The Queen Mother passed away in her sleep yesterday evening. She was found by her daughter-in-law Queen Aiyisha Bokum and transported to Revlika Central Hospital, the nearest hospital to the Royal Palace in Jumakia (Northwestern Doatia). She died at age 96.
Allisandra Bokum, married to the late King Consort James Bukkanon-Bokum, served as the Queen of Doatia from 1950 to 1974, when she became ill with cancer and soon-after abdicated. She was the daughter of King Makial Bokum and Queen Consort Helen Jackson-Bokum. When she abdicated in 1974, Queen Allisandra’s heir and only child then-Prince Gelgken Bokum became King.
King Gelgen served as King of Doatia from 1974 to 1986, when he suffered from a heart attack and died. In 1983, he married Aiyisha Williams-Bokum, who became Queen Consort. After the late king’s passing, Aiyisha was named Queen Regent.
Originally, the crown was to transfer to Princess Ayana Bokum (born in 1984), the first-born child of Aiyisha and Gelgken, but Princess Ayana was denied succession in 2001 (just shy of her 18th birthday) by the People’s Chamber due to what was described at the time as “erratic and unbecoming behavior”. At the time, there were reports that Ayana had been accused of several academic and behavioral infractions at her academy. That same year, Queen Aiyisha was named sovereign and Prince Alsheer (born 1986), at age 15, was named her heir.
While the People’s Chamber eventually reversed their prohibition on Ayana’s succession, she has ultimately been removed from the Royal Family due to her involvement in the DRF uprising; Prince Alsheer was then named heir for the second time.
The Monarchy is mandated by law to observe a 14-day period of grief, where all official events are cancelled, and the family must wear black attire at all times while in public.
Queen Aiyisha released the following statement: “The former Queen and our Queen Mother, the beautiful Allisandre, was more than a second mother to me. She was the loving mother of my dear departed husband, the phenomenal grandmother of my children. She was a mother to a nation. She was and will always be, our Queen. During economic turmoil, she bypassed a divided government in the 60’s to provide relief to Doatians. She fought for indigenous communities and their right to self-determination. She was a consistent advocate and fierce ally to marginalized people’s in Doatia and throughout the world. She left very big shoes to fill; and as much as I have tried, I am certain that I will never be able to fill them. We ask for your thoughts and prayers. Prince Alsheer and I will be coordinating her funeral and burial, and there will be an opportunity for our fellow Doatians to join us in remembering, grieving, and celebrating the life of such a magnificent woman. By creed of Doatia, live by, with, and for community”
Prince Alsheer avoided press as he left Doa City to travel to Jumakia to be with his family.
As a nation, we grieve the loss of Queen Mother Allisandre.
Doatian Journal Royal Correspondent Jackson Crockett
