‘Infamous! Infamous!’

Article published in the Real Gazeta Invicta on 2nd February 1921

‘Infamous! Infamous!’

The morality of a nation depends on the morality of each of its subjects, and each of its subjects has the morality of the nation weighing on their shoulders. It’s not beyond anyone’s memory that it was on this very day, thirteen fateful years ago, that the unruly regicide took place, throwing us into the turbulent waters that we have been forced to navigate with such incompetence. How sadly we remember the loss of King Carlos I and Crown Prince Luís Filipe! How proud we are to recall the action of Queen Amélia who, standing up, struck down one of the cowardly murderers with the only weapon she had: a bouquet of flowers given to her that same day by an innocent child of the nation. ‘Infamous!’ shouted D. Amélia. ‘Infamous!’ we must now shout when we learn of the illegal trade that has spread throughout our beloved Monarchy.

It has come to the attention of this newsroom, and, through us, to that of our honourable readers, that the scam that was already taking place around the relics of saints is being mimicked – so many were the sales of ‘miracles’ that there were saints with thirty, forty fingers! Now, however, the forgery is not of bones, but of flowers! In the street, duly dried petals are sold with the claim of having been taken from the prodigious bouquet worn by Queen Amélia in what was probably the most dramatic moment in our History! And so many have been shouted and sold that it’s easy to believe that our Queen had at least a dozen branches in her hands. How vile is the scam that takes advantage of the patriotism of those it deceives. When will the authorities act? When the judgement that punishes and warns those who engage in such nefarious practices? Isn’t such a pretence not only a fraud, but also a crime against our country?

Dear readers, be warned of this hoax; let friends, family and acquaintances know, in the certainty that this newsroom will remain attentive and ready to provide information. Let’s end what is, undoubtedly, an infamy.