Self-proclaimed monarchy
A self-proclaimed monarchy is established when a person claims a monarchy without any historical ties to a previous dynasty.[1][2] In many cases, this would make them a pretender to the throne (when a ruling dynasty is already established). The self-proclaimed monarch may be of an established state, such as Zog I of Albania, or of a micronation, such as Leonard Casley of Hutt River, Western Australia.
Past self-proclaimed monarchies[edit]
Albania[edit]
In 1928, Ahmet Zogu, a president of Albania, proclaimed himself "King Zog I".[3] He ruled for 11 years in a nominally constitutional monarchy that was overthrown in the Italian invasion of Albania.[4]
Andorra[edit]
In 1934, Boris Skossyreff declared himself "Boris I, King of Andorra". His pretended reign only lasted a few days, he was expelled when he declared war on Justí Guitart i Vilardebó, Bishop of Urgell and ex officio co-prince of Andorra.[5]
Australia[edit]
In 1970, after a dispute over wheat production quotas, Leonard Casley proclaimed his wheat farm in Western Australia the "Principality of Hutt River", styling himself as "HRH Prince Leonard I of Hutt".[6] The Australian government did not recognize his claim of independence.[7] Casley abdicated in 2017, passing the principality to his son, "Prince Graeme I". The principality formally dissolved in 2020.[8]
Cameroon[edit]
Lekeaka Oliver was a separatist rebel commander who fought in the Anglophone Crisis. In 2019, he proclaimed himself "Paramount Ruler"[9] or "King" of Lebialem, a department of Cameroon.[10] This move was condemned both by Cameroonian loyalists as well as other rebels.[9][10] Oliver was killed in 2022.[11]
Central African Republic[edit]
In 1976, a short-lived 'Imperial' monarchy, the "Central African Empire", was created when dictator Jean-Bédel Bokassa of the Central African Republic proclaimed himself "Emperor Bokassa I". The following year, he held a lavish coronation ceremony. He was deposed in 1979.
Current self-proclaimed monarchies[edit]
Italy[edit]
The Principality of Seborga (Italian: Principato di Seborga) is a micronation that claims a 14 square kilometres (5.4 sq mi) area located in the northwestern Italian Province of Imperia in Liguria, near the French border, and about 35 kilometres (22 mi) from Monaco.[33] The principality is in coexistence with, and claims the territory of, the town of Seborga. In the early 1960s, Giorgio Carbone, began promoting the idea that Seborga restore its historic independence as a principality.[34][35] By 1963 the people of Seborga were sufficiently convinced of these arguments to elect Carbone as their Head of State. He then assumed the style and title His Serene Highness Giorgio I, Prince of Seborga, which he held until his death in 2009. The Principality of Seborga is an elective monarchy and elections are held every seven years. The subsequent monarch was Prince Marcello Menegatto (Prince Marcello I) who ruled from 2010 to 2019. On 23 April 2017, Prince Marcello was re-elected and took office for another seven years,[36] but abdicated the throne in 2019.[37] Nina Menegatto was elected head of state as Princess Nina on 10 November 2019.[38]
United Kingdom[edit]
In 1967, Paddy Roy Bates, a former major in the British Army, took control of Roughs Tower, a Maunsell sea fort situated off the coast of Suffolk and declared it the "Principality of Sealand".[39] Upon his death in 2012, "Prince" Paddy Roy Bates was succeeded by his son, Michael.[40]
Canada[edit]
Romana Didulo, a Filipina–Canadian woman, claimed to be the "secret Queen of Canada" in June 2021, and amassed a cult-like following, mainly consisting of right-wing QAnon supporters, being followed by 17,000 users of Telegram, a messaging platform favoured by the far-right and QAnon figures. She and her followers began to hand out "cease and desist" letters, demanding people and businesses stop following Canadian COVID-19 restrictions.[41]
In an introductory video on Telegram, Didulo claimed to be "the founder and leader of Canada1st", an unregistered political party, and "the head of state and commander in chief of Canada, the Republic". She alleged that Canada's actual head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, had been secretly executed and that she had been appointed as Queen by "the same group of people who have helped president Trump", in reference to a common belief within the QAnon conspiracy theory.[42][43] In reality, Elizabeth II died of natural causes on September 8, 2022.[44][45]