NEW QUEEN GIVES FIRST INTERVIEW Haniyah Michelakis is the 20 year old future Queen of Royal Seleucid. It is expected that in roughly two months time she will marry King Heydar and become his second wife. She recently visited Radio Ipsus to give her first interview as she faced questions from both the presenters and the general public.
How did you react when you were informed your father had arranged for you to marry King Heydar? I thought it was a joke. I was away on a University placement with RSTV covering the World Cup in the Krimeon. I was also already engaged in a way but we'd not had our ceremony for betrothel yet so I knew things could change. When father phoned me up I just assumed he was being silly as there had been rumours in the press that Queen Chyrssa was seeking a new wife for her husband. When I finally believed my father I was shocked. I felt sad for Tamas who I was expecting to marry. I hope he finds a sweet girl, he deserves to be happy.
Will there be competition between you and Heydar's first wife, Queen Chyrssa?I hope not. I know people who are second, third or even forth wives. I got to meet Queen Yanna at the Jewel of the Desert festival and she was Akakois' middle wife. She says its more like having a sister for most of the time. She says only occasionally did the three wives of Akakois fall out but never for long. I hope it can be like that with me and Chyrssa after all we will need to be a team to support our King. I've no sisters so in many ways I'm excited to finally have one. I suspect Heydar will take more wives as well as its important to enlarge the Soter family and so that's going to be a neccessity. I enjoyed my meeting with Chyrssa so I hope I've made a good first impression there.
Why do you think the King chose you to be his wife?I'm a realist, I know my age will have played a large part. He wants more children and at the age of 20 I can have many I hope. I also know it was not his decision, he kind of passed the responsibility onto Queen Chyrssa and she believes I'm a good match for him. He clearly trusts her. We've meet face to face now and he was very kind, very sweet and attentive. I suspect as well the way I look played a part. I'm not vain but I've heard the media talk about me and I think my looks will have helped Chyrssa assume Heydar will like me, but I pray its more than that.
How will you be helping your husband to run the country?I don't know really. I hope it will be bringing up a large family for him so that he is free to focus on the business of making us a stronger nation. I have a lot of experience now with the media after working at University with local media sources as work experience and also being a part of RSTV's World Cup reporting team. Perhaps that media experience can be of use to him. He's much older, wiser and experienced than me with statecraft so naturally I'll play whatever supporting role I'm destined to play.
Its a busy time for weddings in the Soter family. What do you think of Thekla's wedding?I don't really know Thekla, we've not really had chance to meet. I'm happy for her, she gets to have a good husband from a nation that are friends of ours. She's playing a vital role in our nation and she should be proud. I will hopefully have chance to get to know my Sister-in-Law before her big day and I'd love to be a part of it if I'm allowed. I love weddings and there events you can't help but be happy at.
What would your thoughts be in Heydar took a foreign wife like the Tamoran Prince is, or like his father did?We trust our King to make the right decisions. Occasionally like anyone they may make mistakes. I think marrying a foreigner isn't an issue, if he took a Tamoran bride I'd have no issues. The problem wasn't a foreign bride it was the nation from which she came. Lodjain women worship a Goddess obsessed with sex, their faith tells stories of how there were once many Gods and Goddesses but one by one Sessifet destroyed them, sometimes with violence but more often than not with seduction. I think that should tell everyone exactly what they need to know about that faith and that nation. A bride from a nation that knows about good virtue and morals, I mean like the Alanders who believe in a very honourable way of life, that would be fine with me if it fitted my King's desires and needs.
You spoke a lot about the Lodjain faith there, you clearly know a lot about foreign faiths.How important is religion in your life?I find religion fascinating. Even the faiths I don't find any truth in I find their stories fascinating. I mean I follow Anahitaism with my heart, body and soul, but I think we can see bits of worthy teachings in most faiths. At school I knew a few Cultists and their story of a small band of humans fighting overwhelming odds and overcoming evil through bravery and dedication to their Gods is inspiring. Do I believe there was once this great battle, no, but it can teach us a lot about how to live our lives. I think though our faith is the one most fitting as it teaches us directly and head on to tackle the evils of this world such as poverty, hunger, thirst, loneliness and homelessness. Its the most perfect guide for making a better Mundus for us all and is that not the purpose of existence? I've tried doing that in my life to date, not always successfully but once I become Queen I will hopefully have much more I can channel into these aims.
We've spoken a lot about your future but the people want to know you better. What would you say your passions are?I loved being involved with the Football World Cup, and father owns 51% of a football team. I've been around the sport for a while now and had this marriage not come up I suspect I'd have ended up running the media section of Al-Aqda Sports Club. We're a sporting family and I enjoy swimming and used to play a little volleyball at University but kind of ran out of time. I'm also an animal lover. I know the King has a large menagerie of animals at the Palace and I look forward to getting to know them all. We've also got the new Palm development that I think will have some aquatic life there in a marine centre. I'd love to swim with a Dolphin.
It is expected that the future Queen will have her betrothal ceremony in South Markazi which the King has been promised as part of the marriage negotiation.