2017 Scone State Visit
The 2017 State Visit in Scone was a diplomatic event that occurred between the sovereign of the Kingdom of Scone and a delegation from Westarctica in the Niagara Falls region of upstate New York. It was considered an important event in the foreign relations of Westarctica.
Background
In March 2015, Grand Duke Travis and King James began corresponding about religion in Westarctica and the Grand Duke's own personal religious history. As a result of these friendly conversations, Grand Duke Travis honored King James as a Knight Commander in the Holy Order of The Cross, Westarctica's only religious order of chivalry. In return, the Grand Duke was honored by the King with the Order of the Sconnish Poppy. At the same time, the King accorded an ambassador, Sir Nathan Brown, from the Court of St. Ives to the Court of Westarctica.
The monarchs soon turned their conversations to matters of diplomacy and later that August, Grand Duke Travis was invited to be the first foreign leader to address the Parliament of Scone in a speech delivered via YouTube on September 9th.
From May - August 2017 the Grand Duke undertook numerous diplomatic visits with micronational leaders across North America. This period was known as the "Summer of Diplomacy," and involved five diplomatic visits in a period of three months.
Activities of the visit
The Westarctica delegation included Grand Duke Travis, the Countess of Benton, and Prince-Consort Dinny. They met with King James at Old Fort Niagara in Upstate New York, where the King led the visitors on a personal tour of the old battlements.
Old Fort Niagara has a history that spans more than 300 years. During the colonial wars in North America, a fort at the mouth of the Niagara River was vital, for it controlled access to the Great Lakes and the westward route to the heartland of the continent. With the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825, however, the strategic value of Fort Niagara diminished. It nonetheless remained an active military post well into the 20th century.
Award ceremony
Inside the fort, significant time was dedicated to the French Castle, an impressive colonial structure which bears many symbols of the French and British governments that at one time ruled over the fort. These symbols were reverentially reviewed and discussed by the monarchs before a ceremony in the dining room of the castle where Grand Duke Travis presented King James with the regalia of a Knight Commander in the Order of the Snowflake and a copy of The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Westarctica.
After the tour was completed, King James presented Prince-Consort Dinny with the regalia of a Knight Grand Cordon in the Order of the Sconnish Poppy.
Lakeside dinner
The delegation then changed into more casual clothes and enjoyed a tour of the Buffalo Naval and Military Park. Afterward, they had dinner overlooking the Buffalo River and scenic Lake Erie.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the monarchs reaffirmed the commitment of friendship between their countries and departed for their home territories.