Atlantica - 01.12.2006, Qupperneq 17

Sovereign nations don’t seem to be getting
much right these days, and the world is
populated by individuals who have taken
matters into their own hands. “Micronations: The
Lonely Planet Guide to Home-Made Nations” has
recently hit bookstores, detailing the wonderfully
bizarre world of people (mostly – surprise! –
men) who have declared their independence
everywhere from Nevada, USA, to Antarctica.
But are the small bits of declared backyards
and private islands legal nations? As guidebook
author John Ryan puts it, “a nation is only
recognized as a nation if other nations that have
been recognized by other nations recognize it.”
Take King Nick. King Nicholas II of the Copeman
Empire, known as Nicholas Copeman before
his enthronement, was 24 and living at home
with his parents in the United Kingdom when
he legally changed his name and invented his
accidental empire. He has since published a book,
runs the Empire’s web site, kingnicholas.com,
and has generally been monarching around his
hometown in northeast England ever since.
Krista Mahr: First, the obvious. Why start your
own empire?
His Majesty King Nicholas II: This was a few
years back. I had a lot of time on my hands. It was
just done as a joke. Me and a friend changed our
names by Deed Poll. We got the idea from a guy
who changed his name to Elvis Presley. That’s how
I became King.
KM: How exactly did you go about founding the
Copeman Empire?
HMKNII: To actually do it, we had a coronation
ceremony. It involved a Kentucky Fried Chicken
burger. We’re obsessed with KFC. So that’s the
official religion of the Copeman Empire. Any
reference to God is replaced by reference to KFC.
KM: What were you doing when this all started?
HMKNII: I was unemployed. On one occasion I
went into the job center in full uniform, riding a
horse. The empire ended in a bit of disaster. I ran
up a huge debt once I got a taste of the high life.
I’ve written a book about it, actually. I don’t want to
spoil the ending.
KM: Oh, come on. Can you give me a hint?
HMKNII: Basically, I went into big debt. I got
beaten up by local hooligans – chavs. Do you
know what chavs are? People who go around in
sportswear, but don’t do sports. A lot of people in
my town liked me, but the chavs had a problem
with me. They thought I had gotten too big for my
boots. There are always a few, aren’t there? Trying
to spoil people’s fun.
KM: What do most people do in your hometown?
HMKNII: Most people are retired. That’s the other
reason I did it. I was bored. We just wanted a bit of
the high life. Go to big parties. Meet nice people.
KM: So does the empire still exist?
HMKNII: Oh yes, it does. It sort of went dormant.
I’m actually King Nicholas II now. I was King Nicholas
I, but then I abdicated and became King Nicholas II.
Most monarchs can’t do that. Whenever there’s
a new project the king reappears, by popular
demand.
I started back up to do my Royal National Tour
last year in Copeman Palace 2. I dragged my caravan
behind my dad’s Volvo and visited stately homes
around the country. You see, Copeman Palace 2 is
Britain’s smallest stately home. People came into
the Palace for tea and cucumber sandwiches.
I was also giving out knighthoods. Well, I wasn’t
giving them out, I was selling them.
KM: For how much?
HMKNII: At one point, loads. But now, 20 pounds.
I’m trying to give something back to the people.
I’ve dished out quite a few honors around the
country. In the town where I live, there’s Roy Boy,
who works in a little cafe and makes all my food.
Now he’s Sir Roy Boy.
But I don’t like to give out too many. I actually
turned one down the other day. In the little form I
ask people to fill out, he said he didn’t like Turkey
Twizzlers – a kind of fast food I really like. You want
people who can uphold your national values.
KM: I understand the empire has had a change of
residence?
HMKNII: I still have the main one, Copeman
Palace. And then I have the touring one, Copeman
Palace 2. Not a very original name. It’s an Eldriss
Mistral GTX. I bought it for 450 pounds. It has tinted
windows as well. Very bling.
KM: Do you really have a “Monarch on Board”
sticker?
HMKNII: Yeah, in the back window of the Eldriss.
I made it.
KM: Did you know before you got into this how
vast a world of micronations were out there?
HMKNII: I didn’t think of it as a micronation.
I didn’t know the term ‘micronation’ existed.
That’s the whole thing about it. It was out of total
ignorance and boredom. We were never aware of
anyone else doing it. It was very personal. Each of
these micronations has its own identity... has its
own take.
KM: Any brushes with the British Royal Family?
HMKNII: I had a little brush with Prince Philip.
Well, it wasn’t really a brush. I didn’t actually see
him. Last summer when I went on my Royal National
Tour, I parked my caravan next to Holyroodhouse,
which is the official royal residence in Edinburgh.
Prince Philip was inside. They didn’t take kindly to
my being there.
KM: What do you do when you’re not being king?
HMKNII: I’m actually in the world’s biggest rock
band in the moment. We haven’t actually started
yet. It will be the world’s biggest.
KM: What’s the name?
HMKNII: That’s secret.
KM: How are you going to be the world’s biggest
rock band if you don’t tell anyone the name?
HMKNII: You have to wait for that.
KM: Okay. So what do you do for money?
HMKNII: I’m doing a little bit of work here and
there. Some writing work. I’ve been doing a few
little bits and bobs. Just tending to my empire is
quite expensive. I invite donations. Well, donations.
Makes its sound like a charity. Just enough to keep
the empire running.
KM: How much have you made from the Pay Pal
donation feature on your web site?
HMKNII: I’ve had a few ready meals, thanks to
money from that. The really posh ones. I only eat
the posh ones.
The thing is, all of my accounts have been in a
muddle for a long time. My dad had to go in and
sort them all out for me. I got in a bit of trouble for
selling knighthoods, and I got heavily in debt by
about 3,000 pounds. But that’s all sorted now.
KM: Can you tell me a little bit about your royal
fixation on Zara Phillips?
HMKNII: She’s kind of an eligible spinster in that
she’s around my age. Similar interests. Got royal
blood, blah blah blah. I’ve written to her. I’ve even
written to her father. It hasn’t gone anywhere. No
luck so far.
KM: Would you ever date a commoner?
HMKNII: I would happily date a commoner,
provided she looked like Zara, and had good table
manners.
KM: Do you find being King has had a positive or
negative effect on your personal life?
HMKNII: Both positive and negative. To get the
perks you have to put up with some inconveniences,
too. My title gets me access to the most glamorous
parties in Norfolk, and the best table in any Little
Chef restaurant. But on the flip side, I do a lot of
work in the community, making royal visits to
worthy causes and bestowing honors on special
citizens overlooked by the official honors system. A
monarch’s work is never done.
KM: What’s your corgi’s name?
HMKNII: It’s not my corgi. It belongs to two
doors down. The dog was on a walk when I was
being photographed.
KM: You can’t offer any insight into why the corgi is
the royal dog of choice in the UK?
HMKNII: I haven’t a clue.
KM: So you founded the Empire when you were
24 and living with your mom and dad. How old are
you now?
HMKNII: Twenty-seven.
KM: Do you feel the need to move on? Do you think
you’ll be King Nick forever?
HMKNII: That’s why I’m in this rock band. I’ll be
doing that under a different name, in case people
recognize me. That’s next. Rock n’ roll.
KM: Can you tell me what your name will be in the
world’s biggest rock band?
HMKNII: Yeaaaaah (thinking) – no. a
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