Wonderful Weekends (The Punk Princess and Marquis D'Bacquemme Portrait)

After his very recent  elopement the normally camera shy Marquis D'Bacquemme agreed to what may be considered an official portrait. We post that here in our normal weekend portrait slot. The Marquis' new wife, the Princess Von Hohen und Silberstein, is said to have convinced her media avoiding husband to step out a bit more and pose for the public. The result was phenomenal and history in the making as the public never got treated to a religious wedding ceremony. The couple eloped in secret and wed  in a civil service at the office of a judge in a rural town. This photo is all we might get as a commemoration of their wedding.

The stunning portrait shows the photogenic Princess with her husband and pretender to the Monagask throne. The couple seemed very happy during the shoot and exuded an almost naughty atmosphere as the Princess coaxed her shy husband into his formal pose. The "Punk" Princess was uncharacteristically regal and opted to wear the Von Hohen und Silberstein Sapphires with a very sleek silver evening gown. The family sapphires haven't been seen for decades and made for quite a display of Royal rank and privilege. The Marquis D'Bacquemme is very closely related to many of the Europan Royal Houses and is first in line to the dissolved Principality of Monagask. He has always vehemently protected his own privacy but has now more than ever come out of his shell since the inception of his relationship with the Princess. 

What's Up Wednesday (News Flash Elopement)

The Marquis D'Bacquemme and Princess Oktavia Von Hohen und Silberstein have eloped! They are reported to have married in a small town in southern Franconia without the attendance of any family or the media. This happy albeit shocking occurrence has been named by some as the most romantic Royal event of the year and has sparked a frenzied media inquiry into the matter. Official records from the town council of Nize, have revealed the event to be fact. 

An alert Royal watcher snapped this photo in a crowd one evening in a small resort town near Nize Franconia. The photo taken on the same weekend as the purported civil wedding conducted by a local judge led to questions which has now pierced the very private Marquis' secret. The odd couple seem to once again prove that opposites attract. The Marquis shuns the public eye whereas the Princess has seen the cover of many tabloids and once earned the title "Punk Princess". Last year saw the couple attend the Christmas Ball in Scotney and that was the first official event attended by the Marquis. 

This magazine cover from 2009 shows the Princess in her wilder years. She has seemingly calmed down and now will settle into married life we hope. Perhaps her calming has also led to the Marquis becoming more active on our red carpets. We wish them both the best. Perhaps a church ceremony may be on the cards but we will not hold our breath.

Tiaras and Trinkets on Tuesday (Crown Jewels of the World)

A list of all the existing Major Crown Jewels in the world will give all our fans a sense of the grandeur of the historic collections being preserved in the greater Europa. Our list will only focus on the main Crown Regalia and not the entire collections of each country.

The nationally symbolic Crown Jewels of Syldavia consist of a King's Crown and Queen's Crown.

The Kingdom or Normandia only has a Crown for the monarch be it a King or a Queen. In the case of a King, his wife would wear the Queen Consort's Tiara.

Hispania also only employs a single Crown as the preeminent part of its historic Crown Jewels.

The Principality of Swann has a Crown, Orb and Scepter as its Royal symbols.

The Principality of Wallachia has a Crown for the reigning Prince that is rarely worn. There is a smaller Crown for a Consort which is a veritable copy of the main Crown.

The Grand Duchy of Hanoveria does not place a lot of symbolic value on the concept of Crowns. A Crown does exist and is depicted on Crests and official symbols of state.

The Islands of Arcwhite do not employ symbolic Crown Jewels per sé but they do have this Medieval Headpiece that is one of the oldest diadems in all of Europa and is worn during event of high formality in Arcwhite. 

The major element of the Monagask Crown Jewels would be this almost 2000 year old golden wreath.

Fulco D'Este, although a modern democracy that has ousted its monarchy, has retained its national symbols of which this Crown is the main feature. The Crown is made of iron and is symbolic more of the people of Fulco D'Este's independence than the former monarchs.

This Crown, along with it's female counterpart is all that remains of the spectacular Ruskian Crown Jewel Collection. It is being displayed in the Ruskian capital after its rediscovery almost 70 years after it was thought lost.

The old Empire of Perlistan used this Crown as the greatest symbol of its monarchy. An Empress' Crown, Emerald Parure and a Scepter completed the official Crown Jewels Collection. 

The Electorate Grand Duchy of Reichenthal was once a Kingdom with a complete Crown Jewel Collection. The Crown of Reichenthal is all that seemingly remains of that former collection. 

There is no greater or more spectacular Crown jewel Collection than that of the United Empire of Scot-Britania. The main elements of the collection can be seen above and was saved the destruction of the 1996 Revolution through the foresight of Empress Crystobel.

Many collections like those of  Franconia and Britania faced documented destruction and some disappeared into the recesses of history. Who knows, this list may be added to in future. 

Wonderful Weekends (D'Bacquemme Family Portrait)

I haven't posted a State or official portrait in ages! I have run out of portraits it seems but at least current ones are done brand new every once in a while. We are treated today in this post with one of the most private people amongst all of the Royals. The Marquis D'Bacquemme doesn't even allow any photos and vehemently pursues infringement of his privacy with legal action. However, today's photo is an official release and legally posted exclusively on our blog.

This is the 2013 official Family Portrait of the Franconian D'Bacquemme family. Clockwise from top left; Madame Mairi D'Bacquemme (sister to the Marquis), His Lordship the 11th Marquis D'Bacquemme, Madame Francine D'Bacquemme, (aunt to the Marquis) and Her Serene Highness Princess Beatrix, the Dowager Marquise D'Bacquemme (mother of the Marquis).  Princess Beatrix is from the Princely House of Thurn und Taxis in Syldavia.

They hold the defunct Marquisate of D'Bacquemme in the Higher Nobility of the former Kingdom of Franconia. Of far greater importance however, due to the vast dynastic shifts caused in the lines of hereditary succession by the 96 Revolution, they also hold the legal claim to the Princely throne of the small Principality of Monagask. The Principality was absorbed into the Democratic Republic of Franconia after the 96 Revolution and currently is legally seen as a municipality within Greater Franconia. The Marquis has never proclaimed himself officially "in pretence" to the Monagask throne but could do so and would then be titled, His Serene Highness Prince Gerard of Monagask.

Fascinating Friday (Royal Pretenders)

We have often mentioned the term "pretender to the throne" and have nominally touched on the principle behind the topic. We also often discuss the most famous pretender namely the Crown Prince Imperial of the United Empire of Scot-Britania. However due to the Crown Prince Imperial's celebrity status one often forgets that he is just that, a pretender. A pretender is somebody who "should have" had a specific title or more so, should have ruled a country. When a monarchy is ousted through revolution or democratic vote, somebody is left by virtue of the old rules of accession to be the pretender to a defunct throne. Even an existing monarchy may have a pretender or pretenders due to twists in history caused by political shifts.

A current map showing the reigning monarchies of our day.

Currently several old monarchies that have fallen have been restored after a democratic period, so a pretender may find him or herself unexpectedly ruling a country "again". On this post we will now list the various current pretenders still waiting in the Europan Royal wings.

Gerard D'Bacquemme is a citizen of the democratic Republic of Franconia. His family is of Franconian Nobility and due to the 96 revolution he is first in line to the throne of the Principality of Monagask. If the Franconian Monarchy was restored he would firstly regain his Franconian Noble title of 11th Marquis D'Bacquemme but in the case of a restoration in the separate Principality of  Monagask, he would become the Prince Regent. He purposefully stays out of the public glare and highly values and protects his privacy so no photo of him will be published.

Otto Von Fulco-D'Este was born as the heir to the Royal House of Fulco'-D'Este. He grew up in exile in the Principality of Wallachia where he resides to this day. In the event of a restoration of his family to the throne he would become, His Royal Highness the Arch Duke of Fulco d'Este.

Donatella Di Giorgio or to use her full courtesy title, Her Royal Highness, the Princess Donatella of Romagna, Duchess Di Giorgio, Countess Corvi, is the pretender to the throne of the Kingdom of Romagna. This Royal House lost their throne due to the Great War and not the 96 Revolution. If there was a restoration, she would be Queen Donatella I of Romagna.

Franconia ousted the Royal House of Bourbonne  in its own revolution more than 200 years ago. Of all the former monarchies, this one is least likely to ever be restored. Regardless, international laws allows Louis D'Pont du Lac to to be honoured with the courtesy title as his pretender status requires. He may be referred to as His Highness Prince Louis D'Pont du Lac.

Europa has only seen three Empires in its history. The oldest and longest surviving was that of Ruskiana. The Empire fell due to the Great War and if it did not the current pretender, Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna Romanov, d'jour Empress of Ruskiana, would not have been first in line as many have died leaving her the heir.

Along with Ruskiana's status as an Empire, there was also the old rival Germanic Empire that included Fulco D'Este and Syldavia under one Crown. However, the youngest, most short-lived and grandest Empire ever was the modern United Empire of Scot-Britania. His Imperial Highness, Prince Christian-Victor, Crown Prince Imperial of the United Empire of Scot-Britania is strictly speaking, three pretenders in one. He may claim the separate Royal thrones of Scotney or Britania as King or he may claim the Imperial throne over both. There are rumours of a restoration but the political complications of this particular monarchy makes it virtually impossible.

“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.