01 February 2021

Dear Earl Farmington,

One hopes this finds you well after a most distressing weekend, during which you have proclaimed your feudal privileges were so egregiously trampled upon.

One understands your concern that the Crown Princess directly responded to media inquiries originating from your vassals on matters related to the Kingdom's governance without your prior approval, albeit it appears remotely and without entering onto lands you claim as your own. One respectfully notes that you have made no similar prior public objection, in the past decade you have been resident in Runnymede, to other responses to media inquiries originating from within the County. One also respectfully notes that you have made no prior public objection when there has been no inquiry from the County, but instead an unrequested statement of policy.

One also ponders whether the media organization in question had instead reached out to one of the other fine members of the aristocracy who also purport to speak for the County, including Lady Shelley, Lady Carol, Lord David, and Lord Alexander. Perhaps one of these individuals had provided the prior consultation regarding the Crown Princess's response to your vassals' petition for review that you so clearly desire, particularly since doing so would have demonstrated — oh, what's that word? yes — "bipartisanship" even more clearly than just consulting a Lord who proclaims to be of the King's own party but seldom expresses enthusiasm for the King's own policies.

One further ponders whether the residents of the County are truly "vassals" at all, as you would have them treated, or perhaps new-fangled "free citizens". That is especially so for media representatives, who have an appalling tendency to ask for views before one might be prepared to provide them.

Perhaps the responsibility lies with your vassals who work for the media within the County, as it appears you assume is both within your power as their liege lord and appropriate in substance. One further hopes that you might in future consult privately with the Crown Princess's staff if She, particularly when acting as one's viceroy, appears to overstep with the media the bounds of propriety related to the County before you engage that same media in a manner that perhaps oversteps the bounds of propriety related to this entire Kingdom.

Respectfully,
Joseph I, R.
by Martinus Paduei, Quaestor and Chief Scribe