| Thorey VII | |
|---|---|
| |
| Candid photograph of Thorey VII with 'Artemisia', 2012 | |
| Queen of Álengiamark | |
| Reign | 2nd August, 2009 |
| Predecessor | Brynja III |
| Born | 14 February, 1996 Nahigavik, Sudervik Fylk, Álengiamark |
| Spouse | Prince Louis of France |
| Issue | Prince Kristoffer |
| Full name | |
| Thorey Elisiv Maria Josefin Kristjana Fredericksdottír | |
| House | Eiriksdottír |
| Father | Frederick, Prince of Darmstadt |
| Mother | Brynja III |
Thorey VII is the current queen of Álengiamark.
A shy child, Thorey was thrust into the public realm by the brutal murder of her parents; Queen Brynja III and Prince Frederick. Hosting a summer party at the royal lodge at Mahopac Vatn, they and many of their guests and staff were assassinated by Jan Manaiungsson. Initially this was reported as politically motivated, though later it was asserted that Manaiungsson was simply a lunatic. Thorey thankfully was not at Mahopac: she and her younger brother Óskar were in Kristjanaborg at the time.
The murders shocked the nation and the country seemed to go through a period of reflection alongside an apparent deepening of its Catholicism. They also cast a pall over Thorey's coronation, so much so that the ceremony would delayed until September 2010. Even so, the ceremony was muted. Thorey, certainly religious anyway, made a pilgrimage to Rome before her coronation, meeting with Pope Alexander XII who took her confession.
Only 13 years old at the time of her succession she was placed under the regency of her grandfather Prince Karl and the retired Prime Minister Ingólfur Hreiðarsson. She would enter her majority on her 19th birthday. The political power of the Álengsk queens is much reduced from its apogee under Herridr II. What little political power she does possess is usually only used on advice from the Prime Minster or Speaker. Though all laws require royal assent this is little more than a box-checking exercise and Thorey has no veto. She has no right to enter the Althing, or even the Althinghus, without prior permission. Despite this Thorey has shown a great interest in the workings of government, frequently requesting an audience and coffee with various politicians to explain new legislation in plain language.
Politics during her reign have been fraught. The political parties are considerably divided on the issue of state welfare; in whether to follow the rest of the Kalmar nations into a sort of semi-socialist state where taxation supports those at the bottom of society, or whether such a program only creates idleness and discourages capitalist endeavour. Thorey has kept quiet on where she stands on the matter. Indeed, she keeps quiet on political matters in general, believing this is no longer a sphere royalty can, or should, influence and that it should be down to the people, through the ballot box, who should make the decisions that affect their own lives.
If the public know her at all it is via her charitable work, especially in the realm of education. She sponsors various institutions in lower income areas and provides university bursaries for deserving students, particularly for young girls and ladies. She has said on the record that her own education was limited, disrupted perhaps by her early succession. Though she has made light of her lack of schooling and she has shown a talent for languages. Her Christmas addresses to the nation are broadcast not only in Álengsk but also in Mohegan and Quiripi. She can speak Danish, German and French too.
Thorey is a keen art collector, both old masters and 'modern' art. The Álengsk monarchy is considerably wealthy, being one of the largest landowners in Álengiamark and Thorey has not been shy to use this wealth for her own benefit as well as for charity. Many of her purchases are for her own collection at the opulent Alexandría Höfðingustr, though equally many are on permanent loan to various galleries around the country. She is avid film goer too; so much so that several rival film studios spent the autumn/winter of 2012-13 vying to get her into 'royal' premieres to promote their releases. She much prefers to go 'incognito' (as much as that is possible) to public screenings. In 2016 she became the chair of the Álengsk Kvikmyn Ásklinn (Álengsk Film Academy) which seeks to promote the Álengsk film industry in a less antagonistic manner and award excellence in the field.
She married the French prince, Louis de Tonnay-Charente, the nephew of King Charles XIII, in 2017. The couple have one son, Kristoffer, born in January 2020.
Her current heir-apparent is her second-cousin Alexandra, though she is married to a Byzantine duke, has renounced Catholicism and lives in Athens. Her potential succession could cause a constitutional crisis.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
