Kingdom of Scone
The The Kingdom of Scone is a miniature kingdom governed by a monarchy and a parliament patterned after the British Crown and the Parliament at Westminster. Complete with a king, a prime minister, parliamentarians, and other personages of noble rank and title, the Kingdom of Scone is a community dedicated to recreating, in miniature, the social, political, and ceremonial dynamic of a kingdom, with the UK as their model.
Kingdom of Scone | ||||
Official language(s) | English | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Demonym | Sconnish | |||
Government | Parliamentary Monarchy | |||
- King | King Erik | |||
- Prime Minister | Office Vacant | |||
Legislature | Parliament | |||
- Type | - Unicameral | |||
Established | 1 March 2014 | |||
Official Website |
Although the Kingdom shares many characteristics of a micronation, it does not generally consider itself to be a micronation and prefers the self-descriptive term miniature kingdom.
History
The Kingdom of Scone grew out of an earlier incarnation of a miniature kingdom known as the Glennish Kingdom, of which Scone was a member.
In 2014, it became independent of the Glennish Kingdom and formed its own parliament. At the time of independence, the Lord Lieutenant over the Sconnish realm, James Richard Edward George, became James, King of the Sconnish. Since then, the Kingdom of Scone functioned as a community of citizens, government ministers, and nobles with their own parliament and various institutions of state.
Regency Period
In April 2018, the Royal Court announced that Prince Edward, the Prince Royal would be acting as Regent of Scone for an undetermined length of time while King James retired from public life and affairs of state. The Regency Period was scheduled to start on 21 May and continue indefinitely.
Reign of King Edward
On 17 September 2018, after four months of regency, King James announced his intention to abdicate the throne. The instrument of abdication was signed that day and took effect on 1 October. At noon on that day, the Prince Royal ascended the throne as King Edward. Sconnish citizens generally lauded the transfer of power and celebrated the new king. During the reign of the new king, he continued his work with the college of Tartannac; an institution he created when he first joined the kingdom, having a keen interest in heraldry and vexillology. He also introduced two new orders of chivalry into Scone: The Most Honourable order of the Glennish Empire and The Most Noble Order of the Baronial Eagle.
King Edward's reign overall was generally uneventful. This was primarily due to the fact he had resolved himself to govern in a manner that consisted primarily of quietly working in the background, after receiving feedback that the former king was too present and involved. However, his rule was marked by some internal turmoil among the Sconnish nobles and members of parliament which King Edward was able to help resolve, as peacemaker. While some observers commented that the stability of Scone seemed to have depended upon the majesty and authority of King James, there are those who acknowledge that the situation was far more complex than that reading of the two reigns would suggest. Ultimately, the reign of King Edward came to an end on 5 March 2020 after less than two years on the throne.
Reign of King Erik
Prior to King Edward's abdication, his designated successor declined to accept the position. In response, a bill was proposed in the Sconnish Parliament to nominate Nathan Brown, the Duke of Walsingham as the new king. This was met with near universal acclaim, as Nathan had served as Prime Minister for several years and was generally regarded as a competent and dedicated member of Scone's government. He ascended to the throne as King Erik on 6 March 2020. Grand Duke Travis sent his congratulations and a message of welcome to King Erik the same day.
Relations with Westarctica
The Kingdom of Scone has historically had excellent diplomatic relations with Westarctica. In 2015, Grand Duke Travis became the first foreign royal invited to speak on the floor of the Parliament of Scone. His Royal Highness provided a video address to the Sconnish people praising them for their democratic practices as well as the quality and character of their monarch, King James.
In 2017, a delegation from Westarctica led by Grand Duke Travis visited Sconnish North America for a state visit with King James.
On 21 December 2019, the Grand Duke met with Scone's Ambassador to Westarctica, Willamina, Earl of Dowington, for a diplomatic visit in Bakersfield, California. At the meeting, the Earl was invested as a Knight Commander in the Order of the Snowflake in recognition of his long diplomatic service.
Sconnish Ambassadors
Since 2015, it has been tradition for the King of Scone to appoint an ambassador to represent the government in the court of the Grand Duke.
The list of Ambassadors from Scone to Westarctica:
- Position Vacant (2020)
- Willamina, Earl of Downington (2018)
- David, Marquess of Lindenlea (2017)
- Lucy Rose, Countess of Stirlington (2016)
- Sir Joseph Kennedy (2015)
- Nathan Brown, Marquess of Walsingham (2015)