#tagging my lil' welsh residents

[margaretofwales-archive]

POLITICS IN WALES Though a close neighbor to England, Wales remains a sheltered country, restricted geographically by mountains and ocean, and politically by a tightly-controlled set of influential clans. The country is ruled by divine right through the House of Dafydd (commonly Davies) handed down from ruler to eldest child through abdication, retirement, or death.

The monarchy is advised by a council of six Lords. Selection of the Lords happens through a vote upon the abdication, retirement, or death of a current Lord. Per the Voting Act of 1229, all landowners in Wales are able to cast a vote during this time. Voter turnout is typically low, regrettably, as each seat on the Council has been allocated to one of the six remaining clans for hundreds of years. An upset is nearly unfathomable.

But it almost happened recently. The sudden death of King Caradoc coincided with the abduction of his two remaining children, Prince Gideon and Princess Isolde Malle. With no clear heir, the lesser house of Clan Dafydd and Clan Sayer volleyed for the crown. Public support leaned toward Emrys Sayer, a well-known Brigadier in the Royal National Army, and a staunch supporter of expanded infrastructure and voting rights. Little was known of, or hoped for, the rescue mission off the coast of Fiji.

The rescue and subsequent return of Princess Isolde Malle stopped these efforts in their tracks. The Princess, a relative unknown in Welsh politics, returned to a divided country in the midst of a discourse about national priorities, individual rights and freedoms, the role of Wales on the global stage, and education reform. Six days after her return, Princess Isolde Malle was confirmed as Head of the Commonwealth.

Many of the topics brought to light during the question of power still remain in the press today. Most notably, voter reform has put pressure on some of the clans to address how they distribute power, making way for new voices. Teachers in Snowdonia threatened to strike twice in 2018, insisting that the crumbling of the schools they taught in was only outmatched by the crumbling of their students’ resolve to attend at all. And worry still lingers about the unsolved threat of the pirates.

While public opinion of Queen Margaret is quite favorable, her coronation was delayed nearly nine months in order to gather the necessary votes in the Council. This sort of a delay is unheard of, and fissures in the clan structure have been questioned more than once. Much remains to be seen of the new Queen, figuratively and literally, as her public appearances are highly scheduled and guarded.

October 2019.

@keyes-tothecrown @captaingraves