Australia Has Lost A Bold Ruler: Leonard Casley, Self-Proclaimed Prince Of His Own Micronation

Within Western Australia, we have the micronation Hutt River. Technically, the Australian government doesn’t officially recognise the legitimacy of Hutt River, but that never stopped Leonard Casley from persevering as Prince of Hutt River.

Now Leonard Casley, better known as Prince Leonard, has died at age 93.

Casley was a Western Australian wheat farmer, who seceded from Australia to form an independent sovereign state in 1970 after a dispute with the state government over wheat production quotas. Hutt River Province, which lies about 500km north of Perth, has its own flag, currency, passports and royal family – in spite of not being recognised by the government.

Prince Leonard ruled for 45 years before abdicating the throne to his youngest son, Graeme, in 2017. Prince Graeme told Perth Now his father was,

“a man of small stature but a man of big shoes”.

Leonard Casley died on Wednesday after being admitted to the hospital with a lung infection over the weekend. He’s lived with emphysema for 20 years.

“He’s a man that lived three lifetimes, and he did very well to get to 93.” Graeme said.

Although Casley has left behind a multimillion dollar income tax debt, he’s also left behind a legacy of bold defiance – something that we sometimes need in the face of the government. Farewell Prince Leonard, rest easy.