Kalistan

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Lady Monica Ananto-DeLaurentis Retires
Mother of the Empress to retain home in Xanadu
Xanadu, Grand Duchy of Ananto
September 15, 5656


Empress and Princess Margaret join the Princess Mother at home in Xanadu

Her Highness, Princess Monica Ananto-DeLaurentis, the Princess Mother, who was married to the late Emperor Fredrick III Ananto, and then married the late Baron Calvin Morrison of Xanadu has decided to retire from public life and leave the Board of Directors of the Kalistani Foundation for the Arts (which began as the National Orchestra Foundation, an organization she started in 5634.) The socialite and patron of the Arts in Ananto and Kalistan, she was named Dame of the Opera in Kaliburg, due to her patronage of the Imperial Opera.

"It's time I step down," said Lady Monica at a short press conference. "I've been at this for 22 years, and its time for someone else to come in and take up the work. Someone with new ideas and new directions. I helped push the Imperial Opera and the National Orchestra in a direction that I liked, and worked hard to provide it a stable foundation that it could build on. Now it is time for a new group to carry on to the next steps. It has been a real blessing to be surrounding by such artists and performers, and to have... the opportunity and the privilege of bringing such beauty to so many people. I was so fortunate to live the kind of life I was able to: yes there was sorrow, but there was also a lot of joy, and because of that, because of both my husbands' supports at their respective times in my life, and because of the support of my daughters, and my sister in law and everyone all around me, I have had so many wonderful chances to pay it forward for the beautification of my daughter's empire. And with that, I hope the incoming director of the Foundation is able to continue to receive support from House Ananto as I have, as well as our wonderful donors, and all the audiences who come to the Imperial Opera and the National Orchestra during their performances and all the wonderful singers, and just everyone. Thank you, so much for such a beautiful life you all have allowed me to live."

The Princess Mother did not name the incoming director, because the Board was in the process of selecting her replacement as she announced her retirement, but a week later, Michael Ricardo was named to take up Lady Monica's role in the Kalistani Foundation of the Arts. Ricardo was the primary Conductor of the Sulari City Orchestra for the last six years, and said he looked forward to expanding theater construction across mainland Kalistan, so theater groups and orchestras can actually tour more cities in venues that are suitable for fine arts. "I'd also like to see the Foundation patronize more composers to encourage both classical and modern music composition," said Ricardo.

House Ananto announced Lady Monica's decision to retire not only from her duties at the Foundation, but also from all royal obligations. "The Princess Mother asked the House to accept her retirement from Royal Duties for a number of reasons," said Lady Helen Ananto-Reynolds, Head of House Ananto. "She has asked us to report that she has recently been diagnosed with stage three renal failure, a terminal and ultimately fatal condition, and will need to spend more time looking to her declining health. Given the Princess Mother's age and physical condition, she is not eligible for a kidney transplant, and so will end up doing dialysis three times a week. She also wants to spend time with her grandchildren in Kaliburg, and attend what performances of the Imperial Opera she can. The Princess Mother's still has many years left provided she can take care of her health, and reducing her workload is part of that. Her Imperial Majesty has instructed us to accept Lady Monica's retirement, and thanks her mother for her many decades of service to the arts community in Ananto and Kalistan."

Lady Helen also said that Lady Monica will keep the title of Baroness of Xanadu in Luxon County, a title she had, up until Lord Calvin Morrison's death last spring, as a courtesy title. Lady Monica has opted to not take a countess title, due to her marriage to the Baron, so she will continue to exercise the rights of Baroness in Xanadu in her own right for life, after which time, the title will return to the Empress. "Lady Monica has acted as a just and fair Baroness with her late husband, Mr. Morrison, and it is Her Imperial Majesty's will that her mother continue to represent the Crown in that jurisdiction as she is able."

Lady Monica will split her time between Kaliburg, her home town, and Xanadu, her adopted home. When the Empress is in Residence in Kaliburg, Lady Monica will live in the East Wing of Cliff House, so she can spend time with the Their Highnesses Minor Prince Fredrick-Martin Ananto-Collins and the Minor Princess Nicolette-Carolina Ananto-Collins. And then when the Royal Family takes up residence at Wood House each Spring, the Princess Mother will return to Xanadu to the home she and Baron Morrison built together and shared. She noted she would like to learn more about the various movements for democracy in Kalistan, "out of curiosity," Lady Helen added.

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