Michael I, Prince of Sealand
| Michael Bates | |
|---|---|
 Bates in 2015 | |
| Prince of Sealand (Micronation) | |
| Pretendance | 9 October 2012 - present |
| Predecessor | Paddy Roy Bates |
| Heir apparent | James Bates |
| Born | Michael Roy Bates 2 August 1952 Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England |
| Spouse |
|
| Issue |
|
| Father | Paddy Roy Bates |
| Mother | Joan Bates |
Michael Roy Bates (born 2 August 1952), self-styled as Prince Michael of Sealand, is an English businessman and self-published author. He operates a self-proclaimed and unrecognized micronation[1] called the Principality of Sealand, which he inherited from his parents Paddy Roy Bates and Joan Bates. He has claimed the title "Prince of Sealand" since the death of his father in 2012.[2]
Early life
Michael Bates was born to Prince Patrick and Princess Joan Bates on 2 August 1952. On 24 December 1966, at the age of 14, Michael joined his father Roy in occupying HM Fort Roughs. On 2 September 1967, Prince Patrick "Roy" and his family moved to Sealand.
Battle to retake Sealand
In August 1978, Alexander Achenbach, who described himself as the Prime Minister of Sealand hired German and Dutch mercenaries to take over Sealand after some disputes with Prince Patrick, who was with his wife in England at the time, and they took Michael hostage. Michael was eventually able to retake Sealand and capture Achenbach and the mercenaries using weapons stashed on the platform.
Reign
After his father's death in 2012, Michael took over as the Prince of Sealand, and is currently the reigning monarch as of 2023.
Under his reign, a new website for Sealand was created and the principality became more active from 2022.
References
- ↑ MacEacheran, Mike. "Sealand: A peculiar 'nation' off England's coast". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
- ↑ Urbina, Ian. "The Pint-Size Nation off the English Coast". The Atlantic. Retrieved 15 August 2019.