Archsteward of New Southern Rhine

Archsteward of New Southern Rhine
Incumbent Antônio Scherer-Arrais since 9 August 2021
Style	The Most Dignified
Appointer	The King
Term length	No term limits are imposed on the office
Formation	6 January 2021

The Archsteward of New Southern Rhine (Hunsrik: Erzstatthalter von Neu-Südrhein; Portuguese: Arquimordomo do Novo Reno do Sul) is the highest position in the administrative hierarchy and de facto head of government of the Independent State of the New Southern Rhine. Primarily responsible for Royal House affairs, the Archsteward has its powers delegated by the King and ends up unofficially exercising executive power and effectively ruling in accordance with the monarch's wishes.

The Archsteward is selected from among the Stewards, although this is not a requirement, and is usually tasked with forming the governing cabinet which is composed from however many ministerial offices the Archsteward (or the King) sees fit. The King can, nonetheless, both appoint and dismiss members of the cabinet and sack the Archsteward at his will.

Competences

The Fundamental Laws although, in its main annex, it provides for the office of Archsteward, it does not stipulate his functions, which are defined by the sovereign's free will. In general, Archsteward is tasked with managing the affairs of the Royal House, including the government. In this way, the Archsteward is de facto head of government, and is responsible for forming a ministerial cabinet and coordinating the actions of both the cabinet and the Katarinensisch Reichskreis, the advisory parliament, where he serves as speaker. The Archsteward may also create and regulate agencies and committees and concurrently serves as President of the Privy Council and principal adviser to the King. On the event of the monarch's inability to exercise power, if he has not appointed a Regent, the Archsteward automatically becomes Regent and enjoy of the unique prerrogative of lay claim to the throne.

The Archsteward holds either daily or weekly audiences with the sovereign. The extent of the archsteward's ability to influence the sovereign is unknown, but presumably varies depending upon the personal relationship between the sovereign and the archsteward of the day. The Archsteward, being a member of the Katarinensich Reichskreis, also takes part either weekly or monthly in ordinary session and answers to the monarch solely.

List of Archsteward

No.	Name	Portrait	Arms	Reign		Tenure	Canton
I	Prince Antônio			9 August 2021	Present	2 years, 8 months, 14 days	Kaiserwerth
				Ex officio reigning Prince of New Switzerland in the Kingdom of Ebenthal