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 monarchy of Freice is the hereditary system of government in which the monarch (the King or Queen) serves as constitutional sovereign and head of state in Riamo. The system of monarchy in Riamo as evolved with constitutional developments, with their constitutional role increasingly diminishing as power steadily shifted from the Crown to democratically-elected institutions. Today, the monarch, referred to in law as Her Majesty in Right of Riamo in Federation on a national level, operates alongside the government and Federal Assembly within the political system.
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.
The role of the Crown is largely ceremonial, representing the unity of the federation. The monarch wields few political powers, with those they do possess mostly executed only with the advice and consent of the government and legislature. Only certain veto powers belong exclusively to the Crown, but which remain governed by the constitution and can be overcome by a second, two-thirds majority vote in the Federal Assembly. In day-to-day matters, the role of the monarchy is therefore serving as a symbol of the nation and undertaking non-partisan activities, with executive power resting with the government in the Crown's name. The Riamese monarchy exists at both a federal and at a sub-national level. In each federal state, the Queen is referred to as Her Majesty in Right of [state's name] (e.g. Her Majesty in Right of the Country of Freice).
The current monarch, since 8 January 1983, is Diana II, who succeeded her mother, Diana I, upon her death. The heir apparent is Crown Prince William.
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.
Style
The official style of the Riamese monarch is:
- Her Majesty Diana the Second, by the Grace of God and of the Constitution of the Nation, Queen of Riamo, Sovereign of Freice and of the Outliers, Ruler of the Oceans and Seas, Defender of the Faith