Richard XIII of Estmere
| Richard XIII | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Photograph of Richard in 1919, three years into his reign as King of Great Estmere | |||||
| King of Great Estmere and the Lands Beyond the Sea | |||||
| Reign | 16 June 1916 – 11 February 1934 | ||||
| Coronation | 11 April 1918 | ||||
| Predecessor | Edward V | ||||
| Successor | Monarchy abolished (Wolfgar Godfredson as President of Estmere) | ||||
| Prime Minister | See list | ||||
| Born | William Richard Louis de Montcherié-Delacour 29 March 1900 Castle Montcherié, Kingdom of Great Estmere | ||||
| Died | 23 June 1984 (aged 84) Garrafrauns, Caldia | ||||
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| House | de Montcherié-Delacour Mountcherie | ||||
| Father | Edward V | ||||
| Mother | Sophia of Werania | ||||
| Religion | Embrian Communion | ||||
Richard XIII (William Richard Louis; 29 March 1900 – 23 June 1984), was the last King of Great Estmere and the Lands Beyond the Sea from 16 June 1916 until his abdication and the wider abolition of the monarchy of Estmere on 11 February 1934, following the conclusion of the Great War.
Born as the first child of Edward V and Sophia of Werania at the turn of the century, Richard's birth was subject to celebration. He spent only a year as the Duke of Tolbury from 1915 to 1916, with his father's early death in June 1916 causing Richard to ascend to the throne. His mother acted as regent for the first year and a half of his reign, and he was officially coronated on 11 April 1918. This was less than a month after his 18th birthday.
The start of his realm was tumultuous for the country. In the July of 1918, the Estmerish-Kirenian War broke out, defining the early years of his reign. His most symbolic leadership during the war was seen in a positive light for the most part, but his youth and inexperience became clear. After the war, Richard and his government focused on curtailling Gaullican influence in Euclea and beyond in an attempt to confront the percieved national functionalist threat. Richard became increasingly beholdened to the Legitimist Party and its leader Anthony Colborn, who Richard later named Prime Minister against the advice of Parliament.
Colborn led the Estmerish government to embrace an anti-Gaullican foreign policy, and the Great War broke out on 2 February 1927 as a result. Richard was seen as a far less effective leader at the outbreak of the war than he had been previously, with his relations to the Gaullican monarchy causing a conflict of conscience in him. Richard fled alongside his government in 1928 as part of the government-in-exile, first in Longwood and later in occupied Caldia. Following the fall of Estmere, Richard became largely catatonic, and subsequently became a magnet for blame as to the poor showing of Estmere in the war.
After the liberation of Estmere, Richard was advised by Montgomerie in 1934 to abdicate in favour of a regency. Richard was apprehensive, but trusted the advice of Montgomerie and did so, giving way to the Transitional Authority. The monarchy was left in a state of regency for two years until the 1936 referendum on the monarchy led to its ultimate abolition. Richard subsequently became a private citizen with the legal name William Mountcherie, and moved to Caldia. It was revealed by reporters in 1959 that William was living with a male partner in Garrafrauns, and his sexuality became a topic of discussion. He came out officially in 1969, and argued for the liberalisation of Estmerish laws on homosexuality. William remained in Caldia until his death on 23 June 1984.