Rule for a Prolong time or not?

The British / Common wealth Monarchs have all gone for life terms. Elizabeth II is the oldest British and Commonwealth Monarch and second longest reigning. Next year tied and year after that longest. Her son Charles could take over but gets to wait his turn.

Saying there will be a step down is all good and all but there hasn't been a step down or term limit in Manticore so far.

While in the British Royal Family it did happen but it wasn't the same thing.

Lord Skimper wrote:The British / Common wealth Monarchs have all gone for life terms. Elizabeth II is the oldest British and Commonwealth Monarch and second longest reigning. Next year tied and year after that longest. Her son Charles could take over but gets to wait his turn.

Saying there will be a step down is all good and all but there hasn't been a step down or term limit in Manticore so far.

While in the British Royal Family it did happen but it wasn't the same thing.

Manticore isn't the UK, and Manticore's only on it 2nd prolong Monarch (and King Roger III was assassinated long before he'd reached was would have been a pre-prolong old age.)

In other words it's pointless to say Manticore hasn't had a history to monarchs stepping down, when the potential need to do so is specifically because of the vastly increased lifespans from prolong; which has never been an issue before.

(Edit: if the wiki is right none of Manticore's 16 rulers have even ruled for as many as 60 years; though a few are reigned for over 50. And FWIW Elizabeth has ruled for 39 years by 1922 PD)

Also in HoS, it was pretty clear that although King Rodger's mother did not resign but instead served until she died, she was sharing power with the future King Rodger towards the end, meaning that King Rodger was already a co-ruler before his mother died.

Jonathan_S wrote:

Lord Skimper wrote:The British / Common wealth Monarchs have all gone for life terms. Elizabeth II is the oldest British and Commonwealth Monarch and second longest reigning. Next year tied and year after that longest. Her son Charles could take over but gets to wait his turn.

Saying there will be a step down is all good and all but there hasn't been a step down or term limit in Manticore so far.

While in the British Royal Family it did happen but it wasn't the same thing.

Manticore isn't the UK, and Manticore's only on it 2nd prolong Monarch (and King Roger III was assassinated long before he'd reached was would have been a pre-prolong old age.)

In other words it's pointless to say Manticore hasn't had a history to monarchs stepping down, when the potential need to do so is specifically because of the vastly increased lifespans from prolong; which has never been an issue before.

(Edit: if the wiki is right none of Manticore's 16 rulers have even ruled for as many as 60 years; though a few are reigned for over 50. And FWIW Elizabeth has ruled for 39 years by 1922 PD)

One point to keep in mind as well when comparing to the UK is that the present British & Commonwealth monarch doesn't have as big a role in government functions as Elizabeth III has in both the old Kingdom and now in the Empire.

So after a 100 years she might decide to abdicate and go and leave Roger in charge that would still leave Roger something like 200 years as a reining monarch.

Also if the Crown Prince was to go into politics he could be name as Governor in Medusa or any other system needing one or later Governor General in either Talbott or Silesia for a few decades to get some experience and see the other parts of the Empire and get some executive experience under him.

But like most people have said until Elizabeth III most of the questions being asked just weren't an issue as her father was one of the first recipients of pro long in the kingdom and he died young. So the ramifications on the Kingdom just hadn't been really thought out and also they only had the one system until she came around.

So she will probably be like mentioned before the George Washington of her people and set the precedent on either the law or traditions ( i would vote for tradition better than law at this stage). Also remember that Mr Weber mentioned and the Companion also that Parliament can remove a Monarch from the throne if he proves unstable or a danger to the Kingdom so even a long serving ruler could be removed (wouldn't be easy mind you but it could be done).

One thing we should keep in mind, is the size of the Starempire of Manticre. All the new territories will need their fair share of attention from the house Winton. I wouldn't be surprised if there is somewhere down the road a constitutional reform, allowing for more flexibility and a greater power sharing.

IIRC all members of the royal family have remained for most of their life on Manticore. Now with the new territories, they can go and take residence somewhere else, maybe even as steward of the crown. That should not only give them something to do while they wait, but also would strengthen the rule of the house Winton. Optimaly they would have lived in every major part of the starempire before they become the monarch.

Actually, although it occurred before Prolong, there is one example of a Manticoran Monarch stepping down; the case of King Michael I who abdicated in favour of his son, Edward.

With regards the situation of Elizabeth III's children they could create the new post of Governor General for places like Talbott & appoint them to those positions. The position would largely be ceremonial but it would give them experience in the governing of peoples, much like Cadet members who sit in the House of Lords on Manticore. It would also let the populations of the newly joined territories like Talbott see the House of Winton in more detail & build up a closer relationship with them.