Man claims kingdom so daughter can be princess

The Associated Press

July 15, 2014 10:30:54 AM

ABINGDON, Va. -- A Virginia man says he has claimed a kingdom in Africa so his daughter can be a princess.

Jeremiah Heaton told the Bristol Herald Courier he recently trekked to a small, mountainous region between Egypt and Sudan called Bir Tawil. No country claims the land.

Heaton says he planted a flag designed by his children there so that he could become a king -- and more importantly, so his 7-year-old daughter Emily could be a princess. They named the area the Kingdom of North Sudan.

Shelia Carapico, a professor of political science and international studies at the University of Richmond, says Heaton would not have political control over the land without legal recognition from neighboring countries, the United Nations or other groups.

Heaton says he hopes to get Sudan and Egypt to recognize the kingdom.

printer friendly version | back to top

Most Viewed News Stories

1. Saturday night fire destroys Columbus home COLUMBUS & LOWNDES COUNTY

2. After 11 years as EMCC president, Young stepping down COLUMBUS & LOWNDES COUNTY

3. 6-candidate race forms for Lowndes circuit clerk COLUMBUS & LOWNDES COUNTY

4. Mississippi fugitive arrested in Utah after 34 years STATE

5. Ecolab reducing Columbus workforce COLUMBUS & LOWNDES COUNTY