Isabella of Latium

Full name
	Isabella Claudia Silvia Victoria Christina

Princess Isabella
Princess Isabella
Princess Imperial
Born	12 January 1963 (age 61); Palace of Porphyrogenitus, Ascanium, Latium
Issue	Prince Leo of Ghant and Latium; Princess Diana of Ghant; Princess Theodora of Ghant;
Full name
Full name
	Isabella Claudia Silvia Victoria Christina
House	Claudia
Father	Leo Claudius, 37th Duke of Adrianople
Mother	Diana Augusta of Latium
Religion	Fabrian Catholic

Isabella, Princess Imperial (Isabella Claudia Silvia Victoria Christina; b. 12 January 1963), is the eldest child of Latin Empress Diana Augusta and Leo, Prince Consort. At the time of her birth, Isabella was first in the line of succession until the birth of her brother Jason later that year in December. She has since disclaimed herself of any claim to throne in 2006.

Isabella became the first member of the Imperial Family to graduate from a university after attending Castellum College, Castellum. She is most well known for her relationship with John, Crown Prince of Ghant, who was married at the time. Isabella was stripped of her Latin titles after she refused to follow the wishes of Sovereign's consent and lived in Ghant with John until his death in 1994. Together, Isabella and John had three children: Leo, Diana, and Theodora. Isabella and her children remaind in Ghant following John's death until 1997 and the death of Emperor Albert I of Ghant, when she returned to Latium.

She currently resides in a private villa just north of Greater Alba, while also maintaining a home in Ghant – though is reported to have not returned since 1997.

Early life and education

Isabella was born at Palace of Porphyrogenitus on 12 January 1963 as the eldest child and daughter of Diana Augusta and Leo, Prince Consort. She was baptized on 26 February at St. Andrews Cathedral in Ascanium by Archbishop Euthymios Kastamonites. Her godparents were William II of Lyncanestria (friend of her paternal grandfather); Teresa of Ghant (friend of her mother); Princess Zoe (her mother's sister) and Thomas Vitruvius, 1st Marchis of Antium (a friend of her grandfather).

Education

Isabella was initially educated by the household governess and private tutors. When she turned 9, Isabella was enrolled at St. Michael's for primary school, becoming one of the first members of the Imperial family to attend formal schooling. She attended the St. Michael's school system through secondary school. After taking a gap year and traveling through southern Belisaria, she was admitted to Galata College, Haenna, where she studied art history. In June 1984, she transferred to Castellum College, Castellum, but would not attend until taking another gap year, beginning classes in 1985.

Isabella (left) with her mother Empress Diana Augusta, and brother Jason, Prince of Youth, in 1968.

Personal Life

Though Isabella had long refused to discuss her private life, she had frequently been the object of press speculation regarding purported romances. Only two men were confirmed as her boyfriends. Both of these relationships lasted for a considerable amount of time.

In October 1982, it was widely rumored that Isabella was dating Florentine Verrucosus, son of war hero and former Consul Felix Verrucosus, 1st Lord of Istopolis, after numerous reports of the two spotted together on the campus of Castellum College. The two were rumored to have been courting from 1983 until 1984. Though Verrucosus later married Theodosia Ambusta-Lafrenia in 1985, he and Isabella were rumored to have an affair in 1987 or 1988; spokespersons from each family have never responded to the claims.

Ghantish controversy

In November 1990, Isabella travelled to Ghant for vacation with her siblings for what was originally reported to be a trip last only a few weeks. Reports on what occurred during their visit are scant, but when the Imperial children returned Isabella was not aboard the plane and instead stayed behind in Ghant. In the weeks following, her parents Leo and Diana were invited to visit the Ghantish court by Empress Grace; they did not return with Isabella with both Diana Augusta and Leo, Prince Consort refusing to make any indication as to what occurred during the visit. Official Imperial Family documents continued to include Isabella's name, though she was now referred to as simply HH Isabella of Latium, opposed to HIH Princess Isabella, causing speculation that .

Her mother, Empress Diana Augusta, would issue an amendment to the Acts of Succession during the first week of January that would see any member of the Imperial family forfeit their place and any future children in the line of succession, if the reigning Sovereign hadn't approved of a marriage. A week later, it announced reported in Latin papers that she had married Crown Prince John in January of 1991 at a private ceremony in Ghant, causing a scandal of epic proportions in Latium. She later gave birth to a son, Prince Leo, in August of the same year; he was announced to be third in the line of succession to the Ghantish throne after his father and brother.

The Fabrian Church quickly issued the first official response to the news stating that:

"The Church does not accept the legitimacy of the marriage between HH Isabella and The Crown Prince of Ghant due to his current marriage to Lady Caroline of Zuria. According to the Church, the 'union' between HH Isabella and The Crown Prince of Ghant is polygamic and in direct violation with Church teaching and further more of the civil and temporal law...Any child born of the union between HH Isabella and The Crown Prince of Ghant will not be recognized as legitimate in the eyes of the Church."

The Church excommunicated Isabella the next day, along with her newborn son Leo, whom the Church regarded as an illegitimate child born outside of wedlock. Due to her excommunication and reportedly cold relations with her parents, Isabella remained in Ghant until the death of Emperor Albert I of Ghant in 1997 resulting in her expulsion from the country by Lord Regent Albert.

Return to Latium

Isabella and her children returned to Latium on 21 May 1997 after having fled from Ghant in the aftermath of Emperor Albert I of Ghant's death and the regency of Nathan IV of Ghant led by Prince-Regent Albert. She and her children were welcomed at the Diana Augusta International Airport by her brother Jason, the new Latin emperor. Isabella had arrived with a number of household retainers including Ser Adrasto Minazar, the head of John and Isabella's household guard and Dr. Pankratios Anemas, her childrens private tutor.

Her return to Latium was cause for great controversy early in her brother's reign as Emperor due to her status as being excommunicated by the Fabrian Church. While her excommunication was eventually lifted, the disagreements between Emperor Jason VI and his wife Zoe were reported to have become more frequent during this period as the Empress consort actively sought to have Isabella and her children in a continued exile. The lifting of Isabella's excommunication also saw a worsening in relations between her brother, Jason, and hardliners in the Fabrian Church.

Isabella has remained in Latium since May 1997, reportedly not returning to Ghant since being exiled by Prince-Regent Albert. She does maintain a home in Ghant so that her children may come and go at their own leisure.

Issue

Name	Birth	Spouse(s)
By John, Crown Prince of Ghant (1962–1994):
Prince Leo of Ghant	(1991-08-31) 31 August 1991 (age 33)	Not yet wed
Princess Diana of Ghant	(1993-01-22) 22 January 1993 (age 31)	Not yet wed
Princess Theodora of Ghant	(1994-11-19) 19 November 1994 (age 30)	Not yet wed

Titles, styles, honours and arms

12 January 1963 – 15 January 1991: Her Imperial Highness The Princess Isabella
15 January 1991 – 22 May 1997: Miss Isabella Claudia Anicia
22 May 1997 – present: Her Imperial Highness Isabella, Princess Imperial

Isabella is a Latin princess by birth and as such does not utilize a surname. However, she was temporarily stripped of her titles and succession privileges due to marrying without Sovereign's consent from 1991 until 1997. During this period she was known as Miss Isabella Claudia Anicia, utilizing her house name, Claudius Anicius, as her surname. Following her return to Latium in 1997 and subsequent lifting of her excommunication, Isabella was restored in her status as a Latin princess though lacks any territorial designation.