Our Imperial Majesty has issued this Imperial Edict to better define and distinguish between some oft-confused terms relating to our imperial position.
The Throne is the term given to the collective sum of all powers, privileges, rights, roles, duties and responsibilities afforded to its holder, the Monarch, under Austenasian law.
The Monarch is the head of state of the Empire and – under normal constitutional circumstances – the holder of the Throne.
The Monarch and the Throne are not entirely indivisible. For example, during a Regency, the Throne would be vacant (although its powers would be exercised by the Regent) but the Monarch would remain titular head of state. Furthermore, when our predecessor and the great Esmond III reigned as co-Monarchs in 2010 and 2011, both were Monarchs yet they shared the one Throne (until, that is, Esmond III was deprived of it by Parliament in March 2011).
The Head of State is the holder of the highest ranking position in the Austenasian state, the legitimator of its government, and the chief representative of the nation; id est, the Monarch. The Monarch is head of state of the Empire – and Austenasia is therefore a monarchy – through the terms of the 2008 Declaration of Independence, and through the will of the People, who have since the state’s foundation been happy to be governed by a monarchy.
Emperor (or, if female, Empress) is the title held by the Monarch of Austenasia. The Austenasian Monarch holds the title of emperor rather than that of king, prince, grand duke, etc., and therefore ranks above all other monarchs that are not also emperors or empresses, and reigns in succession to the Roman Emperors.
The Imperial Majesty is the unique dignity inherent to the sacrosanct and inviolable person of the Monarch. This is held even if the Monarch should not also hold the Throne; for example, a Monarch under the age of sixteen years would hold the Imperial Majesty but not the Throne.
The Crown is the term used to refer to the right of the Monarch to hold property owned both by the Throne and by their own person.
Proclaimed at Milton Keynes this fourteenth day of October, during the fourth year of our reign, in the year of the consulship of Mater Imperatoris Margareta and Avia Imperatoris Iocia, anno mundi 7525.