*Originally in my planning, Jonas & Phoebe would've been married by the end of last year, so I took the portraits of her in Windenburg, wearing Windenburg honors. But then I took a hiatus, so that wedding is getting pushed back, but 🤷♀️ it is what it is. So Phoebe is pictured here with the Windenburg family, but her titles haven't yet changed. Sorry!*
Her Royal Highness, Princess Emma Lofton-Strauss
Full Name: Emma Martha Lofton-Strauss
Title(s): Princess of Windenburg
Nickname(s): N/A
Birthday: January 27th
Residence(s): Winden Palace (Windenburg)
Previous Names/Titles: N/A
Parents: Mr. Albert Strauss & HRH Crown Princess Martha Lofton-Strauss, King Jonas Lofton (adopted)
Spouse: N/A
Children: N/A
Her Royal Highness, Princess Edaline Lofton-Strauss
Full Name: Edaline Agathe Freida Lofton-Strauss
Title(s): Princess of Windenburg
Nickname(s): Della
Birthday: May 2nd
Residence(s): Winden Palace (Windenburg)
Previous Names/Titles: N/A
Parents: Mr. Albert Strauss & HRH Crown Princess Martha Lofton-Strauss, King Jonas Lofton (adopted)
Spouse: N/A
Children: N/A
Her Royal Highness, Princess Margarette Lofton
Full Name: Margarette Annalise Carolinia Lofton
Title(s): Princess of Windenburg
Nickname(s): Greta
Birthday: June 19th
Residence(s): Winden Palace (Windenburg)
Previous Names/Titles: N/A
Parents: Mr. Victor Lofton & Lady Adelheid von Hollebein (annulled), King Jonas Lofton (adopted)
Adelheid (Heidi): Come on my love, you can do it! Come to Mama!
Victor: They’ve blocked me entirely out of the Southern Sea, they’ve cut off trade with us and Newcrest, they’ve arrested my entire family… that bitch has got it coming for her.
Heidi: Look, Nanny! She’s going to try it!
Nanny Helga: Her Royal Highness is certainly advanced for her age.
Victor: Adelheid, would you be quiet? I’m trying to strategize.
Heidi: But look, my love, Greta’s already walking!
Victor: You are walking her. And in my office no less.
Heidi: I wanted us to spend time as a family. We’re not bothering you over here- Oh good job, Greta!
Victor: You are bothering me, with your annoying baby chatter. Children are not meant to be seen until they are old enough to engage in conversation with. Aren’t you listening to what I have to deal with? That Simsdom bitch has captured my entire family- my heir!
Heidi: You have a new family now, maybe we’ll have an Empress Margarette next.
Victor: That’s enough. Nanny, take the child away. I don’t wish to see or hear it.
Nanny: Yes, Your Majesty.
Heidi: It? That’s your daughter, Victor.
Victor: I’m well aware, as you keep shoving her in my face. But you don’t seem to be aware of the stakes- implying that I would hand my throne to that child?!
Heidi: You said that the line of succession now goes through our children first-
Victor: Our sons. Do you really think I would demote my first wife, and all of our heirs, including two healthy men, just to give my throne to a girl? From a second wife?!
Heidi: But, Victor-
Victor: If you do not produce a son, you are of no use to me, and I will cast you off like I have done Agathe. Do you understand? I need sons- that’s it!
Heidi: What’s it?
Victor: I’ll call on Isabella Bray. She has given me two fine, strong, sons.
Heidi: Who’s Isabella Bray?
Victor: My mistress. I’ll marry her, and legitimize our sons, and then I’ll have doubled my heirs overnight!
Heidi: But… What about me? Will she become Empress now?
Victor: Yours is not to worry about my decisions. Yours is to produce heirs. I’m going to call Isabella, you will go straight to your room. I’ll visit you tonight. You’ve had enough rest, and we need sons.
Recent popularity polls conducted in Windenburg show that the majority of the people hate Victor as their monarch!
(Long post, sorry)
Popularity polls are held all the time in many different monarchies across the globe. They're conducted by independant groups and news organizations as a way the gauge how the public is feeling about a particular public figure at any given time- especially royal ones that we don't get to vote for. Well, a recent poll was conducted in Windenburg that managed to ask over 50% of Windenburg's 80 million citizens, and the results don't look good...for Victor.
Only 1% of the citizens polled said they actually loved Victor as their monarch! No monarch in the history of Windenburg has ever scored so low! Of course, what does that mean for a representative we the people have no control over, no way to vote them out? Well, the questions were phrased like this:
"How do you feel about Emperor Victor as your Monarch? Love, Hate, or Indifferent to?"
"How do you feel about the Windenburgian Royal Family, excluding Victor and his two most recent wives, focusing on the original family of Queen Agathe, Prince Jonas, Prince Eugene, and Princess Emma? Love, Hate, or Indifferent to?"
Only 1% of those polled said they loved having Victor as their monarch, whereas 89% of those polled said they still loved the royal family, excluding Victor. That's a huge gap in popularity!
74% of citzens polled said they hated Victor, where only 5% said they hated the rest of the Royal Family.
And finally, 25% said they were indifferent to Victor, and only 6% said they were indifferent to the rest of the royal family.
What a huge blow for Victor!
(Queen Agathe, Victor's first wife, the highest ranking of all the Windenburgian Royals)
Citizens were also asked follow up interview questions after completeing the polls, and there may be hope for the monarchy yet!
Windenburgians were asked if they could vote to change the system, would they vote for a complete end of the monarchy in Windenburg, or would they vote to oust Victor and replace him with another member of the royal family? 92% of those polled said they were replace Victor with another member of the Royal family if they could, instead of completely erasing monarchy in Windenburg.
(Prince Eugene, next in line for his grandfather's throne, sits at number 3 in the polls, behind his grandmother, Queen Agathe, and surprisingly his uncle, Prince Jonas)
Finally- those who were polled against Victor were asked what the major deciding factors were for their vote. The answers won't surprise you.
(Left: The late Crown Princess Martha remained steadfastly at the #1 spot of popular royals until her passing. Right: Martha and her husband, Albert, Duke Windslar, holding their younngest child, Princess Edaline)
Number one on the voters minds that turned them against Emperor Victor, was his supposed treatment of his daughter and heir- Crown Princess Martha. Rumors have been flying that it was Victor who demanded the Crown Princess continue to try to have more children (sons) even after her doctors advised against it after her difficult pregnancy with Princess Emma. The people (and allegedly Queen Agathe) blame the Emperor for the death of the Crown Princess, who used to be the #1 favorite polled member of the royal family. Though there's no proof for it, rumors can be dangerous...
(Left: Victor marries Lady Adelheid, a young woman more than 40 years his junior. Right: Victor marries long-time mistress, Ms. Isabella Bray, legitimizing their two sons)
The number two reason citizens hate Victor is his Polygamy- or more acurately- his discarding of his first wife, Queen Agathe, for younger wives or those who could give him more sons. Queen Agathe, who has comfortably sat at the #2 spot in the polls for most of her marriage to Victor, has a huge following of support in Windenburg. After the passing of her daughter, Crown Princess Martha, Agathe has easily moved up to the #1 spot for her dedication to her children and grandchildren, her numerous charitable donations, and her devotion to the Church of Windenburg. Victor's seeming abandonment of her in Sulani after Martha's death has only fueled the people's devotion to her more. They believe she has been wronged, and deserves justice.
(Top: Liberation of Tartosa, where Prince Jonas was taken prisoner by the Simsdom Empire. Middle: Liberation of Sulani, where Queen Agathe, Duke Albert, Princess Edaline, Prince Eugene, and Princess Mathilda were captured by the Simsdom Empire. Bottom: Victor's "new" family- a daughter with Empress Adelheid, and two sons with Queen Isabella)
The third reason is that Victor has seemingly abandoned his "first" family- the family had by his first wife, Queen Agathe. The people's loyalty to Agathe spills over into her offspring, and they also feel betrayed by Victor. For a man who claims to put family first above all else, family and tradition, the second his family is taken by the Simsdom Empire as PoW, he just moves on to newer models- namely, Princess Margarette from Empress Adelheid, and Princes Antony and Austin from Queen Isabella. What does he need the old family for, when he has new ones, new sons, that aren't in captivity by the Simsdom Empire? The people wonder if Victor has any loyalty at all...
(Prince Antony donating 1 million dollars to the Simsdom War Effort, pictured with Tsarina Ekaterina and Crown Princess Ophelia)
The final straw was an event that only occured this week- one of Victor's newest members of the family, Prince Antony, was seen very publicly donating a huge sum of money to the Simsdom Imperial War Effort, and giving a speech about fighting against tyrrany and oppression that was clearly about Victor. Those who were polled wonder about, not just Victor's loyalty to his family, but his family's loyalty to him. If Victor can take an illegitimate son with no title, and raise him up to a prince, putting him in the line of succession ahead of his "natural born" son, Prince Jonas, and still that son chooses to side with Victor's enemy? What does that say about Victor and how he treats his family? Is he just a cruel as the rumors say?
(Princess Emma, who Victor had shipped off to Newcrest to live with the usurpers there)
After everything, it's no wonder the people have lost faith in their monarch. He seems to do whatever he pleases whenever he pleases, with no regard for anyone besides himself. Victor needs to act fast to regain their trust and respect or the people may end this war themselves... with a guillotine!
Isabella: She really is just a darling little girl, Heidi, great job.
Adelheid (Heidi): Thank you, Isabella.
Isabella (Bella): Please, all my friends call me Bella, you should too.
Victor: Can you two shut up? The men are trying to work here.
Bella: And the women are trying to talk. Take a break from that anyway, it’s time for tea.
Victor: I can’t take a break! Have you been reading what the media is saying about me? I need to come up with a plan.
Bella: I heard most people think better after they have food to fuel them.
Victor: I don’t want the damned tea, Isabella! Now hush!
Bella: You better not try to talk to me like that again, Victor. I’m not gonna sit meekly by and obey your every order, dressed up like I’m in the goddamn Handmaid’s Tale- no offense, Heidi, dear.
Heidi: …None taken? I think...
Bella: I’ve lived a whole life before you decided to marry me, a whole life as a businesswoman and a single mother so I will absolutely not take any bullshit from you, Victor.
Victor: I am your husband! I am your Emperor!
Bella: And I am telling you to sit down and join us for tea. Austin.
Victor: Austin is busy helping his father fight back against the traitor that is your son.
Bella: Austin is your son but Antony is mine? Very nice, Victor.
Victor: Are you paying attention to our position in this war? They have stolen my conquered lands. They have stolen one of my wives, two of my heirs, and two granddaughters. They defame my name in the press, claiming false reports of losing the people’s trust. I’m about to have a full-scale riot on my hands and then your son goes behind my back and treats with the enemy! I need a big move that will remind the people of the power behind the Lofton name, and to rebuild my empire!
Austin: You could try to retake some of the lands they took from you- Sulani, Tartosa?
Victor: That makes it just feel like a childish game of tug-of-war. I need a big move, Austin. Big.
Austin: Go for one of her allies- Willow Creek, Oasis Springs, Del Sol Valley-
Victor: Brindleton. It’s perfect. Their ships are down here, in the South Sea, protecting the island nations from recapture. While they’re distracted, I could sail North, around Komorebi, and attack from the West. They’d never expect it!
Isabella: What about Komorebi?
Victor: What about them?
Isabella: They’re trade partners with the Empire, don’t you think they’ll try and stop you from passing through their ocean?
Victor: They’ve declared neutral in this war, they won’t attack. At most they’ll notify that Simsdom bitch about our location there, but by then it’ll be too late. Brindleton’s king is a 15 year old boy still in school, and is being governed by his geriatric mother. It’ll be easy pickings. And then I’ll have a foothold in the North East to invade Granite Falls and further into the Empire, where the borders aren’t as protected. She can’t fight a war on two fronts.
It seems like Victor is collecting wives like people used to collect baseball cards...
...however, this time, instead of a new, young wife, Victor dug back through his contacts to bring back an old flame.
In a private ceremony at Winden Palace, Victor married long-time mistress and famed hotel magnate, Isabella Bray.
(Isabella and her sons by Victor, Antony and Austin Fitzroy)
The San Myshuno Socialite's relationship with the Emperor went public earlier this year, when an article was released exposing Victor and his multiple mistresses and secret families.
It didn't take long for subjects to figure out why Victor was bringing Isabella out of the shadows and down the aisle- the two adult sons they have together, Antony and Austin Fitzroy. In the press release about the marriage, it was also stated that Windenburg Parliament has ratified an amendment to the order of succession, legitimizing Isabella's son, giving them the name "Lofton," and adding them into the line of succession by order of their birth. The line of succession now exists as; any sons had by Empress Adelheid with Emperor Victor, Prince Eugene and any heirs male of his body, the new Prince Antony and heirs male of his body, Prince Jonas and heirs male of his body, and finally the new Prince Austin and heirs male of his body.
Of course, for the Emperor's last wedding, his first wife, Queen Agathe, was living in Sulani, and therefore did not attend his marriage to Empress Adelheid. But for this one, Adelheid was most certainly in attendance, and stood for an awkward family photo after the ceremony, holding her daughter, Princess Margarette, or Greta, as she's called by her mother. We can't imagine the awkwardness there...
But Victor seems to pay it no mind, in that same press release, he touted family values, and how loyalty is the most important thing to him, especially loyalty to family- which is why he decided to marry Isabella, and bring the family together at last. Right. We're sure it had nothing to do with the fact that the rest of his family have been arrested by the Simsdom Empire... nothing at all...
It seems as Victor loses his colonial holdings around the globe, he gathers more wives. Who knows, we may be seeing a wedding at Winden Palace every week!
Winden Palace released a statement this morning announcing the birth of yet another child from Emperor Victor, and the announcement has Victor-haters, rolling with laughter! It reads;
"Their Imperial Majesties, Emperor Victor and Empress Adelheid are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter this morning, at Winden Palace, Windenburg. Both mother and child are happy and healthy."
The short and sweet nature of the announcement (as well as the irate look on the Emperor's face in the photos that accompanied it) have many laughing at how angry he must be! After all, he just announced that he had changed the line of succession to put any sons had by this new wife ahead of all of his other descendents. Many thought that must mean that he knew they were expecting a boy. So to have all of that be for nothing, to have another girl, has people laughing and calling it karma!
The announcement didn't mention a name for the new princess, but we're glad at least that both the mother and child are doing well after the birth- and that Victor got some karma!
