We also have it from independent sources that the young Viscount has been working successfully with ARC Investments and was due to expand his contract due to the natural gas contracts being established with the Syldavian Province of Serbieski. The supertitious might believe that this break-up speaks of the dubious intentions of ARC Investments in Serbieski and should be counted as a bad omen. There has yet to be a statement from Lady Mairi but this might not come due to her family's avoidance of media attention and this not being a divorce is 100% a private affair.

They weren't often seen at official events and tended to stay out of the limelight but when they did show face like at the 2011 Christmas ball, they certainly knew how to turn heads.

We are sad to report this news but wish both parties all the best for the future.

“To be or not to be” Thursday (The Viscount Hayz and Madame Mairi d'Bacquemme)

Ok, so I decided we needed a bit of a break from the excitement in Syldavia and that we also needed a break from just profiling female Royalty and that we needed a break from discussing only individuals on a Thursday. Wow, what a mouthful, here is the point, we will discuss a couple, not from Syldavia but the gentleman is from what used to be the Empire of Scot-Britania. His fiancé is from Franconia but like many others is, due to the lives lost in the revolution, second in line of succession to the throne of the Small Principality of Monagask. I present to you the young and very trendy, engaged couple; His Lordship the Viscount Sean, 9^th Viscount Hayz and Her Ladyship Madame Mairi d’ Bacquemme. In regular speech one refers to all nobility from Scot-Britania by using the prefix title of Lord, thus the Viscount Hayz would be reffered to as Lord Hayz. If the monarchy in Monagask was restored madame Mairi would be Her Serene Highness, the Princess Mairi of Monagask, Madame d’ Bacquemme.

The glamorous couple was snapped by a paparazzi photographer leaving an A-list nightclub earlier this year.

Lord Hayz and Madame Mairi met each other 2 years ago on a skiing holiday in the Switzer Alps. The story goes that Madame Mairi lost control of her skis an careered into the unsuspecting Lord standing to one side with a group of friends. His next memory was of opening his eyes to what he thought was an angel but was Mairi leaning over his hospital bed. The Lord Hayz had sustained a minor concussion and a fractured elbow but what he gained in the long run was apparently worth the “suffering".

They started dating before he even left the hospital and invited Mairi to join him upon his return trip to Americania a few weeks later. Both the Hayz and D’Baquemme families were greatly affected by 1996 Revolution but in opposite ways. The Hayz’s had been living in the United States of Americania and lost almost all their wealth. The Lord Hayz’s father died of a heart attack two months after their arrival in the States and although of Noble origin the new Lord Hayz and his mother were relegated to a typical “single mom” lifestyle. However Sean, as he was known in college struck it big in the I.T. industry and soon was a high flying millionaire in his own right.

In attendance at the 2011 Christmas Ball with the Hispanian Duchess of Aragon on the far right and her daughter Donna Hernanda at her right. Madame Mairi wears a tiara from the D'Bacquemme collection.

The D’Baquemme’s had the flip side of the coin. The Franconian monarchy was toppled many years before the revolution and for very different reasons, so Madame Mairi grew up in Franconia with full knowledge of her Noble heritage but living like normal upper-class citizens. The family had wealth but not on an aristocratic level, they had some ancestral jewels and some property. She had a normal upbringing for her social standing with equal education. The revolution however struck and as it turned out due to genealogy; her brother is now first in line to become a Sovereign Prince if things turn out like they did in Normandia and Syldavia. This would put a great burden of responsibility on her as she could become a Princess in an independent country. Even though there isn’t talk of a restoration in Monagask, the genuine reality has completely thrown the D’Baquemme family for a loop.

Sean and Mairi are now engaged, immersed in their careers and living a fantasy life of their own. It’s strange to think that for other people, the fantasy is to be a Prince or Princess, for these two the fantasy is just to have a happy normal life. They are not seen at Royal events often but will always be invited to the large scale get-togethers. We saw them at the Christmas Ball of 2011 and at the Crown Prince Imperial’s Birthday in the same year. They are regulars on the fashion scene as well and sometimes support charity events. Personally I look forward to the eventual wedding as the Hayz jewellery collection, if it’s still in the family ownership hasn’t been seen in almost 20 years.

Madame Mairi d'Bacquemme with her close friend Lady Loelia Jennings at a charity function in 2011. 

Life will, regardless of your choices, put before you opportunities and challenges but your attitude in dealing with them is where you will always be free to choose. Time will tell what is put before our trendy couple but their choices will show where they end up.