Monarchy of Riamo
| Queen of Riamo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Incumbent | |
| File:Wide blows our banner 1170.jpg | |
| Diana II since 8 January 1983 | |
| Details | |
| Style | Her Majesty |
| Heir apparent | William, Crown Prince of Riamo |
| First monarch | Harold the Bare |
| Formation | 1251 |
| Residence | Royal Palace of Guri Portington Castle |
| Website | monarchy.rm |
The Federation of Riamo is a hereditary, constitutional monarchy, in which the sovereign (the King or Queen) serves as the country's head of state. A federation of multiple constituent states with varying degrees of autonomy, the monarch is regarded, constitutionally, as the symbolic head and principal unifying figure. The current monarch, since 8 January 1983, is Diana II.
Riamo is a representative democracy operating a parliamentary system, with the Chancellor serving as head of government. The monarch wields very few political powers and, unlike in most monarchies, is not constitutionally the chief executive (a position held by the Chancellor). In day-to-day matters, the role of the monarchy is therefore primarily serving as a symbol of the nation and undertaking non-partisan activities, with executive power resting with the government.
History
A unified Riamese kingdom was first established in 1251, with the modern-day royal family claiming descendence from the first monarch, Harold the Bare. The monarchy, save for a small number of interregnums, has existed for over 770 years, making it one of the oldest continuous monarchies in the world.
Constitutional role
The Federal Constitution of Riamo provides the monarch with no political role, explicitly placing executive power in the Chancellor and government. As such, the ceremonial duties usually executed by the monarch have been delegated to various elected officials. Appointing the Chancellor and giving assent to bills are undertaken by the Speaker of the Council of Deputies and the President of the Council of the Federation in a joint session of the Federal Assembly. Federal ministers are appointed by the Chancellor at their discretion, whilst its actions are made in the name of the federal government rather than the monarch.
The constitution describes the monarch as "head of state and symbol of the unity of the federation". As such, the monarch does open sessions of the Federal Assembly, bestow federal honours, also receives Letters of Credence of foreign ambassadors sent to Riamo, and signs those of Riamese ambassadors sent abroad.
Although the monarch is not commander-in-chief of the Riamese armed forces as is usual for the head of state, Queen Diana II nonetheless holds the highest rank in each of the service branches on a formal basis. Moreover, the monarch has military aids-de-camp and military staff to provide support to the sovereign on military matters.
Unity of the Realm
Although the monarchy wields no formal political power, the Crown is regarded as representing the Unity of the Realm. In this capacity, the monarch is representative of the entire federation and it is through the monarch that federal matters are conducted. This is to ensure that no one federal subject is deemed to possess any greater power than another. In this sense, the monarch is a legal personality uniting all federal states, recognised in law as Her Majesty in Right of the Federation.
Style
The monarchy of Riamo is styled in different ways depending on the context. At a federal level, the Riamese monarch is currently styled:
- Diana the Second, By the Grace of God and the Constitutions of the Federation, Queen of the Riamese, Queen of Freice, Sovereign of the Outliers, Ruler of the Oceans and the Seas, Defender of the Faith
When federal law makes reference to the monarchy as in operation in each federal state, the style is:
- Diana the Second, By the Grace of God, Queen and Sovereign in Right of... [federal state]
In each of the federal states, the monarch is styled differently in accordance with domestic practice. For example, Freice styles the monarch as follows:
- Diana the Second, Queen of Riamo and of Freice, Sovereign of the Outliers, Ruler of the Oceans and the Seas
Royal standard
The Queen is represented by a royal standard, which is flown to signify the monarch's presence.
Personal standard of Diana II.