Imperial and Royal Court

The Imperial and Royal Court of Karnia-Ruthenia is the imperial and royal court for the Sovereign of Karnia-Ruthenia. All Ambassadors to the Empire are formally received by the Court, and all Ambassadors from the Empire are formally accredited from the Court — not the Empire — as they are representatives of The Crown, but also includes all those who regularly attend the Emperor-King. Official meetings and receptions associated with the court are held wherever the monarch is in residence — usually Hofbau Palace. Organized to be a large court following the Austrian Imperial Court, the courtiers included the monarch camarilla and retinue, household, nobility, those with court appointments, the leibgarde, and may also include emissaries from other nations or visitors to the court. Foreign princes and foreign nobility in exile may also seek refuge at the court. Lower ranking servants and bodyguards were not properly called courtiers, though they might be included as part of the court in the broadest definition. Etiquette and hierarchy flourish and is planned to leave traditional traces over the future generations of Karno-Ruthenians, featuring a strict order of precedence involving royal and noble ranks, orders of chivalry and nobility and in some cases, uniforms. One of the major markers of a court is ceremony — concerning the coronation of the monarch and audiences with the monarch.

Life at Court
Life at the Imperial and Royal Court is dominated by ceremony. Ceremonies can range from formal government occasions to informal gatherings. Appeareance and tradition plays a large role in ceremonies, as they emphasize the continuity of Imperial institutions. From a social and political standpoint, the most important ceremonies are coronations, formal state receptions and audiences with the Emperor-King.

Coronation
Main article: Coronation of the Karno-Ruthenian monarch The Coronation of the Karno-Ruthenian monarch is a ceremony in which the Sovereign and his or her consort (if there is at time) is formally crowned, annoited and invested with regalia. The reign began immediately upon the death of his predecessor, being the coronation optional, as a coronation was not viewed as being necessary to legitimize their rule in that country, but the cerimony is a very important event for the Court. The location of coronations is Cathedral of Saint Stephen King of Hungary, in Persenburg. The person performing the coronation of the Emperor-King is the Archbishop of Persenburg. Other clergy and members of the nobility also have roles; most participants in the ceremony are required to wear ceremonial uniforms or robes and coronets. Many other government officials and guests attend, including representatives of other countries.

Audiences
Main article: Audiences with the Karno-Ruthenian monarch An audience is a formal meeting that takes place between the Emperor and another person, usually at the invitation of the sovereign. Often, the invitation follows a request for a meeting from the other person. The audience varies its nature, having cases that the audience dealt with political subjects, like the ones requested by members of the Conference of Santiago or the Delveran and North American representatives to offer the Occidian Crown to Oscar I, or more social events, like the audiences to combine the gatherings of the Court.

Reception of Dignitaries
There is specific, prescribed protocol associated with public appearances of the Emperor at events and receptions. The process of meeting special guests and dignitaries can be accomplished one of two ways: a receiving line or by the Emperor moving down a line of guests.