Prince Luke of La Gracía, second in line for the throne after his brother Ashton, was always meant to have his love and loyalty lie with a prominent Duchess' daughter but the multitude of obstacles in the way extinguished their flame long before it...
Cover Story: "The Return of Royal Affairs" [Excerpt]
In the middle of the North Sea, between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, lies a small island called La Gracía. Home to just 336,400 people (as recorded in the 1990 world census), La Gracía is an undiscovered oasis with many charming attributes, including being so small that there are no cars on the island. Getting around can be easily accomplished by public transport, bikes, and, perhaps most uniquely, horse-drawn carriages. The bright colored houses adopt a Scandinavian feel to the coast while the downtown area of the capital city of Cøllette has many half-tiered buildings with ornate wrought iron detailing more similar to old German architecture. Everything from stone libraries and cafes to the white and gold post office boast a Western European influence.
The island has remained just under the radar in terms of international news coverage and tourism, leaving it and its fascinating history largely unheard and untouched.
However, interest in La Gracía has ticked up recently due to the Royal Family's movement to reclaim the throne and become an independent nation once more. While the monarchy has remained active in social standing, no legislation has come from the Royal Family in nearly six decades.
On a cold morning in early January of this year, the two Princes of the Royal Family of La Gracía gather together in their home at Camellia Royal Place and Castle to discuss the recent politics of their small, private country. Each of them are wearing a white and gold suit and the Heir to the throne, Prince Ashton (23), has an understated and elegant gold crown tucked around his curly hair. His professional demeanor is welcoming upon entering the enormous room of ancient tapestries, graciously shaking hands with the journalist and photographer. Just a few steps behind him, his younger brother, Prince Luke (21), introduces himself with a gentle handshake and reserved smile.
"Thank you for coming to La Gracía," the Heir Prince says in a voice of genuine appreciation. "It has been a very hectic month and we very much appreciate the opportunity to talk about our small country and our fight for independence on a larger world stage. It's not often we get the chance to show pride in our heritage and our history."
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The history and heritage that the Heir Prince Ashton refers to are the centuries that La Gracía had been an independent island nation leading up to the second World War. La Gracía's location in the North Sea became an enormous liability during the Blitz, in which London and surrounding areas were bombed mercilessly. The locations of La Gracía- and its national sister- Whindchester, put both of the successful monarchical countries at risk for significant collateral damage. The tiny size of the two islands and the small populations, even if combined, had no chance of cultivating a military force strong enough to fight off a German invasion if it came to it.
The Commonwealth of Australia claimed La Gracía and Whindchester as provinces in 1941 to provide a strong defense against Germany in a move called the Australian Isle Alliance. It was written to be a temporary agreement between the three nations that gave Australia significant government power in order to move military operations in and out of the country. Most Gracíans assumed that the change in government would revert back when Germany surrendered, since an end date was never specified in writing, but it endured.
