Friday, August 11, 2006
Interview With King Alexander I of Hanover
It's Friday and you all know what that means!!! This week I had the honor of meeting with and interviewing His Majesty King Alexander I of Hanover. To date, the extremely well appointed office of His Majesty the King of Hanover is the finest I've ever set foot in. It is clear that His Majesty enjoys comfort, as it's impossible for anyone not to feel completely relaxed here. I was welcomed at the airport by a rather large entourage, who saw to my every need, even anticipating needs before I could express them verbally. I can't imagine anyone being able to top the treatment I've received in Hanover. All this comfort and fabulous treatment didn't stop me from asking the tough questions, though. I hope you all enjoy the interview of King Alexander I of Hanover.

(HT = Haraldsborg Times, KA = HM King Alexander I)
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This first part reflects my talk with the man behind the King - these are "out of character" questions.

HT: How old is Hanover, and how was it founded?

KA: Hanover was founded by Our Duke of Marchmain, who was then His Majesty King James I. Essentially Hanover was a sort of refugee nation composed of dissatisfied subjects from the now dormant nation of Morovia. There is some mystery as to the exact day, but we are sure it is in early December, 2002, most likely on the third or fourth.

HT: How were you approached to take over as the King of Hanover?

KA: That happened during a moment of great stress for the nation. His Majesty King James I had recently abdicated for personal reasons and His Majesty King Thomas I took the Throne, but was immediately unhappy with the situation. I, for reasons that Thomas will have to answer, looked like a good replacement and so I felt duty bound to take the Throne and try to return some stability and direction to the nation. But in all this I would not describe my reign as a "take over" because I try to always seek consensus.

HT: In retrospect, do you feel that you were well - or ill prepared to be the monarch?

KA: I was in completely over my head in many ways. I was actually very new to non-landed nations and, as many from American heritage, did not understand Royalty at all. I had a tremendous amount of help along the way.

At this point in the Interview, His Majesty was interrupted by a phone call from one of his Knights. It seems that sometimes even the King cannot escape from the world for even a moment. After about 5 minutes, the interview continued.

HT: Hanover is a fairly serious nation, as opposed to many others which are more like "hobby" nations. Was this always the case?

KA: I don't normally use the phrase "hobby nation" because some take offense to it, but I do here to echo your phrasing. Yes, Hanover has always been serious minded from the moment of its founding. In fact that was one of the specific reasons Hanover was founded, to add a place for serious nation builders to go. We've nothing against "hobby" nations, but if you're into community building and nation forming then Hanover has something for you beyond fancy titles and recwars or whatever else the "hobby" nations do.

HT: One of the reader-submitted questions will fall under this portion of the interview: Where did you get those sweet regal gowns and military uniforms and such that you and others are seen wearing in various pictures?

KA: From various sources. Some were made, some were commissioned or purchased, and the best ones, the very nicest of the lot, are in fact inherited from the previous King of Varennes, Louis I, when he abdicated the Throne. Louis, now Our Governor General (and yes, also the Duke of Marchmain), has a keen eye for such things and it can be said he truly knows how to make the Monarchy look good.

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This is the "in character" portion of the interview - the reporter and the King.

HT: Thank you so much for having me here today, Your Majesty.

KA: Welcome. We trust you're finding Hanoverian hospitality suits you?

HT: I may never leave, Your Majesty! Now - if you're ready, we'll begin, Sire. *deep breath* Your Secretary of State for Home Affairs, Christopher D. McQueeny, recently returned to Hanover - only to leave again after less than a week in Office. In his Resignation Speech posted in Hanover, he reveals his feeling that Hanover is less than what he feels it should be, having moved away from being a Constitutional Monarchy and more towards an Autocratic System. While respecting your desire to keep whatever personal argument you might have had private, can you comment on this event, and your feelings about Hanover's current System of Government?

KA: Straight for the big news. Good, lets tackle that right away. Yes, Our beloved friend Mr. McQueeny is in fact right, the nation has moved to a much more autocratic mode of governance, at least for the time being. The reason is, of course, simple. The Westminster system which Hanover had been trying so hard to implement failed utterly. This does not mean that the Crown has brought down the iron fist, but that the formal structure of popular government failed and the Crown is busy trying to build it up again. Frankly, being autocratic takes a whole lot more effort! I can't wait to have a properly formed parliament again when Hanover can sustain one. All of this is against the backdrop of a constitution, which is being worked on.

Something I'm personally embarrassed about is the failure of the previous two. I've stated very publicly that this is the last time in my reign we shall ever do another constitution. Whatever we finally draft we will live with.

HT: It's been noted by some that Hanover seems to run a little slower than most. The Empress Asa's citizenship application was apparently approved at least two days ago, yet there still has been no mention made in Hanover about this. Do you see such delays as a flaw in how the Government functions? Do you feel it's possible to be too thorough and methodical about such matters?

KA: Of course it's possible to be too methodical, but that is not the case here. In fact, I think only in the community of non-landed nations could such an observation be said about a two day delay. LOL, what respectable nation on earth would rush through an immigration request? Making matters worse, of course, is the specific timing. The application in question was submitted at the same time as the Secretary of State for Home Affairs was packing his office. In fact, on a broader scope, the Crown has sought to deliberately slow the nation down.

I have felt, and said many times, that part of the reason Hanover is often in turmoil is because we rush things. It's my job to help people realize this is not a race and that proper consideration needs to be given to matters of state. It's not like we're under attack and in dire straights, but for some reason the online community seems to act as if we are. This perspective is something the Crown and all the nobility are dedicated to changing. Rome wasn't built in a day, and things in Hanover are progressing.

HT: Very good points, Your Majesty. Now - Hanover is currently hosting an international Cultural Exchange. Can you please tell our readers what the goals for this Conference are, and how they might participate if interested?

KA: The cultural exchange is exactly that, a forum to express your ideas. One of the great benefits of diversity is looking at problems from a new perspective. The community of non-landed nations has a tremendously diverse population. We have people from all geographic locations, all spiritual faiths, all economic strata and so on, and Hanover wanted to have a place to discuss the various issues, specifically controversial issues, of the day, in a non-threatening environment. The only real rule is that no personal attacks are allowed. Otherwise you can express yourself freely.

We have a host of ideas for topics, such as the current middle east violence both in Iraq and in Lebanon and what may be brewing in Iran. We want to tackle abortion, same sex marriage and female leadership in the Christian church. On top of this, we are opening up the position of moderator to any Hanoverian in good standing. It's an excellent opportunity to serve the nation, and build some international ties. We really want everyone to participate. We all have opinions, so come on and express them!

HT: Your nation takes Foreign Affairs much more seriously than a bulk of other nations, resulting in longer periods of wait for Treaties, and sometimes in rifts forming - as happened between Hanover and Gotzborg over the past couple of years. Do you feel that Hanover perhaps suffers in the long run for making Treaties so hard to conclude with others?

KA: One last thing, I can't get the exchange out of my mind, forgive me, but if you have ideas for topics, we want those too!

As for serious being a problem, not at all. No, I really don't think Hanover suffers in this way. The treaties we do complete have more meaning to us, and we hope, to the other party.

The problems with Gotzborg I don't think had anything at all to do with being serious or taking our time, but were of a cultural nature. You'll have to ask His Majesty King Charles August of Gotzborg for his perspective of course, but ultimately the cause for failure was a very different understanding of function of an alliance. That's not an insult to anyone. In the end both nations did what was in their own best interest, and you can't expect more than that or it's dishonest.

HT: Recently, a new Immigration system was set into place. This system calls for new citizens to be placed on Probationary Status for a certain time before being granted full citizenship status. What do you see as the benefits, and potential defects of this new System?

KA: The benefit is, likely, mostly one of bookkeeping. Some people don't take immigration seriously. It is almost as if some people see immigrating to a new nation in the same way they would see getting a new collectable baseball card. It is something to have for a moment, read the stats, and then put away and let it collect dust. Hanover neither needs nor wants uncommitted citizens. Building a new nation is work, hard work even, but rewarding work. What we do here today will, assuming Hanover survives, become the history of Hanover which will be talked about in the same light as Queen Elizabeth or George Washington. We're the pioneers in Hanover.

And by having a probationary period it allows Hanover to stop working so hard to try to identify those with the drive ahead of time, and to simply weed out those who are collectors. Collectors pop in, get bored, and move along. No need for the traditional two census removal process, just cut them loose. They can always come back if they want. I'm not sure there is much of a down side, except in cases like right now where there is no Secretary of State to keep the process on track.

HT: Can you please tell us about the Royal Benevolence Society of Hanover? Where did the idea come from, how successful has it been, and how much money has the Society raised since it's inception?

KA: Now you're talking about something very dear to the Royal family. I'll try not to put you to sleep with a long dissertation. The Benevolence Society came about from the convergence of two forces in Hanover.

First is the force of being a real entity in the world. Hanover believes that to be a real nation we must stand up and act just as any other nation would, and this means being an actor on the world stage of humanity. There are problems in the world from AIDS to cancer to tsunamis, and we can be a part of the solution. We have no illusions that we're a micro part of the solution, but you tell me which dime cured polio? In that same light, what little we can do is something we should do.

Second is the force of Royalty. Modern Royalty is not about leading nations by force, and that is even more true in Hanover than any landed nations. Even the Queen of England still has military troops under her direct command and could, theoretically at least, assert her authority with their use. Hanover has no such apparatus, nor any desire for one. Thus, Hanoverian Royalty has to lead by example, and by getting the message out to people that you can make a difference. We believe that if everyone takes just one shovel of earth, then mountains will be moved. So, we decided to stop talking about it, and start doing it.

Finally, the society has not collected much. In fact, so far the only received donations have come form the Royal Family, although we do have pledges we expect will be fulfilled. We don't see this as a defeat, and in fact we predicted it would take a while. What fool would give up his money to an untested charity? We have to establish ourselves just like everyone else. But we have at least one advantage. 100% of the money you donate to the charity fund actually go to the beneficiaries. The Royal family pays for all operating expenses. Anyone can donate, Hanoverian or otherwise, and donating makes you more of the solution than just your money. The world is full of many worthy causes, and all donors have the right to vote on which cause shall be the receiver of the funds as they are periodically dispersed. So, when can I expect your donation?

HT: I will be happy to donate once that period of being "untested" passes. Now, your nation is currently working on the creation of an Army and Navy. Why were there no Uniformed Services prior to this, and what do you foresee as the role of the Military in the future of Hanover?

KA: From the very beginning Hanover has renounced all forms of aggressive war. Having an army or navy was thought to stand in opposition to that value. This was established by King James I, and was completely respected until he himself proposed that a ceremonial body would make good sense. After all, Hanover is loosely modeled after the Kingdom of Great Britton and they have such a strong military tradition that to ignore it is as silly as for Hanover to try to assert her own military power. We have none, and we want none, but the tradition and ceremony offered by such bodies are excellent ways to reward citizens for their efforts. So we're busy forming an purely ceremonial force.

HT: Now, Your Majesty, we have a few questions that were submitted by some of our faithful readers. The first one is: Do you intend to change Hanover's semi-isolationist foreign policy?

KA: We already have! The policy was a very strict no-hobby-nations-allowed approach for a long time. Now We have resumed communication with Gotzborg, and Morovia and I have been on a state visit to Cyberia, and we actively seek international participation in the cultural exchange. The question I'd have for that reader is "Are we making headway? Is Hanover putting those isolationist days behind her in your eyes? What could we do better?"

HT: How has Hanover changed since you became King?

KA: Probably the best way to answer this is to also look at what hasn't changed. Hanover has stepped up technologically from the free forums of ezboards to a hosted service, and yet strives to retain the look and feel of the previous services. Hanover has changed its form of governance from Westminster to Elizabethan, and yet both are models brought to us by the British. Hanover's nobility has stayed very much the same, and yet many citizens have come and gone. As we just mentioned the foreign policy has changed, and yet I think we still maintain very high standards.

And of course, we've broadened our understanding of a ceremonial military. Probably one of the biggest changes is the creation of a state church. That was a completely unthinkable concept when I took the Throne, so much so that it called what I term the Hanover civil war, and yet now it exists and Hanover seems to be doing just fine. One thing that has never changed is our goal to build a nation.

Our Prince just sent us a note in which he states "I never get interviewed", so you might consider adding him to your list. I don't know how you pick your subjects. It's just an idea.

HT: The current set of interviews are being conducted with Heads of State. I plan to then do interviews with others, so he may get his chance yet. Speaking of Princes, another question from a reader regards Prince Justin: Why was Prince Justin removed from his position as heir apparent, and is there any chance of him resuming that title in the future?

KA: Prince Justin actually abdicated as heir. He did it because he thought it was in the best interest of the nation. Is there any possibility of his return to that position, of course! He's been a loyal subject and defender of the Crown for years. Not many people in Hanover love Hanover as much as Our prince. But, and this is sort of ironic, in keeping with the tradition of the reign of Queen Elizabeth whom we attempt to model, she had no heir until the very end of her reign. I will likely not last so long, but for a long while I will hold to that model just for tradition.

HT: Hanover has a Queen, but why doesn't she participate in the nation?

KA: She does! Just not online as much as others. She's the governor of the Royal Benevolence Society of Hanover and a Privy Councilor and support system for the King. Trust me, I rely upon her heavily. She was instrumental in the recently concluded Royal tour and has generally be a "behind the scenes" force in Hanover from the first day of my citizenship.

HT: Having seen the pictures of your coronation as part of your tour of the Kingdom of Varennes do you have any tips for any of the less experienced micronational monarchs on how to tread the thin line between regal dignity and pomposity?

KA: You bet. The most important thing is to keep in mind your sacred calling. If you're a Monarch, and not a dictator, then you have a responsibility to defend and promote the nation and all her subjects to the best of your ability. Second, is that you're always in the public eye. The Monarchy never sleeps, ever. Third, keep your perspective about you. You don't have all the answers, but you will be responsible for all the decisions. Get good advisors, and use them. Don't act rashly or from either anger or exuberance. Fourth, keep learning. I can assure you that there is plenty more to understand and the better you are at your trade the more likely you are to maintain the previous three rules.

HT: That wraps up this Interview, Your Majesty. Thank you again for welcoming me to Hanover and giving me such fantastic treatment. Would you like to add anything before I catch my plane home?

KA: Yes, you should know that the Hanover Air Service (We just claimed all world air transport services for purposes of this statement) no longer allows liquids in the passenger cabin, so get to the airport properly packed for the tighter security. But seriously, thank you for this time to express some of the values of Hanover and I look forward to hearing what your readers have to say.

HT: It's been a most enjoyable interview, Your Majesty. Thank you again.
 
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