Prince Michael of Sealand on 54 years of independence – East Anglian Daily Times

Published:7:00 PM January 27, 2022

Visible from Suffolk's beaches, the 'micronation' of Sealand has had astormyhistory ever since the fortress was built during the Second World War.

Since the Maunsell fort was put in place, it has served as a base of operations for a pirate radio station in the 1960s, a family home for aself-proclaimed royal familyin the 1970s, and as a base of operations for websitesin the early 2000s.

Consisting of a floating base, a deck andtwo hollow concrete legs for the crew to live in, the fort originally called HM Roughs Tower was dragged into place over a sandbar and sunk in 1943.

During the war, it was used to defend nearby estuaries from German aircraft.

But in the 1950s the forts were abandoned.And bythe 1960s, they made tempting bases for people looking to set up pirate radio stations.

Roughs Towers being sunk/installed in 1942- Credit: Archant

One of those pirate radio broadcasters was Paddy Roy Bates.

Known as Roy Bates, he took over HM Roughs Tower in 1967 and went on to declare its independence and style himself Prince.

Michael Bates, the currentruler of Sealand,inherited the title of Prince from his father.

Speaking about Sealand's early piraticaldays, Prince Michael said: "When I was a boythere was no pop music on the radio. Transistor radios you could carry around were a fairly new thing and very expensive, but they were just coming into the mainstream.

"If you wanted to listen to pop music, you would have to tune into Radio Luxembourg, which would come in and out at night as it bounced off the ionosphere."

This gap in the market motivated a number of entrepreneurs, includingMichael's father, to set up privately run pirateradio stations on ships and platforms just off the coast.

Prince Michael said: "There isa bit of a misconception on the internet we never actually puta pirate radio station on Sealand. We had one on another Maunsell Fort the Knock John Fort off Essex broadcasting Radio Essex.

Prince Michael, and his father, the late Prince Roy on Sealand in 1979, next to a WWII anti-air gun- Credit: Principality of Sealand

"Whenthe governmentbrought in the Marine Offences Act (in 1967), it drew a line across the Thames Estuary and said everything inside it was British territory.

"Dad got closed down and started looking for somewhere else."

Thesearch led the family upthe coast, to HM Rough Towers the fortress which would become Sealand.

The Bates family in 1966 (LR Michael, Roy, Penny, and Joan)- Credit: Principality of Sealand

Prince Michael said: "We went out on Christmas Eve 1966 and took over the FortRoughs.It wasn't a radio station, but there were some caretakers on it from Radio Caroline.

"We just climbed up it was a really calm night andthey came out of the building."

Prince Michael claimed one person was armed with a rifle but there was "no violence".

"We just said we were taking them off," he said."My father and I then took them into Harwich."

Prince Michael and his men keeping guard over the fortress in 1978- Credit: Principality of Sealand

However, Radio Caroline attempted to take the platform back.

Prince Michael said: "There were sevenor eightdifferent attemptswhich are detailed in my book.

"What were they using it for? Nothing!

"The Marine Offences Act had just come in and Radio Caroline was using it as a resupply base for helicopters.

"I think the idea was they wanted somewhere to keep supplies, fuel, and stores to keep the radio station running.

"I was 14 when all this trouble was going on out there it was my dream really at the time.

"I was always brought up with a bit of Boy's Own Annual stuff. It was interesting to me to defend the place.

"I didn't really consider that I could gethurt at the time I was like my father I thought I was indestructible.

"A lot of my friends who've read my book said I should be dead."

Roy and Michael Bates on Sealand in the 1960s- Credit: Principality of Sealand

Since its pirate radio days, Sealand has gone on to havevarious uses.

The tower was used as a base of operations for web-hosting companies in the early 2000s.

In 2007, it was reportedly in sales talks with controversial Swedish website The Pirate Bay, which was looking for a new base.

The fortress has incredible views over the north sea. - Credit: Principality of Sealand

Prince Michael added: "Whatever we've done we've always tried to be aware of our responsibility to the outside world the international community.

"That's why we stopped issuing passports we don't want to give people a pathway to terrorism."

Sealand currently supports its continued independence through the sale of noble titles.

Via its website, people can pay to become a Knight, Lord, Count, or Duke of the principality.

For more information on Sealand visit its website.

Prince Michael of Sealand has also written a book on the principality'shistory.

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Prince Michael of Sealand on 54 years of independence - East Anglian Daily Times