Cabbage queen’s kingdom, pirate fortress & leader who banned booze – the UK’s weirdest micronations after Piddington row

THE tiny Oxfordshire village of Piddington has voted overwhelmingly to leave the UK in a symbolic independence referendum after an asylum row. The peaceful protest vote was organised to oppose government plans to house 1,200 asylum seekers nearby. Residents in Piddington, Oxfordshire, have voted overwhelmingly to become an independent state in a symbolic referendum Credit: PA The village of around 350 residents held the vote after the Government said it wanted to set up a migrant camp close by Credit: PA The 350 residents were invited to cast their ballot in a small box outside the village hall. The local parish council organised the referendum, and out of 312 votes cast, 285 voted to leave, there were 26 no votes, and one ballot paper was spoiled. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Delivering the result, Susannah Parden, vice chair of the parish council, said: “We are Piddington the village that roars.” But the new ‘Principality of Piddington’ isn’t the only micro nation that has declared independence from Britain. Empire of Austenasia Johannes Karl I Augustus was crowned the 6th Emperor of Austenasia in July this year Credit: Auestenasia.com An unassuming semi-detached house in the quaint English town of Carshalton in Sutton is also home to a sovereign empire. It was founded in 2008 when dad Terry Austen decided to declare independence from the UK and create his own micro nation. Located on Green Wrythe Lane in the town, its capital is known as Wrythe and the empire has grown from its humble beginnings. It now boasts 106 citizens and stretches across the world with subjects living on every continent except Antarctica. Most read in The Sun Terry’s son Jonathan later succeeded him as emperor of the state, but the current leader is believed to be Johannes Karl I Augustus who was crowned in July this year, with former Doctor Who star Colin Baker narrating the official coronation film. The Grand Duchy of the Lagoan Isles Three small islands situated in Baffins Pond, Portsmouth, make up the Grand Duchy of The Lagoan Isles Credit: Trip Advisor The Lagoan Isles had their own currency, flag, border and Duke – all thanks to a local school teacher. Louis Robert Harold Stephens founded the nation in 2005 as part of a school project, proclaiming himself as Grand Duke Louis. The Duchy is basically three small islands situated in Baffin’s Pond in Portsmouth, United Kingdom, which Mr Stephens noticed they were unclaimed by the English according to an error in a land act in 1938 which forgot to mention their existence. He wrote to Portsmouth council announcing his claim and released a series of banknotes with an ornithological theme. But its status is currently in question as in 2019 the micro nation was deemed to be uninhabited and was apparently taken over by a group calling themselves The Nation of Unclean. Principality of Sealand The Principality of Sealand, a hulking metal-and-concrete platform in the North Sea, has been run as an independent micronation for the last 54 years Credit: AFP Dorian True from Pontarddulais holds the titles of Duke & Baron of the Principality of Sealand – the smallest country in the world Credit: Media Wales Sealand was founded as a sovereign Principality in 1967 Credit: Media Wales The Principality of Sealand has E-Citizens registered in 138 countries Credit: Instagram/sealandgov This micronation six miles off the coast of Suffolk has proclaimed itself the world’s smallest country and even has pop royalty Ed Sheeran as one of its Barons. Based on a former World War II marine fort, it was founded in 1967 by ‘Prince Roy Bates.’ Roy was a former soldier turned pirate radio DJ who broadcast his Radio Essex programmes from an old fort called Knock John. But in 1966 he was fined for broadcasting without a license as the courts decided the fort was within British waters. Incensed, he looked three miles further out to sea and found another fort, Rough Towers. Instead of taking to the airwaves once more, he vowed never to ask Britain for anything again and instead raised a flag and declared Rough Towers a country of his own – the Principality of Sealand. It has claimed independent sovereignty and issues its own stamps, passports and currency, and has its own flag and royal lineage. Mr Bates died in 2012, aged 91, but his family have continued his legacy, even bestowing Sealand titles on celebrities including Ed Sheeran and Ben Fogle. Nearly sixty years on from its foundation, Sealand is followed by more than 1.5million people worldwide, with E-Citizens registered in 138 countries. Kingdom of Lovely In 2005 BBC’s Danny Wallace took up the challenge of setting up and running his own country Credit: BBC The comedian tried and failed to gain official recognition from the UN Credit: Leafstorm Danny even tried to apply for international aid in a bid to save the project Credit: Leafstorm This nation was created as part of a 2005 TV show “How to Start Your Own Country” hosted by comedian Danny Wallace. The heart of the kingdom was Wallace’s own flat in Bow, East London, and he even designed a flag and recorded his own national anthem. When he struggled to pay his electricity bill he tried to kick-start his economy with advice from former Chancier of the Exchequer Kenneth Clarke. He even tried to apply for international aid but his bid failed. He also tried to gain official recognition for the Kingdom of Lovely from the United Nations, but this too failed died to the nation’s lack of territory, given that Wallace’s flat was in the UK. After the series ended, Wallace abandoned the project saying he was unable to commit to running a country from his flat. The People’s Republic of Podjistan The People’s Republic of Podjistan was founded in 2010 to raise awareness of division within Northern Island Credit: Facebook/podgistan The micro nation had its own flag, a border and a passport control office Credit: Facebook/@podgistan Known to locals as “Our Wee Country”, it was a self-declared country within the borders of Northern Ireland. It was founded in 2010 by leader Simon Stewart, partly to raise awareness of the division within Northern Ireland. Stewart set up laws, created a flag, a border and a passport control office – meaning you could actually get your passport stamped there, although it had only ever received one tourist. The micro nation had restrictions on import and exports including the ban of the alcoholic beverage Buckfast. Its national anthem was Everyday People by Sly and the Family Stone and the national sport was Subbuteo. However the project ended in 2019, with a statement on Facebook declaring: “Our armless struggle will continue, a displaced people railing against the tide of myopic nationalism, our place in the world as free thinkers always a journey until we can find a home. The physical land that was Podjistan is now no longer occupied by our people. We have moved on.” Kingdom of Kohlandia and Jennytopia Kohlandia was founded in 2019 by Catherine Robinson, aka Queen Catherine the First, who had become disenchanted with the state of British politics. It is a landlocked nation in Greater Manchester and its name is arrived from the Germanic word ‘kohl’, which means cabbage as apparently the land was used to grow cabbages for several years before the kingdom was formed. Kohlandia boasts of having its own post office, a newspaper and five YouTube channels, along with its own radio station. Queen Catherine’s wife, Queen Jennifer is believed to be the head of state of the neighbouring micro nation known as Jennytopia. Comment now