The Royal House Of Amber

1. All of the known direct Children of Oberon, whether acknowledged or not and legitimate or not, have historically been historically called PRINCE/PRINCESS and referred to as both "His/Her Highness" and "His/Her Royal Highness." These honorifics have generally been observed, even though the issue of succession has been hotly contested and, many feel, deliberately left vague by Oberon.

2. Corwin, as Regent, has begun to issue Letters Patent recognizing certain grandchildren of Oberon as PRINCE/PRINCESS. This process has occurred as follows: 1) Corwin solicits nominations from his brothers and sisters, of their own children; 2) after review to ensure that the nominees are worthy, they are approved for Letters Patent by the Regent; 3) a ceremony is taken whereby the grandchild takes the oath of fealty and office (which requires renouncing any other loyalties, Amberite noble titles or Amberite succession rights outside the Royal House), and is bestowed the title.

3. With the first round of Letters Patent, A Letter of Opinion has also been issued and recorded in the Official Rolls, clarifying the differences between the Children of Oberon historically acknowledged as Princes/Princesses, and the new slate created by Corwin. Those differences are:

a) Titles: Children of Oberon are Princes Royal/Princesses Royal, although they may, at their discretion, also use the less formal Prince/Princess. Grandchildren are Prince/Princess only.

b) Address: Children of Oberon are His/Her Royal Highness or His/Her Highness. Grandchildren are His/Her Highness only.

c) Powers: Children of Oberon have a wide variety of historical and customary privileges/rights (such as knighting individuals, the ability to hold extra titles, etc.). Grandchildren are granted no special legal powers by their rank, but are due the privileges and respect of any high ranking nobility/royalty.

d) Succession: The title of Prince/Princess, bestowed by Letters Patent, has no direct effect — for good or ill — on one's rights to succession, except that it reflects an official acknowledgement that the Prince/Princess is a member of the Royal House. Nor is the date one receives a Letter Patent an indicator of greater or lesser status.

e) Relationship to Noble Houses: The Letter of Opinion also clarifies that grandchildren who accept a Princely title via Letter Patent, thereby holding title within the Royal House of Amber, may not, at the same time, hold rank of succession within a noble house. Succession rights in other realms are not affected. However, the title does require an unequivocal oath of allegiance to Amber.

4. From the standpoint of protocol, the Heads of the Noble Houses have historically carried respect in society akin to a Royal Highness, although they are not in succession. Heads of Great Houses have also historically been on par with the Children of Oberon in economic control and power over their owned lands. A DUKE/DUCHESS of a House is equal on a seating chart for a wedding as a HRH. How the newly bestowed Prince/Princesses are treated in society is not the subject of any formal Royal decree, although it is expected many will look to Princess Florimel for leadership in this critical social question.

5. The Children of Oberon are entitled to found their own ROYAL HOUSES under their own name. For example, the Children of Flora, Rose, Isabelle and Roland, are in the House of Flora, and carry the House of Flora coat of Arms.

6. The ROYAL HOUSES are eclectic and there is no set rule to how they are managed by their respective heads.

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