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Crown of New England
The Crown of New England is the source of all legal authority for the Kingdom of New England. The Crown is both a actual piece of headgear worn by the monarch during formal occasions, and is also an abstract concept which represents the legal authority for the existence of a government. Both definitions are used from time to time in New England, although the later is more often used.
For information on the monetary unit, see Currency of New England.
King Michael's Crown
The Crown of New England, or King Michael's Crown is a gold crown consisting of eight half-arches summounted in pearls. Inside is a velvet cap with an ermine border, which is usually not represented in images of the crown. The Crown of New England includes several precious gems and stones, including: 52 pearls, 18 diamonds, 5 sapphires, and 4 rubies.
The Crown includes several famous jewels. The Cross atop the Crown is set with a stone known as the Sapphire of the West, a sapphire mined from Inverell in 2007. The arches are adorned with 52 pearls gifted to New England by Queen Elizabeth II in 2013, and now carry the name of the Queen's Pearls. The Lesser Sapphires of New England are set base of the Crown, as are the King's Rubies.
Abstract Crown
In addition, The Crown is also used as an abstract concept which represents the legal authority for the existence of the government. It evolved naturally as a separation of the literal crown and property of the nation-state from the person and personal property of the monarch. In this context, the Crown itself represents the legal embodiment of the Executive Government as an entity known as a corporation sole. Like any corporation, the Crown is an artificial person (in this case, coextensive with a natural person) which can own property and has certain rights as provided by law to business entities.
The Crown, as presented in the person of the Monarch who holds the corporation sole, is the legal authority for the existence and operations of the government. Most operations of the Crown are directed by Ministers-in-Council, Associate Ministers or Parliamentry Secretaries. Exceptions include ceremonial operations carried out by the Monarch personally, and the so-called Reserve Powers of the Crown, the parameters of which are established by the Constitution of New England. Examples of these powers include the granting of Royal Assent by the Crown in Parliament to legislative acts, and the formal invitation to form a government. In general, they are exercised by the Monarch directly or by a regent, to ensure that the elected government follows the rules of the national constitution.
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