THE YORKS: THE GLORY OF THE YORK DYNASTY

Divorce and Illegitimacy

NARRATOR:

As King Emmanuel VI declared on the eve, today arrives the appointed day of their marital dissolution, King and Queen parting ways, and the Royal Court stands ready, bearing the gravity of the moment. It bears significant consequences not only for their wedded union but the legitimacy of Princess Calliope, a matter heavy as the weight of the crown. The Princess chose not to grace the hearing, for she hath foreseen the court's impending judgment.

Lord Royce: 
What fate dost the court's judgment bear?

Lord Maxwell:
Whate'er the judgment, we are prepared to accept the sweeping change it shall bring.

Lady Therese:
Verily, whether adverse or favorable, we must remain steadfast, lest we entangle ourselves unawares.

On the other side, the three princes converse.

Prince Anthon:
What impelled our sire to seek divorce from Queen Helena?

Prince Anthony:
Perchance it mirrors the past, akin to what befell our mother (Late Queen Margaret), charged with treason and adultery, though the system erred.

Prince Dominic:
Desist, Tony. Let us not linger in bygones. Whate'er the reason, I'm convinced of the Queen's, our sister's mother, innocence.

Royal Court Judge:
Pray be seated, one and all, and brace yourselves for my decree. Yet, we shall not rush, but heed the codified rules, laws, and edicts that govern us. Yet ere we proceed, let both sides lay their arguments afore us.

Helena White:
I shall commence. Your Majesty, whom I address as my former spouse, I apprehend the core of this resolution, as thou art well aware.

King Emmanuel VI:
If thou-

Helena White:
Pray, permit me to conclude, Your Majesty, should it please thee. I perceive thy intent to wed Lady Sandra, who presides over the retinue attending to our sole daughter. Cast her not into the cruelty thou hast thrust upon me! I ken this to be the last day thou shalt lay hands upon me, with words as cutting as swords. At length, I shall gain freedom and return to mine ancestral Germany, where I may discover the bliss I besought since the day we exchanged vows. Thou led me afore the altar, and now, thou guidest me to this court, where the erstwhile sweet affection we nurtured now lies shattered like glass. Until our next encounter, then.

The former Queen's poignant message leaves the entire courtroom in silence, the King beginning to weep, reminiscing on the cherished memories they shared, especially with Princess Calliope.

Royal Court Judge:
Emotion-laden, art it not? Pray, Your Majesty, what be thy message to thine erstwhile consort, the former Queen of Belgium and the mother of thy child?

As it appears, the King finds himself unable to speak, keeping his lips firmly sealed.

King Emmanuel VI:
(struggling to speak) Nothing! I hope thou findest happiness, White Queen.

Judge:
" With a heavy heart and after deliberate consideration of the King's plea and the Queen's concurrence, this court doth approve the dissolution of the sacred union of matrimony betwixt His Majesty, King Emmanuel VI of Belgium, and Her Majesty, Queen Helena, in accordance with the extant legal stipulations governing divorce within our realm."

With these words, their marital bond is stripped of its binding force.

The nobles approach the former Queen.

Lord Beaufort:
Your Majesty, even if thou art no longer the Queen of Belgium and the spouse of that unworthy King, thou shalt forever reign in our hearts and thoughts.

Lady Asmond:
Verily, White Queen, and for over nineteen years of thy service to the monarchy, thou hast been a genuine queen, mother, and leader.

Prince Anthon:
Uh, Mama? Even though thou art not our true mother, thou hast treated us as thine own, Your Majesty. (He embraces her, with tears in his eyes.)

Prince Anthony:
Thank thee for bestowing happiness upon the King, even if 'twas but for a brief span. (He also embraces her, with tears in his eyes.)

Prince Dominic:
Farewell, our second mother, and the mother of our sister, Calliope. Fret not, for we shall not acknowledge that Sandra as our queen.

Helena White:
Oh, thou art too much, haha. What matters is my newfound liberty, and the prospect of returning to my rightful homeland, Germany. Therein, I may uncover the happiness I have yearned for since the day we wed. Thou led me afore the altar, and now, thou guidest me to this court, where the erstwhile sweet affection we nurtured now lies shattered like glass. Until our next encounter, then.

Judge:
The trial is far from its conclusion, for the impact upon their daughter, Princess Calliope, hath yet to be scrutinized. I shall recite the Royal Marriage and Child's Legitimacy Decree, as mandated by the Act. Attend and heed!

Article 2: Child Legitimacy
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In cases where the child's progenitors hath obtained a legal divorce, the offspring begotten from such union shall, by the law's decree, be branded "illegitimate," a designation set in motion from the day of the divorce judgment.

Article 3: Consequences of Illegitimacy
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Offspring, thusly labeled illegitimate due to the divorce endured by their progenitors, shall forfeit any claims to the royal lineage and succession. They shall be denied any entitlement to assume titles, prerogatives, or properties affiliated with the Belgian monarchy.

By virtue of this decree, Princess Calliope is divested of her royal title, held now only in the realm of ladyship. Simultaneously, her path to the throne is severed, as she is now deemed illegitimate. I hereby bring this trial to its conclusion.

Prince Anthon:
This is unjust, a great inequity!

Prince Anthony:
What connection hath our sister's birthright with the specter of divorce? Pray, provide an explication!

Prince Dominic:
King father, please recant the words of the judge. Calliope deserveth not this fate.

King Emmanuel VI:
Regrettably, I must express my impotence in this matter.

Prince Anthon:
Nay, thou art capable, yet reluctant!

Prince Anthony:
We shall wage a battle in defense of Calliope's rights, until her title is reinstated.

Prince Dominic:
Believe not, dear sire, that we art but employing intimidation, for, like our mother, we possess voices that shall be heard, and we shall champion the sentiments uttered by Anthony.

Helena White:
BOYS, desist and rise. Let us, in unity, accept this ruling, aye? As for thee, Emmanuel, thou ruffian, and thee, Sandra, thou both! Let us quit this courtroom.

And with that, all departed, leaving behind in their wake the stern gazes of the princes, the officials, and the nobility, directed toward the King and Lady Sandra.