Chapter 24 - Succession
The palace’s fears that the atypical royal succession in Montuga might be visited by the disapproval of some European monarchies turned out to be baseless. Save for the predicted exception of Spain, virtually every European monarchy in Europe responded favourably to the invitations to attend the Montugan coronation ceremony. Some royal families were represented by more than one prince or princess. The monarchies of Europe seemed intent on using the coronation to send a message to Republican France that the royal families of Europe remained a force to be reckoned with.
The coronation ceremony followed a similar ritual to that of the royal wedding. It seemed, however that the crowd support for Jason and Renate had increased appreciably since their royal wedding almost three years earlier.
The extraordinary mode of succession dictated that the ceremony in the High Cathedral commenced in a hitherto unique sequence. The Acting Cardinal first pronounced Prince Ruan as King and the crown was presented to him. The prince sat on the customary elevated seat facing the audience. In response, and without accepting the crown, Ruan produced the joint edict and he announced that in terms thereof, King Julien III as monarch, and he Prince Ruan, as crown prince, had jointly decreed that Prince Jason and Princess Renate would become King and Queen in the Prince’s stead and that the Prince would retain his position as Crown Prince. Ruan then vacated the elevated seat. The Cardinal called for Jason and Renate to draw near, and they both took their places in the two elevated seats on the podium. The coronation ceremony subsequently proceeded in accordance with tradition.
The new king and queen of Montuga eventually emerged from the High Cathedral’s entrance and they stood facing the crowd on the top of the steps as the bells of the Cathedral rang out. The crowd cheered their new king and queen enthusiastically. The king raised his hand and signalled that he wished to speak. The crowd fell silent. The king commenced his address in as loud a voice as he could manage:
‘Whilst we may assume different stations in our daily lives, we must never forget that we are all equal when we worship before God. My first edict as king is to proclaim that from now onwards all Montugan subjects shall, irrespective of nobility, background or of gender, be entitled to worship in the High Cathedral.’
The crowds closest to the king cheered first. As the king’s words passed further afield by word of mouth, the cheering increased.
‘You never told me that you intended to permit everyone to worship in the High Cathedral,’ Renate mentioned shortly afterwards as their carriage returned to the palace. ‘My father will be turning in his grave. I am also certain many of the nobles will be livered.’
‘My charge as king is to ensure that this monarchy survives. You saw the reaction to my announcement. The concession is not a major one in the greater scheme of things. However, the goodwill it will earn the palace and this family is incalculable. It suggests flexibility about future reforms. In any event, it was part of the deal I struck to ensure that Monteverdi’s support of the monarchy was retained.’
Renate and Ruan exchanged a glance as he spoke. The reality that Jason was king and that he did not have to answer to either of them probably only dawned upon them for the first time.
‘If this is a sign of your intention to hereafter rule absolutely and without reference to me, or to Ruan, I must warn you that I will not stand idly by.’ Renate’s tone was calm, yet serious.
‘I concur with my sister on this,’ Ruan warned. ‘However, I am sure that Jason has no intention of governing without the Garibaldis.’
‘Of course not,’ Jason responded without hesitating. It was not lost on him that this occasion was the first on which Renate and Ruan had ever sided with each other against him. He had become accustomed to the one siding with him against the other. ‘We are a family and we shall rule as a family.’