Memory Monday (Last Official Portrait Photo Shoots of Empress Crystobel)

We are fast approaching the coronation to be held on the 3rd of July but what we must not forget is that two years ago close to the end of June 2013 Empress Crystobel was assassinated on a friendly diplomatic visit to Britania. Being the previous co-ruler of Scot-Britania and the mother of the now restored monarch of Britania and Scotney it seems appropriate after yesterday's Mother's Day Celebration, that we make mention to the Empress in some posts leading up to the coronation.

The Empress Crystobel has never ceased to been mentioned in the media and rightly so with the cosmic rise in popularity of the former Royal and then Imperial Family of Scotney and Britania. Now with the restoration of those monarchies and the advent of King Christian-Victor's election to the title of Emperor is is even more relevant to make regular mention of his illustrious mother. Providence had it that some archive photos have come to light from the Aldarian Palace as renovations took place over the last few months. A set of entirely forgotten portraits of Empress Crystobel was  found still undeveloped in an old secretarial file cabinet in what was formerly the administrative office of the household staff. These photos have been developed and digitized especially for our post today. 

The photos depict the Empress in 1994 shortly after the creation of the Empire, posing officially in a resplendent silver dress and family jewellery within the Cathedral of the Lion Heart for what must have been a range of photos intended to be State Portraits. The style of the photos however are extremely relaxed and not as formal as one expects from State Portraits. These exude a softness that lend them an esoteric feel inviting the onlooker into what seems to be a more intimate glimpse into the Empress life albeit set in the historic and austere setting of the cathedral.

Empress Crystobel, in this haunting photo is clearly an Empress but appears almost ethereal as it seems like she is hovering toward the onlooker.

A gentle yet pensive smile can be seen as Empress Crystobel avoids eye contact in this close up. The avoidance of eye contact ironically just seems to draw the onlooker deeper into the photo.

Here Her Imperial Majesty, appropriately and serenely pose at the Imperial throne upon which her and her husband was crowned. At the moment of crowning she publicly accepted the heavy burden of  responsibility to be the face and figurehead of an entire two nations.

The contrasts are clear as the beauty and regality of the photo also implies the gravitas and austerity of being Royal and being that before a people and God.

The highly artistic set of photos were taken by an unknown photographer as all records of the shoot have bee lost and nobody who may have memory of them are still alive after the 1996 revolution.

One sometimes forget that Empress Crystobel was also the Queen of Scotney in her own right and bore that title with pride before she became Empress. Being Queen was her first duty and also a separate commitment. She had a set of "new"State portraits taken in the capacity of Queen of Scotney almost a year after being crowned Empress. These photos were also thought lost but were found in the same file as the aforementioned set taken in the cathedral. Above we see one of the spectacular 1994 Scotney State Portraits. The negatives were in slightly better condition so allowed for better resolution upon development.

The last official time the Crown of St.Christian was used was for this 1994 set of State Portraits. It can clearly be seen in detail in this close up photo.  Parts of the famous ruby parure was also worn for this photo along with the Order of the Diamond Star and the red Royal Mantel of Scotney. 

We miss the Empress and truly enjoyed these long lost photos albeit with a bit of bittersweet reminiscence. However with the new day dawning we can but look forward to what it may bring.

Memory Mondays (Style Icons 7 the Duke of Swann)

His Royal Highness the Duke of Swann is the quintessential Royal, statesman and average man rolled up in one. His public role however places an expectancy on him to represent his country and to look the part. He has never failed in this in the arenas of style, fashion and protocol laden Royal tradition.

For his 2004 coronation the Duke of Swann, 21 years old at the time was obliged to wear what protocol dictates and had no free will. His job was to look the part of a reigning monarch and to look it successfully, which he did with flying colours. The photo above was taken at the ceremony and served as his official portrait.

Contrastingly in casual dress, with his shirt untucked, His Royal Highness still looks regal. Could it be the antique car and manor house or is it a natural bearing? Everything about His Royal Highness seems to come together to give the public a rounded impression of himself with the casualness always shining through even if it is just in the smile.

The hardworking Royal is committed to several charitable causes and as such is often called out to far out rural areas where he has to not just show face but actually work. Here the choice of clothing is casual but has to keep a slight air of authority as well seeing as lots of funding has to be accounted for.

To the manner and position born, the Royal limelight of official state occasions consisting of glittering ball rooms and heads of state is where the Duke is most accustomed. In this context, dress uniform is more common than tuxedos and heavy chains of office and other paraphernalia compete to encumber the wearer. The common man might say of a formal night out: "I wish I didn't have to wear a tie." A reigning monarch might wish he was. His Royal Highness however always makes it look like a breeze.

In dress uniform again in 2012 the Duke and his family show unity in complimentary colour choices.

For State Visits Tuxedos may be worn given the context, as was the case in Wallachia in 2014. The Tuxedo is another one of the Duke of Swann's completely conquered arenas as this photo proves.

As a Spanish dancer His Royal Highness trains a lot and even in rehearsal looks dashing. Then again, the posturing learnt in and required from this style of dance will do anybody a great service in their appearance. 

On stage the full effect of the Spanish dancer is unmistakably impressive. 

The hardworking, passionate and truly down to earth Royal Head of State has never set a foot wrong when it comes to his public appearance. We can all but wait to be impressed again whenever this red carpet regular is scheduled to appear before the media glare. 

Memory Monday (Reichenthal Royal Wedding)

Time for a historic post. In 1997 Syldavia had abolished its national monarchy in favour of a democracy but did face the problem of having absorbed many small regions who were independent monarchies and fiercely traditionally ethnic before the 1996 Revolution. Subsequently the Syldavian civil war broke out and subdued these regions into submission to the greater democratic system. In principle these monarchies where also abolished to some or a complete degree but where some Royal Families were entirely exiled, the small region of Reichenthal signed a treaty with its new overlords. This agreement yielded all authority to the Syldavian government but allowed the King and the local customs to continue ceremoniously with absolutely no claim to governance or government funds. Thus King Lothair, who had ruled for a mere seven days after his father's assassination, yielded to the Syldavian Governor and was relegated to the obscurity of his mountain "Kingdom" to such a degree that Reichenthal soon completely faded into memory and legend. But life went on and "King" Lothair soon took a wife.


The Royal Wedding of  Lothair, King of the Reichenthalians and Azantha, Princess of Perlistan took place in 1998 and was a fresh moment of joy and colour after all the dread that the 1996 Revolution had brought. The event was celebrated locally and did not even receive press coverage in the rest of Syldavia much less internationally. It was not however down toned in its Royal splendour.

The small Kingdom of Reichenthal is hidden away and was completely absorbed by the Syldavian democratic government which relegated it to a regional oddity but this wedding was a time for the local people to shine their local customs brightly among the democratic severity of their "Big Brother" state.

Reichenthal Castle is the venue for almost all the Royal events in the region and also served as the wedding venue in 1998.

Lothair, who could no longer be referred to as "His Majesty" or "King Lothair of Reichenthal", was still colloquially allowed "King of the Reichenthalians" following his name. Here we see him on his wedding day awaiting his bride's arrival in the throne room for the ceremony. The Crown of Reichenthal can be seen just behind Lothair on a golden pedestal.

Standing with Lothair was his soon to be sister-in-law, the pretender Shahbahnou of Perlistan, his best man the Baron Bagrazia and the Silver Cardinal.

The bride's sister was living in exile at the time of the wedding, hailing herself from the ousted monarchy of Perlistan. This was the last time the Shahbahnou was seen wearing this particular set of jewellery as she was forced by the Perlistani government to return them as a national historic treasure. She would only wear them again in 2014 after her exile restrictions were lifted.

Lothair's aunt, Princess Sonja, had been severely traumatised by her family losing so much status as a result of the civil war and almost couldn't attend the wedding for depression. She was however cheered up but the fact that so many, still reigning Royal Families, attended the wedding and was said to find the encouragement to attend herself by the prospect of seeing them. In this photo it is clear that Princess Sonja did not look her best on the day.

Some of the official diplomatic attendees at the wedding included Princess Suzanna of Wallachia...

...and Infanta Isabella of Hispania.

Alison Stadler-Diedricks of Alison Couture was responsible for the wedding dress and as a close friend of Princess Azantha was a very special guest at the wedding. Miss Stadler-Diedricks even procured a brand new diamond tiara especially for the event.

A trumpet fanfare announced the arrival of the Princess Bride.

The spectacular creme and gold embroidered wedding gown took everybody's breath away and did set a style precedent for years to come.

Princess Azantha complimented her dress and flowers with an official 17th Century tiara from the Reichenthal Crown Jewels and her dowry Perlistani Ruby necklace and earrings.

A full length photo of the bride's arrival and amazing gown.

This photo gives a good impression of the impressive gold net veil.

Finally the couple joined each other before the Silver Cardinal for the ceremony.

The actual ceremony was the first to be photographed in Reichenthal as Royal custom forbidding the sacred moment to be photographed was deliberately ignored by Lothair in light of the status of the Royal Family at the time. He also thought that a bit of modernizing might go a long way for charting a new future for himself and his people.

After the formalities the couple left the Castle for a small carriage procession through the streets of the Reichethal capital.

The Governor of Reichenthal, for the sake of the people's insistence, allowed a short procession utilizing primarily routes through public parks obstructing traffic to a minimum.

The Royal guests gathered to send the carriage off, which was to return to the castle about 35 minutes later for a balcony appearance and private reception.

Royal waves were obviously appropriate.

The obligatory posed photos for the press were first on the agenda after the procession.

These photos were also released to the public as pseudo state portraits commemorating the happy day.

God bless Lothair and Azantha, King and Queen of the Reichenthalians.

A large crowd was happy to receive the acknowledgement of the newly weds from the castle balcony.

The very next morning saw the couple leave early by Royal Train for their honeymoon at the Royal Hunting Lodge deep in the Reichenthal forest.

Memory Mondays (Style Icons 6 The Crown Prince Imperial)

Today's Style Icons post features, for the first time, one of our male characters. There is a saying that; "one is to the manner born". In the case of His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince Imperial, this saying may be more true than others. Christian-Victor was exactly that, born to the Emperor and Empress of the United Empire of Scot-Britania. However, history would see him entirely bereft of his birthright and raised in secret in the rural town of Muren as an adopted orphan. The Crown Prince Imperial was so young when the Bloody Revolution killed his father and forced his mother to leave him in the care of the Seeress of Muren that he had no memories of his Imperial heritage. This afforded him a down to earth upbringing among farmers and humble towns folk who knew him only as Chris. The state secret did come out, like all truth inevitably does and he acceded to his title and privileged heritage at the age of 21. All of a sudden, the strapping and handsome "farmhand", made sense of a regal bearing and innate nobility that could never hide itself even amid the hay bales and cowherds he was used to. The town of Muren and the world was introduced to the Crown Prince Imperial who since then has played his unique part on the world stage and has also become a force to be reckoned with in the field of fashion and style. Let us take a look at his overall public appearance and how it serves his image and particular role in the world.

The first impression we got of the Prince was perfectly scripted in 2009 to thrust him onto the world stage as the claimant to the most prestigious title. It was an obvious success and indelibly set His Imperial Highness' young and naive yet official image embellished with regalia into popular culture forever.

One of the most recent photos of His Imperial Highness sees him posing yet again in an official capacity next to the historically significant Crown of St. Christian. The crown being the focal point, the Prince, meekly confident, has no qualms in taking a back seat. He chooses to tone himself down with a plain black formal tuxedo and only the protocol required Chivalric Order of the Diamond Star. 

A slightly more casual look with open collar looks just as good on the Prince as he took the world on a photo tour of the restoration work done on Britania and Scotney's Royal heritage. 

Even completely casual in a t-shirt and chinos  still does not adversely affect the Prince's regal bearing. Seen here with his wife and cousin, the Duke of Swann, the Prince humbly and stylishly welcomes family in the gardens of Sorgenfrei Castle.

Even in jeans and a pink t-shirt no less, Prince Christian Victor is still the quintessential Europan man of the 21st century.

The red carpet however is the preferred battlefield of style for international A-listers and here the Prince just takes it in his stride. He affords, like most gentlemen should, his wife to take all the glamour attention but in doing so only exudes masculine confidence.

For formal events during the day, a morning suit and tie is an efficient and elegant success worn by His Imperial Highness. This look keeps him constantly as the real authority while his wife exudes the sparkles and smiles.

Cocktail dress formality is also handled with ease by the down-to-earth Royal.

Large and extremely formal events, that require regalia and suits have become a hallmark and show the Prince for who he is without detracting from his friendly personality. The Prince seems to adhere to dress code out of duty and puts no unasked for effort into making an impression. This unwittingly works in his favour as "effortless style" is considered by connoisseurs to be the only true style.

"To the manner born" became more and more evident as time went by. This man who had an unpretentious and some may say even tragic youth seems to exude the dignity to which he is called and bears it with true conviction. His clothes often being uniforms leaves no room for individual personality and we the fans can in those cases only give him point for how he wears it. He seems to be wearing it extremely well.

Court dress can at times be awkward and really separates the men from the boys in Royal circles. Here is where you show true confidence as often the outfits seem to date from the 13th century but have top be worn with a straight face to Internationally recognized events. Above we see the Prince Christian-Victor (in grey tights) next to the Duke of Swann, both in court dress. Only real Royalty can pull it off given the context of the historically relevant events they are worn to like coronations. Thus far the Crown Prince Imperial has not set a foot wrong in his public appearances and all we can say is; "bring it on".