Stephanie of Atlantica

**Stephanie** (Full name: *Stephanie Claudette Pauline Margaret*; born 1 September 1968) is the current Queen of Atlantica. Born into the House of Huntington, she is the second child of Charles III and his wife Queen Victoria of Atlantica.

For most of her early life, Stephanie was the second-in-line for the Atlantican throne, but became the heir presumptive following the death of her elder brother Charles Anthony, Prince of Columbia in an automobile accident in 1994.

Stephanie succeeded to the throne on 27 April 2003 following the death of her father, becoming the first queen regnant of Atlantica since Margaret of Atlantica ruled from 1923–1928. Stephanie married Danish nobleman Hans af Rosenvinge in 1996. They have two children together: Charlotte, Princess of Columbia, the heir apparent, and Princess Victoria.

## Early life

Princess Stephanie was born on 1 September 1968 at Georgetown Palace in Washington, D.C. as the second child of the Prince and Princess of Columbia (later Charles III and Queen Victoria of Atlantica). Her father was the eldest son of the then-reigning Charles II, while her mother was the youngest child of Gregory Wolverhampton, Count Wolverhampton of Westchester, a member of the House of Lords.

Stephanie was baptized on 23 October at the Royal Cathedral of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C. Her elder brother Prince Charles Anthony was born two years before her, while her younger sister Princess Katherine was born two years after her. Stephanie spent her early life in the heir apparent's apartment at Georgetown Palace in Washington, D.C. Following the death of her grandfather Charles II in 1974 and her father's ascension to the throne, the family moved into the main residential space of Georgetown Palace, where Stephanie was raised.

### Education

Stephanie began her education at Sidwell Friends School, the traditional school for all royal children in Atlantica, in 1972. She began high school in 1982, where she played varsity field hockey and was served as president of her school's debate team. In her junior year, she spent a year abroad at Aiglon College, an independent co-educational boarding school in Chesières-Villars, Switzerland, before graduating from Sidwell Friends School in 1986.

After completing her high school education, Stephanie enrolled in Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, majoring in English literature. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1990. Afterwards, she returned to Washington, D.C. and received a master's degree in English literature in 1992 from Georgetown University.

## Heir presumptive

For most of her young life, Stephanie was second-in-line for the Atlantican throne behind her elder brother Charles Anthony, Prince of Columbia. On 13 January 1994, Charles Anthony died from injuries he sustained in an automobile accident in Pennsylvania while doing charity work. Immediately following his death, Stephanie was declared heir presumptive to the throne and given the title Princess of Columbia.

At the time, the Atlantican constitution allowed for male-preference primogeniture. Following Stephanie becoming the Princess of Columbia, the House of Commons passed a law in 1995 replacing the previous male-preference primogeniture for absolute primogeniture, making Stephanie the heir apparent.

### Marriage

While studying at Harvard University, Stephanie began dating Danish nobleman Hans af Rosenvinge in 1987. After his graduation in 1988, he returned to Denmark and they ended their relationship due to the distance. In 1993, af Rosenvinge moved to Washington, D.C. to begin a job at the Embassy of Denmark, and they resumed their relationship. The relationship was confirmed by the House of Huntington in 1994, and they later became engaged on Stephanie's 25th birthday. They were married in a royal wedding at the Royal Cathedral of the District of Columbia on 22 June 1996.

Stephanie gave birth to her first child on 14 April 1998. Her daughter, Princess Charlotte, became the first Atlantican royal female to be born with the right to rule. Her second child, Princess Victoria, was born on 13 January 2000.

## Reign

### Succession

On 26 April 2003, Charles III suffered a stroke while at home at Georgetown Palace. He was rushed to George Washington University Hospital, where he died the next day. Immediately after his death, Stephanie ascended to the throne at the age of 33, becoming the first female Atlantican sovereign under the new absolute primogeniture law. Her coronation was held on 22 May 2003.

### Constitutional role

The Queen's main tasks are to represent the Kingdom abroad and to be a unifying figure at home. She receives foreign ambassadors and awards honours and medals. The Queen performs the latter task by accepting invitations to open exhibitions, attending anniversaries, inaugurating bridges, etc.

As an unelected public official, the Queen takes no part in party politics and does not express any political opinions. Although she has the right to vote, she opts not to do so to avoid even the appearance of partisanship.

After an election where the incumbent Prime Minister does not have a majority behind him or her, the Queen holds a "Queen's Meeting" in which she meets the chairmen of each of the Danish political parties.

Each party has the choice of selecting a Royal Investigator to lead these negotiations or alternatively, give the incumbent Prime Minister the mandate to continue his government as is. In theory each party could choose its own leader as Royal Investigator, but often only one Royal Investigator is chosen plus the Prime Minister, before each election. The leader who, at that meeting succeeds in securing a majority of the seats in the House of Commons, is by royal decree charged with the task of forming a new government. Once the government has been formed, it is formally appointed by the Queen.

## Family

*Main article: Atlantican Royal Family.*

The Queen has two daughters, both of whom were born at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., breaking the tradition of royal babies being born in Georgetown Palace.

* Charlotte, Princess of Columbia (born 14 April 1998)
* Princess Victoria (born 13 January 2000)

The Queen has stated that she plans on granting her younger daughter a duchy as a wedding gift upon her eventual marriage.

## Titles

* **1 September 1968 – 13 January 1994:** *Her Royal Highness* Princess Stephanie
* **13 January 1994 – 27 April 2003:** *Her Royal Highness* Princess Stephanie of Columbia
* **27 April 2003 – present:** *Her Majesty* Queen Stephanie of Atlantica