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... She is the monarch, therefore HER name gets passed on. In the same way that Queen Victoria's children and QEII's children carry their titles. The Consorts are not the superior parties, thus their line is not passed on. Since descent can be passed through women in England and Great Britain the name continues. However, a daughter of a monarch who marries but are not reigning queen does change her name as usual - thus providing dynasty changes as you will eventually see. This is an important distinction when it comes to royalty.

Actually, Ashantai, I believe Momento Mori is correct. Elizabeth II is kind of a bad example because there are vaguely-worded Orders-in-Council specifying the family name for only some members.

Technically her offspring are Mountbatten-Windsor, a cadet branch of Denmark's (and formerly Greece's) ruling line Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.

Just as, for example, if Phillip II and Mary I Tudor had had children, they would have been Habsburgs, not Tudors. Queen Victoria was the end of her line (Hanover); her kids were Saxe, Cobourg & Gothas (in Albert's line) until George V renamed the family Windsor.

Historically the father's line has taken precedence, unless (as in modern times) the monarch issues an Order-in-Council or other expedient to specify otherwise.
 
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To be super-technical, the male-line children of the Queen are still to be termed Windsor, with the other members of the Royal Family known as Mountbatten-Windsor. Charles and William have been known to use Mountbatten-Windsor anyway, though.
 
To be super-technical, the male-line children of the Queen are still to be termed Windsor, with the other members of the Royal Family known as Mountbatten-Windsor. Charles and William have been known to use Mountbatten-Windsor anyway, though.

Right, but that is because the monarch specifically went and stated in 1952 that she and her descendants would continue to use Windsor and not Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (to the great relief of British teachers and schoolchildren, no doubt). It's not automatic, per Ashantai.

Prince Phillip is on record as being somewhat bitter about it, commenting that he was the only father in the Kingdom not to be able to pass his name to his own children.

I believe the Order-in-Council and Letters Patent of 8 February 1960 specify that she and her children would continue to be known as the House and Family of Windsor, as would all those male-line descendants who enjoy the style of Royal Highness and the title of Prince or Princess. The others get the Mountbatten-Windsor tag.

EDIT: Sorry for nerding up the thread with minutiae of royal genealogy, by the way.
 
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All: Ah, I see. Well, in that case I'll admit I'm wrong and chalk it up to the EU3 engine not being responsive enough. And probably I might edit to say that Mary had a law passed through Parliament to this respect. Thank you for pointing it out! I'm glad you did, so I can also learn from this. :)
Dewirix: Well, since Castille was my vassal they didn't colonise quickly at all. Portugal instead headed south and west rather than directly west.

Chapter 11 – The Museum

20/1/1820


As John approached the doors of Grey Palace they were opened by an old butler. The archway itself was a magnificent riot of marble, gold leaf and crystal chandeliers. Polished glass windows shone light upon the floor in a dozen hues.
Inside a retinue of servants were lined up on either side, men on one side, women on the other. They all looked immaculately dressed and turned out, yet oddly expressionless.
The butler, an old man in a dark coat and a shock of white hair, bowed stiffly. “Welcome back, my Lady!”
“Thank you, Forbes. This is John Adams, my distinguished guest. He is to be treated with all respect.”
“Of course, Lady. Welcome, sir,” Forbes said with a bow.
John, a touch awkward, nodded. “Thank you.”
Lady Mendenhall walked down the ranks of the staff, inspecting each in turn. At the end of the line she turned on her heel, her cane clicking on the marble.
“You are dismissed. Return to your duties.” As her staff dispersed she smiled at John. “This way, John, your luggage will be taken up to your room.”

A24GrandEntrance.jpg


John was led through the palace, and it was more magnificent than any he had been in before. All he could think was how expensive this place must have been to build and to maintain. Finally they came to a room which took an entire side of one floor. In it the most dazzling array of art, antiques and relics John had ever seen was assembled.

A27Gallery.jpg


The ceiling included paintings by world famous painters, the walls hung with artworks, and the display cases filled with invaluable items.
John walked over to the first artwork, a piece by the renowned Italian artist Romeo de Ferrari showing the crowning of the Bohemian Holy Roman Emperor Jiri II. It was a masterpiece…but there was one problem.
“Lady, this painting was destroyed in the Austro-Bohemian War, along with most of Prague!” he told her. “This must be a fake.”
Lady Mendenhall walked forward, her stick tapping on the floor softly. She smiled. “Oh no, John, this is the original. You see what few realise is that when the city fell the palace had already been looted by the Austrian forces. This very painting was pulled from the walls and rolled up like a poster, then taken away like it was a mere tarpaulin. Our family has always been interested in art, so this was acquired at auction. If you look closely you can see the pieces which were restored.”
John stared at the art, seeing the occasional small crack or mark which indicated this artwork’s eventful history.
“Incredible. Don’t the Bohemians want it back?”
“Possibly. But what they do not know will not hurt them!”
John finally dragged his gaze away to a long, flat cabinet. Inside was an old leather jacket called a buff coat. It was well maintained, all except a large hole in one breast, and old red stains faded to brown.
Her Ladyship materialised beside him. “The very jacket that King William III wore when he was killed in battle.”
“And that’s his blood?” John asked in amazement.
“Indeed. His body was partly stripped before it could be recovered, so his signet ring was never recovered, nor was his sword.”
“This collection…I could spend a day or more in here.”
“You can if you wish. Anything in this room you may feel free to examine. However, I ask you not to touch them. Things that are so ancient are rather delicate,” she added with a smile.
“Thank you. I would dearly like to look at this further now.”
“Feel free, John. If you need anything I will have one of my maids attend on you. Lunch will be served at midday, and dinner at 6pm. I will be attending to business for the afternoon.”
John nodded, not really paying attention as he moved to the next item. This was a beautiful, if rather melted golden ring. Faintly visible was a red rode engraved on it. He was lost in his own world, and quite oblivious when Lady Mendenhall quietly left him and closed the door behind her.
 
Agreed! The back-and-forth format is working really well. With each history and "contemporary" update, I'm left excited to find out what's next in both periods.
 
Hmmmm... Jiri II. I wonder which country has "Jiri" in it's monarch list...

... And I would really like to see a museum like this

By the way when I cease to be so lazy, I will write down all the little hints that are mentioned in the narrative part, such as William III killed in action and the sacking of Bohemia, to see when they happen in the history book.
 
Things that are so ancient are rather delicate,” she added with a smile.

Hmm, combined with morningSIDEr's suspicions that's an interesting comment.

The Mendenhall's have a long-established history of looting, which requires a good appreciation of exactly what's going to be valuable. Preserving William III's coat is a sign of taking a long view as most contemporaries would probably have thought the gesture somewhat crass.
 
It would seem that Lady Mendenhall comes from an old and powerful dynasty - either that or she simply has a surname that became old and powerful. :)
 
Arakhor: The family certainly has a lot of power, that's for sure!
Dewirix: Very interesting, yes? There are certainly some interesting items there, no doubt about it.
Momento Mori: Bohemia. I'm not sure what it translates to in English though. Nice idea too! :)
bananafishtoday: Thanks! That's my no. 1 goal.
loki100: Thank you! I appreciate your kind words.

Chapter 11a – War and Peace

Summarised from Chapter 4 of ’Britannia Triumphant’ by Lady Mendenhall.


With Queen Mary secure on the throne it was only a matter of time before she looked to extend her domain. Since their ill-fated attempt to join the war against England in 1433 Brittany had been ruled by an installed ruler. When they died suddenly in 1465 the Queen moved to take over control of the whole Duchy. Despite continuing resistance the English rule over Brittany was permanent and total. Like their Welsh and Irish cousins, the Bretons would come under the control of England.

1031465BrittanyAnnexed.jpg


The Queen continued in her administrative reforms, instituting unified tariff and code regulations. A law brought before parliament established the first formalised standards. This was especially important since the occupied French territories had their own unique features.
A law of this time also established that a Queen ruling in her own right would pass on her name and line to her children, rather than it changing to her husband. This was bitterly resented by many who saw it as an inversion of the laws of nature, but the Queen persisted, and thus the de Vere name would endure.

1041466FormaliseWeights.jpg


1141478NationalInstitutions.jpg


To deal with the need for greater exploration and to compensate for other naval threats, the Queen moved towards the creation of the first permanent naval forces. These ships, based at the newly occupied Brest or Bayonne would be of key importance in coming conflicts.

1051471SliderMoveNav.jpg


During this period the problems with Ireland caused a rebellion and general outflow of population as many sought their fortune in the new colonies aboard. This led in 1477 to the first colony in the future Viceroyalty of Arcadia. These colonies, on the very north and east of the American continent would become the homes of many Irish and French seeking a new life.
There they encountered the Native Americans, beginning a fraught and often terrible relationship between them. In many cases the natives were driven from their homes or killed when they tried to resist.

1011462IrishRebellion.jpg


1071472PeopleFleeColonies.jpg


1121477FirstAmericanColony.jpg


1131477NativesColony.jpg


Finally, it would come down to war with Aragon. The Queen’s son Edward was a grown man when the Aragonese King Ferran was excommunicated for his seizure of Provence, and for defying the papal ban on housing certain schismatics. Therefore, in order to cut Aragon down to size Prince Edward was sent with an army to invade Aragon.
The greatest war England had fought since Edward IV ended in victory. The Prince earned the nickname ‘The Red Prince’, a play off the famous Black Prince of Crecy, after being wounded in battle and refusing to have it dressed until victory was won.
At sea the Duke of Gloucester won a startling victory over Aragon. Some have attributed the victory to the decisive use of cannon for the first time in a naval battle.
With Aragon defeated England was uncontested in might in Western Europe, which was well for it was about to pass a final landmark of great importance; the annexation of France itself.


1081473WarWithAragon.jpg


1091473-4BattleVictories.jpg


1101475AragonDefeated.jpg
 
loki100: Indeed. Since there are only 4 countries that explore at the outset and 3 of them are dead, me or a vassal, only Portugal was serious rival for exploring and colonising. Since I had 100 year spread turned on as well it made things more interesting.
Rockingduke: That's...a great idea. I had meant it as a sign of Henry Bolingbroke, but I might work your idea in instead!

Chapter 12: Above and Below Stairs

21/1/1820


John had eventually sent the bored maid away after lunch. He certainly found historical minutiae more interesting than she did! Dinner had come, but her Ladyship and Tempest had not come, so John ate the exquisite meal alone on a table large enough to accommodate a score of people.
He had been led to a bedroom of very expensive furnishings and bade goodnight.

A29Bedroom.jpg


The next morning he was woken by a knock on the door. Peering out from under the quilt he replied rather muzzily. “Come in.”
A young maid entered, probably only nineteen or so, and quite attractive. She was a bit shorter than her Ladyship, with very fair hair and blue eyes, possibly Nordic in origin. She smiled at him. “Good morning, sir. Her Ladyship apologises for not being at dinner last night, but important business came up. She sent me to make sure that you were looked after today.”
“Oh, thank you. What’s your name?” John asked, sitting up.
“Victoria, sir. Would you like me to bathe you?”
John blinked. He shook his head. “No thank you, Victoria. But please bring the water.”
“As you wish, sir. If there is anything else you desire, please tell me.” She curtseyed and left.
John frowned as she left, then went to unpack his trunk.

An hour later after he had washed, dressed and eaten he found himself standing outside as a cool wind blew in from the north.
He had a mind to explore the gardens this morning, then continue his examination of the gallery later. He was just about to set off when Victoria hurried up.
“Apologies for being late, sir. Would you like me to come with you?” she asked, smiling. She had changed into heavier clothes to endure the chill.
Seeing as she seemed more enthusiastic than the maid the day before had been John nodded. “Please do. However, I tend to get quite sidetracked, so do tell me if you wish to go back. I shall not hold it against you.”
“I will, sir!” Victoria replied.
As they walked down the hill and into the gardens John was glad he had someone to talk to of around his age.
“So, Victoria, how long have you been working here?” John asked. In the distance he could see a half dozen gardeners and groundsmen maintaining her Ladyship’s land.
“Just over a year, sir. Mr Forbes is my uncle, and he got me a job here. The Mistress is very nice,” she said, and evidently meant it. There was something though in her words that John could not quite figure out, something she wasn’t saying.
“Is she away often?” John asked.
“Yes, sir, always very busy, sir. Everyone wants to work here, sir,” she said with obvious sincerity.
“And how long has your uncle worked here?”
“Not sure exactly, sir, ten years I think. He worked for Lord Daguerre in Normandy before, I think.”
“So I guess he must have met Lady Mendenhall’s husband?” he asked, enjoying the discussion.
“I don’t know about that, sir, he never said. I think there’s always only been her Ladyship here. Of course, his Lordship might have lived in London or America.”
“I see.”
Victoria looked at him, smiled, then looked demurely down again. “My Lady is very generous. She gave me this,” she said. From under the neckline of her conservative coat she pulled out a thin gold necklace. On the end was an engraved crucifix, also of gold.
John was struck by how much it was worth. If it was pure gold, and he suspected it was, it would be worth as much as a normal junior maid’s pay for a year.
“It’s beautiful,” he said. He didn’t pry into why she had been given it; her Ladyship was free to reward her staff as she pleased.
“Thank you, sir.”
They walked for a little while in silence until John started to steer them back towards the house. “I’m going to look through the gallery again, but you need not come unless you want to, Victoria.”
“I will come with you, sir,” Victoria said obediently.

A30Crucifix.jpg


As they reached the house again they headed for the gallery. It was then that John saw something strange. Artworks, many of them very valuable, were arrayed on the walls and covered a great array of subjects. However there was one aspect none of them showed; her Ladyship’s family.
“Are there no paintings of her Ladyship?” John asked.
“Not that I’ve seen, sir. Why?” Victoria replied.
“No reason. She must keep them to herself,” John reasoned, nodding.
As he reached the end of the gallery John saw a gleam from inside a case. Looking down he saw a broken crown. It was a piece of magnificence from the long past. Gold and gems glittered in the light of an open window. Alas though it was smashed and broken, one side dented, and several lose gems were on the velvet beside it.

A31Crown.jpg


John couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. This was the long forgotten, long lost crown of France, taken when the last King was forced to renounce it in 1479.
“This is incredible,” he said.
“Her Ladyship told me this was the most valuable of all the items she owned in here,” Victoria said.
John could only agree. The stones alone would be worth tens of thousands, but the whole thing was invaluable.
In the distance, but still clearly audible, a bell rung.
“Lunch, sir, and her Ladyship is back.”
“How can you tell?” John asked.
“She has two bells that she uses. Come, sir, come!”
John let himself be led away. He had much to discuss with Lady Mendenhall indeed!
 
Are there any mirrors in the house? :D

which was going to be my question ... no sharing of food etc, but her ladyship is to be seen by daylight (or has she?). Wasn't their some Breton countess just before the French Revolution who was into bathing in blood to keep young (or am I mixing up Angela Carter stories with History?)
 
That's Elisabeth Bathory, "the Countess of Blood", and she was Hungarian. :)
 
How the hell could someone get possession of all these incredibly rare and valuable artifacts. Her Ladyship is hiding something from the outside world, something that might not be so pleasant. The crown of France, some painting from Prague. What else does she own? The papal seat itself? The crown of the Holy Roman Emperor?
What is she anyway? High end nobilty? A Duchess? (If you already mentioned it I forgot lol)