I was in Parliament when the first draft of the review bill reached the floor.
The bill did not simply remove my seat. It created a new category for the king's household: "non-political royal representatives," appointed by the monarch and permitted to attend council meetings without voting.
The language looked neutral. Its effect was not. It would let Adrian invite me into the room when my presence was useful and keep me outside when it was not.
I read the bill in the visitors' gallery beside Elise. "They've made the king's discretion the safeguard."
"Is that worse than a permanent seat?" she asked.
"It's more convenient."
The members debated the bill for three hours. Some supported it because they feared an unelected queen could influence policy. Others objected because the king cou
