Ragnhildur IV

**Ragnhildur IV** (Full name: *Ragnhildur María Björgheidur Róksanna*; born 14 December 1968) is the Queen of the Velkanian Isles. Born into the House of Oskársdætr, the royal house that has ruled the Velkanian Isles since the 8th-century, Ragnhildur is the elder child of Hrafnhildur III and Jóhann, Prince Consort.

Ragnhildur ascended to the throne upon her mother's abdication on 15 January 2013, having become heir apparent following the death of her grandmother Ragnhildur III in 1999. In 1997, Ragnhildur married Hans Eddinhaus, a Helvarian commoner and neurosurgeon, after having met three years prior at a lounge in Munbach. With Eddinhaus, she has three daughters: Crown Princess Kerstín, Princess Ísabella, and Princess Daníela.

## Early life

Ragnhildur was born on 14 December 1968 at Krúningárathjálla Palace in Naríthjábæk as the first child of the Crown Princess and Crown Prince (later Hrafnhildur III and Jóhann, Prince Consort). Her mother was the only child of then-reigning Ragnhildur III, while her father was a Velkanian commoner and former professor of sociology at the University of Velkania. Ragnhildur was born two years following the restoration of Velkanian independence.

She was named Ragnhildur after her maternal grandmother, while her full name is Ragnhildur María Björgheidur Róksanna. María is a traditional Velkanian name that has been given to numerous Velkanian female royals, Björgheidur is a traditional Velkanian name that had never been given to a royal, while Róksana is a non-traditional and unusual name in Velkanian culture.

When Ragnhildur was three years old in 1972, her younger sister Princess Úlfhildur was born. She was raised in Köllajapúnk House on the grounds of Krúningárathjálla Palace with her mother, father, and younger sister, while the family spent their summers at Byggdaksós Palace in Olobethia.

### Education

Ragnhildur began her education in 1975, attending a local primary school in Naríthjábæk. While in school, Ragnhildur was said to be a high academic achiever and strong leader amongst her peers; her primary school teacher recalled a story in which created her own tutoring business in the classroom, in which she tutored her classmates in subjects such as mathematics and reading in exchange for stickers.

Ragnhildur completed her primary school education in 1985, and enrolled in Naríthjábæk Junior College, the most prestigious high school in all of the Velkanian Isles, where she studied a social sciences program. While in school, Ragnhildur was a high academic achiever and a popular student who was selected as one of her class's student senators; in her final year of studies, she was voted Best Smile, Most Friendly, and Miss Popularity by her peers. Ragnhildur went on to graduate in 1988, and subsequently enrolled in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Velkania, receiving a degree in sociology in 1991. She received her master's degree in sociology and women's studies in 1993.

### Marriage and children

While on a vacation to Munbach with two friends in 1994, Ragnhildur met Helvarian neurosurgeon Hans Eddinhaus at a lounge and jazz club. Unaware that Ragnhildur was a Velkanian Princess and would one day became Queen, Eddinhaus offered to buy her a drink and she accepted. They exchanged numbers, and went on their first date four days later, while Ragnhildur was still on her trip. After having a successful first date, Ragnhildur extended her stay in Munbach for two weeks to be with Eddinhaus, while her two friends returned to the Velkanian Isles. It was not until their third date that Eddinhaus discovered that Ragnhildur was a Princess.

After returning to the Velkanian Isles, Ragnhildur and Eddinhaus kept in touch, talking to each other on the phone every night for the next two months. Eddinhaus then visited her in Naríthjábæk for a month-long stay, when they declared their relationship official and Eddinhaus became introduced to the rest of the royal family. On that trip, he began renting an apartment in Naríthjábæk which he initially intended to visit every weekend when he was not working in order to be with Ragnhildur; ultimately, Eddinhaus ended up resigning from his job and moving to Naríthjábæk permanently, only two weeks after returning to Munbach following his trip to the Velkanian Isles. After moving to Naríthjábæk, he became a professor of neuroscience at the University of Velkania, teaching courses in English.

Eddinhaus and Ragnhildur became engaged on 12 December 1996, while on a vacation to Matia. They later married on 6 September 1997 in Naríthjábæk. Following their marriage, Eddinhaus received Velkanian citizenship and the royal title *His Royal Highness* Prince of the Velkanian Isles. The couple subsequently moved into Sólvík House on the grounds of Krúningárathjálla Palace.

Ragnhildur gave birth to her first child, Kerstín, who is expected to become a future Queen of the Velkanian Isles, on 22 March 2000. Her second child, Ísabella, was born on 13 August 2001. She later gave birth to her third and final child, Daníela, on 15 May 2003.

## Heir apparent

On 13 June 1999, Ragnhildur's grandmother Ragnhildur III was hospitalized following what was expected to be a stroke; she died later that day. Immediately following her death, Ragnhildur's mother Hrafnhildur ascended to the throne as Queen of the Velkanian Isles, while Ragnhildur was elevated to her mother's former title of Crown Princess of the Velkanian Isles. This made Ragnhildur the heir apparent to the throne.

As Crown Princess, Ragnhildur 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, Ragnhildur was highly visible in Velkanian society; she frequently appeared as a guest on television talk shows, was a regular on red carpets in both the Velkanian Isles and Forsland, and assisted her mother in hosting foreign dignitaries at Krúningárathjálla Palace.

## Reign

### Ascension

On 14 January 2013, Hrafnhildur III 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, Ragnhildur was officially crowned Queen of the Velkanian Isles, 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.

### Constitutional rule

As a constitutional monarch, the Queen holds no actual political power, and exists primarily to serve as a unifying force for the Velkanian people. Her primary duties are to receive foreign ambassadors and attend public events as a representative of the Velkanian Isles.

As an unelected public official, the Queen is barred from expressing political opinions, registering with a political party, and voting in elections. Following an election where the incumbent Prime Minister loses their parliamentary majority, the Queen holds a meeting with the chairpeople of all the parliamentary political parties in order to discuss coalition building. After the end of the meeting, she grants authority to the coalition leader to form the new government.

Once the government has been formed, the Queen formally appoints them to their positions. The Queen serves as the head of the Council of State, where she signs off on legislation that has been passed by parliament. While she does have the power to veto legislation, this has never been done in order to de-politicize the monarchy as much as possible.

## Personal life and interests

The Queen's primary residence is Krúningárathjálla Palace, located in Naríthjábæk. Following the abdication of her mother in 2013, she gifted Ragnhildur Byggdaksós Palace, the summer residence the family would use in Olobethia while Ragnhildur was growing up; Byggdaksós Palace now functions as the official summer residence of the royal family. In addition to her native Velkanian, Ragnhildur has studied and is fluent in Forsish, Helvarian, and English. She can understand Hart, and has a basic understanding of Fargonian and Regian.

Ragnhildur 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. As a teenager and young adult, Ragnhildur drew mild controversy for outfits deemed "inappropriate" and "scandalous" for a royal, due to their short skirts, low cuts, and high heels. Ragnhildur has addressed this issue frequently, reiterating her belief that concerns over how she dressed were "pointless" and she would continue to dress how she felt most comfortable.

Since the early-2010s, Ragnhildur has had a close friendship with Prime Minister Síf María Vílhelmsdætr. Their friendship has been closely documented by the Velkanian media, with journalists noting the two's frequent lunch meetings and family get-togethers. In 2015, Ragnhildur called Síf María a "close family friend", but reaffirmed how their friendship does not impact her own devotion to non-partisanship.

## Family

*Main article: Velkanian Royal Family.*

The Queen has three children, all born at University of Velkania Hospital and Medical Center in Naríthjábæk.

* Crown Princess Kerstín (born 22 March 2000).
* Princess Ísabella (born 13 August 2001).
* Princess Daníela (born 15 May 2003).

## Titles

* **14 December 1968 – 13 June 1999**: *Her Royal Highness* Princess Ragnhildur
* **13 June 1999 – 15 January 2013**: *Her Royal Highness* Crown Princess Ragnhildur
* **15 January 2013 – present**: *Her Majesty* Queen Ragnhildur IV