Emperor announces changes for 2020 in Christmas broadcast

His Imperial Majesty the Emperor used his annual Christmas broadcast to announce that February 2020 will see a general election and the secession of New Richmond and Terentia from Austenasia.

He has also revealed exclusively to the Austenasian Times that the Town of Augusta will be joining them, and was not mentioned in his broadcast due to a mistake.

The three towns will create a new Commonwealth of New Virginia, to be recognised as an independent state.

New Richmond is the most populated single town of the Empire, with 15 inhabitants, and is home to the current Prime Minister, Lord Admiral Kennedy.

Augusta – which was part of New Richmond before becoming its own town in June this year – has three inhabitants, and Terentia has six.

New Richmond and Terentia both originally joined Austenasia in 2013. It is understood that their desire to leave Austenasia and create their own country is primarily due to the growth of their own local identity and culture during this time.

With the impending departure of the incumbent Prime Minister’s hometown, a general election has been called for 12 February 2020.

At the time of writing, the Whig Party is expected to put forward Lord John Gordon and the Fatherland Party Lord Dionisiy Tezdzhan-Smahin as candidates. Applications for candidacy will be confirmed by the Emperor by 15 January.

The Christmas broadcast was published this morning on YouTube, and can be heard here. Jonathan I has broadcast a Christmas message every year since his ascension to the Throne in 2013.

Other than the publication of the Emperor’s Christmas broadcast, the Imperial Family celebrated Christmas Day by attending a morning church service at Carshalton Methodist Church and later opening presents and enjoying a Christmas meal at the Imperial Residence.

The Emperor and Crown Princess light the Advent candles at Carshalton Methodist’s morning service.

The Imperial Family was joined at the church service by members of the extended Imperial Family as well as the former residents of Zephyria.

Although most of the Imperial Family is Methodist, Emperor Jonathan I joined the Orthodox Church in 2011. He attended a service at his own church yesterday for Christmas Eve, but often attends the morning Christmas Day service at the Methodist church with his priest’s blessing in order to spend time with his family at Christmas.

During this year’s service, Jonathan I and Crown Princess Caroline were invited to light all five of the Advent candles to mark the beginning of the service.

Christmas wishes have been sent to and received from numerous foreign national leaders by cards and e-mails.

Cool Barbie finale published

Main antagonist Dominus, played by Sam Legg.

Earlier today, Cool Barbie XV – The Final Battle was published on YouTube by Austenasian Television Productions (ATP), bringing to an end a series of short films which began in 2009 and had their roots in a home movie made in 2005.

The Cool Barbie series produced by ATP consisted of fifteen full episodes and three “minisodes”, set in a fictional world in which toys are alive and chronicling the eponymous Barbie doll’s encounters with various aliens and villains.

The majority of characters were played or voiced by Emperor Jonathan I and Crown Princess Caroline, but others have played minor roles, and in today’s final installment both Princess Hannah and Lord John Gordon provided voice acting for two minor characters.

The previous episode ended on a cliffhanger, with the antagonist Dominus having absorbed enough magical power to conquer Earth. Cool Barbie XV sees Cool Barbie (voiced by Crown Princess Caroline) and Commander Xeaphon (played in person by Jonathan I) work together to defeat the villain.

The Cool Barbie series is based on three home movies made between 2005 and 2008 by the now Jonathan I, Crown Princess Caroline, and their cousin Lord Timothy. Upon the foundation of ATP, the broadcaster remade the three original films and produced twelve sequels.

With the series now over, there are no immediate plans for any future Cool Barbie productions, although ATP has not ruled out the possibility of stand-alone specials in the future.