Monarchy of the Velkanian Isles

The **Monarchy of the Velkanian Isles**, colloquially known as the **Velkanian Monarchy**, is a constitutional institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of the Velkanian Isles. The Kingdom was first consolidated in the 8th-century, with its rulers identified as kings or queens in translated texts. Its monarchy was constitutional and hereditary since its inception, making it the first constitutional monarchy in the world. Additionally, the monarchy was matriarchal, with most power being passed down through the matrilineal line; female-preference primogeniture was used since the Kingdom's inception until the 17th-century. The current Royal House is the House of Oskársdætr, the original house that unified the Kingdom in the 8th-century. In the 17th-century, the Kingdom was conquered by Forsland and incorporated as the Velkanian Duchy. The Forsish Monarchy allowed the Velkanian Monarchy to continue operating, but as an inferior duchy.

The Velkanian Monarchy is constitutional, meaning that the role of the monarch is defined and limited by the Constitution of the Velkanian Isles. According to the constitution, the ultimate executive authority over the government of the Velkanian Isles is still by and through the monarch's royal reserve powers; in practice these powers are only used according to laws enacted in Parliament or within the constraints of convention. The monarch is, in practice, limited to non-partisan functions such as bestowing honors and appointing the Prime Minister. The monarch and his or her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial, diplomatic, and representational duties.

Queen Ragnhildur IV ascended to the throne on the abdication of her mother, Queen Hrafnhildur III, on 15 January 2013. On her ascension, the Queen became the first monarch born in an independent Velkanian Isles since the 17th-century. Ragnhildur's heir apparent is her eldest daughter Crown Princess Kerstín.

## Succession

*Main article: Line of succession to the Velkanian throne.*

The Velkanian Isles have employed a system of absolute primogeniture since 1966. Succession is restricted to descendants of Bjárni I and his wife Uljana, Duchess of the Velkanias, through approved marriages.

Dynasts lose their right to the throne if they marry without the permission of the monarch. Individuals born to unmarried dynasts or former dynasts who married without the monarch's permission are excluded from the line of succession. Additionally, when approving a marriage, the monarch may impose conditions that must be met in order to maintain succession rights. This practice is largely behind-the-scenes, and it is not public knowledge how hands-on the monarch is when approving marriages, or if it is simply a ceremonial formality.

From 1656 to 1966, the monarch must have been a registered member of the Church of Forsland. Since the restoration of Velkanian independence, no monarch has been a member of the church and additionally none have publicly expressed a belief in religion at all.

The only royal titles recognized are King/Queen, Prince Consort/Queen Consort, Crown Prince/Crown Princess, and Prince/Princess. All children and grandchildren of a monarch are entitled to the title Prince or Princess of the Velkanian Isles, while the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are the heir apparent and their spouse. The monarch has the authority to create courtesy titles, although this has never been done. Ragnhildur IV has expressed interest in granting courtesy titles to her daughters as wedding presents.

### Privileges and restrictions

There are a number of restrictions placed on dynasts in order to remain in the line of succession. No members of the line of succession may permanently reside in a country other than the Velkanian Isles other than for educational or career-based purposes, pledge allegiance to a foreign nation through citizenship, military service, or any other reason, register with a political party or vote in elections, or seek election to a public office.

For those residing in other nations for educational or career-based purposes, a significant amount of privileges are granted. If their country of residence allows non-citizens to vote, they may vote in these foreign elections. Additionally, they are not required to seek the monarch's approval of their marriage if they plan to marry in their country of residence.

## Royal Family

In the Velkanian Isles, the Royal Family is typically designated as consisting of the monarch, the monarch's spouse, the monarch's children, the monarch's grandchildren, and the monarch's great-grandchildren. If the monarch's royal-born parent is still living, their parents may also be considered part of the Royal Family; if the monarch's royal-born parent is deceased but their non-royal-born parent is alive, the non-royal-born parent is considered a member of the extended family. Siblings of the monarch and their descendants are considered extended family.

### Main members

The Velkanian Royal Family consists of:

* The Queen
* The Prince Consort
	+ The Crown Princess (*Princess Kerstín*, The Queen's eldest daughter)
	+ Princess Ísabella (The Queen's second daughter)
	+ Princess Daníela (The Queen's youngest daughter)
* The Queen Mother (*Hrafnhildur III*, The Queen's mother and predecessor)
* The Prince Consort Father (*Prince Consort Jóhann*, The Queen's father)

### Extended members

The extended Velkanian Royal Family consists of people who are not a direct descendant or living royal-born ancestor of the monarch, who still have a close connection with them. This includes:

* Princess Úlfhildur (The Queen's younger sister)
* Prince Marco (Princess Úlfhildur's husband)
	+ Princess Freydís (Princess Úlfhildur's eldest child)
	+ Prince Halldór (Princess Úlfhildur's elder son)
	+ Prince Bjólfur (Princess Úlfhildur's younger son)
	+ Princess Annalísa (Princess Úlfhildur's youngest child)

In actuality, there are many more members of the extended royal family stretching back generations. However, due to the relatively large amount of degrees of separation between them and the monarch, they appear less frequently at royal functions than those listed do.