Hrafnhildur III

**Hrafnhildur III** (Full name: *Hrafnhildur Ragnhildur Aleksandra*; born 15 January 1938) is a member of the Velkanian royal family who reigned as Queen of the Velkanian Isles from 1999 to 2013. Born into the House of Oskársdætr, the royal house that has ruled the Velkanian Isles since the 8th-century, Hrafnhildur is the only child of Ragnhildur III and Helgi, Prince Consort.

Hrafnhildur ascended to the throne upon her mother's death on 13 June 1999, having become heir apparent following the death of her grandfather Bjárni II in 1967. In 1965, Hrafnhildur married Jóhann Eiríksson, a Velkanian commoner and professor of sociology at the University of Velkania. With Jóhann, she has two daughters: Ragnhildur IV and Princess Úlfhildur.

On 14 January 2013, Hrafnhildur announced she'd be abdicating the throne to her eldest daughter the following day, on her 75th birthday; her reasons given were that she wished to retire in order to prioritize her role as a grandmother, and that being Queen was never a role she desired ever since her youth. On 15 January, her abdication became official and her daughter took the throne as Ragnhildur IV.

## Early life

Hrafnhildur was born on 15 January 1938 at Krúningárathjálla Palace in Naríthjábæk as the first and only child of the Crown Princess and Crown Prince (later Ragnhildur III and Helgi, Prince Consort). Her mother was the eldest child of then-reigning Bjárni II, while her father was of the Velkanian nobility and a former barrister. At the time of her birth, the Velkanian Isles were a constituent country of Forsland, operating under the name of the Velkanian Duchy. Her grandfather was reigning as the Duke of the Velkanias, which was a title her mother and herself were expected to inherit.

Hrafnhildur was raised in Köllajapúnk House on the grounds of Krúningárathjálla Palace with her mother and father. The family spent their summers at Byggdaksós Palace in Olobethia. As her parents felt bad that they had no other children, Hrafnhildur grew up with a wide array of pets; by her eighteenth birthday, Hrafnhildur and her parents had cared for more than eight dogs, twelve cats, seven horses, and countless fish.

### Education

Hrafnhildur began her education in 1944, attending a local public primary school. She was reported to be a high academic achiever, but was also a rebellious student; she frequently got into trouble with her teachers and was once suspended from school at age 15, after being caught with cigarettes. Her mischievous antics in primary school were well-documented in the Velkanian press, and Hrafnhildur went on to state that she got into more trouble at home than in school because of the reports.

Hrafnhildur graduated from primary school in 1954, and afterwards enrolled in St. Marie's School in Hersingborg, a private boarding school for girls. Hrafnhildur got into even more trouble at boarding school than in primary school, and was threatened with expulsion several times for skipping class, having an attitude with faculty, and hosting wild parties in her dormitory with alcohol. She ultimately graduated from school in 1957, and subsequently returned to Naríthjábæk. Hrafnhildur enrolled in the Faculty of Psychology and Behavioral Studies at the University of Velkania, graduating with a degree in psychology in 1960. While the press revealed she would enroll in a master's degree program in 1961, this ultimately never happened.

### Marriage and children

In 1960, Hrafnhildur met sociology professor Jóhann Eiríksson while on campus at the University of Velkania. Hrafnhildur did not know he was a professor, as he appeared young and only slightly older than her, and she asked him on a date. Knowing that Hrafnhildur was a young princess and a student at the university, Jóhann declined but they remained in contact. After Hrafnhildur's graduation, she asked him on a date a second time and he accepted. By the summer of 1960, they had become an official couple.

Hrafnhildur and Jóhann became a fashionable couple in Velkanian society, and were described as an "it couple" by the Velkanian media; this was largely due to Hrafnhildur's status as a royal and their perceived physical attractiveness. They frequented red carpet events in both the Velkanian Isles and Forsland, and additionally made television appearances on variety shows and talk shows. Jóhann proposed to Hrafnhildur in July 1964, on the four-year anniversary of them making their relationship official. They later married in Naríthjábæk on 24 April 1965. Following their marriage, Jóhann received the royal title *His Highness* Prince of the Velkanias; this title later changed to *His Royal Highness* Prince of the Velkanian Isles following the Velkanian restoration of independence in 1966. Following their marriage, they moved into Hrafnhildur's childhood home of Köllajapúnk House on the grounds of Krúningárathjálla Palace.

Hrafnhildur gave birth to her first child, Ragnhildur, on 14 December 1968; Ragnhildur has gone on to become Queen of the Velkanian Isles. Her second child, Úlfhildur, was born on 10 April 1972.

## Heir apparent

On 26 November 1967, Hrafnhildur's grandfather Bjárni II died in his sleep due to Alzheimer's disease-related complications. Immediately following his death, her mother ascended to the throne as Ragnhildur III, the Queen of the Velkanian Isles. Hrafnhildur was elevated to her mother's former title as Crown Princess of the Velkanian Isles; this made Hrafnhildur the heir apparent to the throne.

As Crown Princess, Hrafnhildur officially took her seat in the Council of State, and served as the Council's chairwoman in the absence of her mother. While Crown Princess, Hrafnhildur was highly visible in Velkanian society; she frequently appeared as a guest on television talk shows, was a regular on red carpets, and assisted her mother in hosting foreign dignitaries at Krúningárathjálla Palace.

## Reign

### Ascension

On 13 June 1999, Ragnhildur III was hospitalized following what was expected to be a stroke; she died later that day. Immediately after her death, Hrafnhildur was crowned the new Queen of the Velkanian Isles, and was officially proclaimed Queen by Prime Minister Alma Jónsdætr from the balcony of Krúningárathjálla Palace.

### Abdication

On 14 January 2013, Hrafnhildur announced that she would abdicate the throne in favor of her daughter the following day, on her 75th birthday. She added that while she enjoyed her time as Queen, it was never something that she dreamed of doing, and she wished to retire to a more private life with her husband to primarily serve as a grandmother to her seven grandchildren.

The following day, her daughter Ragnhildur IV was officially crowned Queen, becoming the first monarch to be born in an independent Velkanian Isles since the nation's conquer by Forsland in the 17th-century. She was officially proclaimed Queen by Prime Minister Síf María Vílhelmsdætr from the balcony of Krúningárathjálla Palace.

## Personal life and interests

While Queen, Hrafnhildur resided in Krúningárathjálla Palace, located in Naríthjábæk. Since her abdication in 2013, the Queen and Prince Consort have resided in their home Köllajapúnk House on the grounds of Krúningárathjálla Palace; this is where Hrafnhildur was raised, and where she raised her two children. She gave away her previous summer residence, Byggdaksós Palace in Olobethia, to her eldest daughter in 2013. Hrafnhildur continues to spend summers at Byggadaksós Palace, but the residence is now owned by Ragnhildur and Hrafnhildur can only stay there with Ragnhildur's approval. In addition to her native Velkanian, Hrafnhildur has studied and is fluent in Forsish and English. She can understand Hart as well.

Hrafnhildur is well-known throughout the Velkanian Isles as a fashion icon. Since her youth, she has frequently appeared in the media for her outfit choices, which were often deemed stylish and trendsetting. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, she was additionally a quasi-sex symbol. While this label has been rejected by many members of the royal family, Hrafnhildur was typically described as one of the most beautiful and desired Velkanian women; she reportedly declined several offers to begin a career in modeling or acting.

In 2014, Hrafnhildur revealed that she was an advocate for Velkanian independence as a teenager and young adult, although she was supposed to remain non-political. She encouraged her friends to vote for independence in the 1965 referendum.

## Family

*Main article: Velkanian Royal Family.*

The Queen has two children and seven grandchildren. Both of her children were born in Krúningárathjálla Palace in Naríthjábæk.

* Ragnhildur IV (born 14 December 1968). Ragnhildur married Helvarian commoner and neurosurgeon Hans Eddinhaus in 1997. They have three children together.
	+ Crown Princess Kerstín (born 22 March 2000).
	+ Princess Ísabella (born 13 August 2001).
	+ Princess Daníela (born 15 May 2003).
* Princess Úlfhildur (born 10 April 1972). Úlfhildur married Regian noble and barrister Marco del Togliatto in 2001. They have four children together.
	+ Princess Freyjdís (born 24 September 2003).
	+ Prince Halldór (born 28 June 2005).
	+ Prince Bjólfur (born 12 February 2007).
	+ Princess Annalísa (born 12 November 2008).

## Titles

* **15 January 1938 – 1 January 1966**: *Her Highness* Princess Hrafnhildur of the Velkanias
* **1 January 1966 – 26 November 1967**: *Her Royal Highness* Princess Hrafnhildur of the Velkanian Isles
* **26 November 1967 – 13 June 1999**: *Her Royal Highness* Crown Princess Hrafnhildur
* **13 June 1999 – present**: *Her Majesty* Queen Hrafnhildur III