Kalistani Major History

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Her Imperial Majesty, The Empress Nicolette II Ananto is Crowned
Coronation is lowkey event held at Eveari Monthly Meetinghouse, followed by reception at Ananto Estate
Eveari, Grand Duchy of Ananto
July 1, 5501


Nicolette II Ananto becomes Empress and Absolute Sovereign of Ananto and Kalistan

The former Empress, Her Imperial Highness Princess Nicolette being formally abdicated, the Government of Kalistan has crowned a new Empress in Eveari. Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Nicolette II Ananto, was crowned by Her Majesty's Prime Minister Lady Kelly Newburg LaRoc following the Meeting for Worship with Attention to Spiritual Care and Guidance of the Eveari Brethrenists' Monthly Meeting in Eveari, near the Ananto Family Estate.

The coronation itself was a fairly lowkey event, as nearly all coronations in Kalistan have been, due to the heavy influence of the Brethrenist Faith among the Ruling Family.

It began at the Eveari Meetinghouse at precisely 9:45 AM, local time. After all convinced and attending Friends, including the Empress, the Crown Princess, Count Victor Ananto-Martin and his spouse, the Countess Reagan, and Her Majesty's Prime Minister Lady Newburg, had been seated and weighty guests were admitted to the Meeting, other guests, well-wishers and observers filed into the Meeting house, filling the area around the seated Friends, and then filling the balcony level around the central meeting. Then a Meeting for Worship began, and all sat silently for about 50 minutes in deep prayer and contemplation. Occasionally, Friends spoke from the silence, mostly neighbors and long time family friends who wished the Crown Princess good luck, and expressed hope for wise governance. Many of the Friends were seen visibly crying, and one explained that she was very proud to see the Crown Princess having grown up in the Meeting and having accomplished so much already at such a young age. The Meeting ended after the allotted time with the Clerk of the Eveari Meeting saying "Thank you Friends", which is the acknowledged signal for the breaking of the silence.

Following the end of the Meeting, the coronation ceremony began. The Empress and the Crown Princess were seated next to one another in the meeting, both were dressed very conservatively in modest, but fashionable attire, as if simply attending the Brethrenist Meeting on a normal day. Absent were nearly all the symbols of authority and circumstance one may see at other coronation ceremonies in other countries in the world. The only thing that seemed abnormal about this day was that the Empress was wearing her own Formal Crown, a headpiece she rarely wears in public. Beyond the lavish opulence in the crown, and a thin gold chain supporting a single black pearl worn around the Empress' neck in memory of the deceased Prince Consort, neither the Empress nor the Crown Princess wore jewels or adornment of any kind, though the Crown Princess was wearing a set of glasses that she had begun wearing in college to correct her eyesight.

The Prime Minister, similarly attired, stood and approached the Empress. After showing due courtesy, the Prime Minister took one knee and was addressed by the Empress, who, having formally abdicated her throne and her authority through legislation in the National Assembly, placed her hands on her Crown, and as a final order to the Prime Minister, ordered that the Crown be placed on the head of her daughter, Her Highness the Crown Princess Nicolette Ananto-Martin. She then handed the crown to the Prime Minister, who took the crown and faced the assembled audience, saying "By Order of Her Imperial Majesty The Empress of Ananto and Kalistan, I hereby accept this crown." She then turned to face the Crown Princess, and very gently placed the crown on the Crown Princess' head, kneeled once more and said "We, the People of Kalistan, call upon Her Highness the Crown Princess to serve as our Empress and Absolute Sovereign, and do affirm here our support. We shall ever adhere to the law and Will of Her Imperial Majesty."

The new Empress, still seated, said "We do hereby accept your request, and shall strive to govern Our Realm and Our People wisely and justly, for as long as We live. We call upon the Lady Newburg-LaRoc to continue her service to Us as she did to Our mother, and remain as Our Prime Minister and figurative head of Our Government." The Prime Minister nodded her acceptance than slowly stood, turned to the assembled crowd and announced, "It is my duty and singular pleasure to announce the coronation and installment of our new Sovereign, By the Consent of the People, Her Imperial Majesty, of the Ancient House of Ananto, Empress and Absolute Sovereign of The Empire of Ananto and Kalistan, Grand Duchess of Ananto, Duchess of Icehaven, Countess of Davon, Commander in Chief of the Regular Forces of Kalistan, Sovereign and Great Mistress of the Most Honorable Order of the Grey Smoke, Defender of the Constitution and the Realm, Head of the Anantonese State and Formal Head of Government, Embodiment of the Anantonese Nation, Guarantor of the Anantonese Ocean and Ananto Strait, Nicolette II Ananto ." All Kalistani citizens in the audience, both in the Main Meeting and in the Balcony, and including the former Empress, who is now Princess Nicolette who were all well-versed in the protocol of the morning, took a knee (as they were able) and as one announced "We consent."

And with that, the Coronation was completed, and the entire audience erupted in applause. Her Imperial Majesty stood to hug her mother, as both women were seen crying and laughing. The Prime Minister gracefully shook hands with Her Imperial Majesty and at long last embraced Princess Nicolette, a privilege which until this moment, was utterly forbidden, due to the former's station as Monarch. The two women laughed together and it was obvious that they had become friends despite the fact that Lady Newburg had long been in service to the Empress.

As the two Royals, the Ministers of the Government, and the immediate attendants filed out, all caught a glimpse of the newly crowned Empress of Kalistan, and lowered their eyes as she passed by. The entourage then went through town along a parade route, as the citizens of Eveari filed out to wave Kalistani Flags and cheer as the Empress passed through the town to the Ananto Estate. Eveari is not a very large city, and the motorcade stretched the entire distance from the Meeting House to the Ananto Mansion. Once at the Ananto Residence, Her Imperial Majesty was seated for an official portrait. In the portrait, Empress Nicolette II was seated on the Ceremonial Throne of State, dressed in the Orange Gown of State, which was simplified based on the Empress' request from the more gaudy dress worn by her mother. The dress featured several amethysts in adornment, and in total represented the colors of Ananto and Kalistan, and is trimmed with royal blue sleeves. The crown used during the Coronation belongs to Princess Nicolette I, and will be treated as an heirloom, but a far more simple crown, crafted specifically by and for Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress Nicolette II was featured in the Portrait. The Empress was posed in a regal posture, confident and solemn.

Following the Portrait session, the Empress changed into informal attire, and the reception began. Both Princess Nicolette and The Empress greeted visiting foreign dignitaries. In attendance were such noted Guests of Honor as The Queen Victoria of Hutori, who has met Her Imperial Majesty both formally and informally on several occasions in the past and has become a close personal friend of the Empress, as well as the Prime Minister of Hutori and the Borther of the Queen, who visits Kalistan in his as Head of ODEN-H. The Empress also met with the President of the Lodamese Commonwealth, Dr. Jane Whitmore, and was introduced to Prince Charles of Luthori, who is the Crown Prince and Future Emperor of Luthori and is making his first formal visit to Kalistan. Both the Princess and the Empress were also thrilled to once again meet the King of the United Kingdom of Lourenne, King Leopold the IV and his wife, the Queen Consort Marguerite, and several members of the Royal Government--The Anantos are related to the King of Lourenne through distant family ties, and they have maintained very close personal relations over the reign of Nicolette I. Also welcomed was the President of the Bundesrepublik Dundorf, Louis Kreisler-Schumacher, and the Foreign Minister, Victoria Hallbach, both of whom Her Imperial Majesty was very interested in meeting and talking with at some length, given Dundorf's rising importance in Artania. The international entourages were spectacular, and provided well wishers with a star-studded event. Protocol was strictly maintained throughout the entire event, but it is assumed that these formal meetings will lay the ground work for future relations during the Reign of Empress Nicolette II.

"While we were surrounded by high level officials and honored guests from around the world," said Social Columnist Bradly Summers, "I do have to note that the reception for Her Imperial Majesty is what anyone else in the world would call 'subdued.' Not so much because it wasn't a great event: there were more than 500 guests at the Estate over the course of the afternoon, including some VERY important people, Heads of State, members of Cabinets and Parliaments from around the world, famous musicians and actors and artists, all there to wish our New Empress well. But compared to other coronation events, this one matched Nicolette's personality very well. She is, from everything I've witnessed writing about her and interviewing her for different things, a very conservative person, personality wise. She doesn't like the spotlight. Where her Mother, the Princess Nicolette now, was very outgoing and gregarious, the Younger Nicolette was more bookish, interested in intellectualism, and always had this formal role, even as a small child. That has shaped her over time into someone who is very reserved, polite and proper in most things, and I think this reception really kind of highlighted that aspect of her character."

Fireworks display over Davon Bay in Kaliburg, to celebrate coronation of the Empress

Indeed, with previous coronations, the far more wild parties were in the streets, as people enjoyed the first day of a Three Day National Holiday which was declared to celebrate the rise of the New Empress. Concerts and street parties were held throughout the Empire, as people started and ended the day late, and spent time in public, with their neighbors. There were events held in all major cities that were attended by millions throughout the day, including a Major concert by FOMAT winner and close personal Friend of the Empress, Megapipe, in Kaliburg, as well as several National Touring acts playing in Sulari, Dana, Yoshimi, Vrassa City, Addisjah, Port Swedes and Eshar. The Starving Artists played a show in Luxon at the Global Music Hall of Fame, and in Eveari, the Northern Music and Arts Festival had events and music all day long, including food and wine tasting. As the day wound down, and the new Empress retired for the evening, those who left the reception and made their way either to Eveari's festival or the much larger celebrations in Kaliburg were treated to spectacular fireworks displays which lit the skies across the Grand Duchy and could be heard for many miles in all directions.

Long live Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress Nicolette II Ananto. We at The Republic have great hopes for your long reign and success!