A dynasty of PN defectors - Episode One

Sua Altezza, ex-PN

It is a dynasty which was started by a fake knight and has come down to us in the figure of a man who circulates pornographic pictures of his ex-boyfriend.

A gay heraldic cult? Not quite. It is a list of men and women who defected from the PN to the PL over the years. As I gazed at the sleepy Marsalforn bay on a starlit night, a question popped up: What sort of men defect from the PN? What do they have in common? The journey begins ...

The dynasty of PN defectors was founded in the early seventies (couldn't be bothered to go further back) by one Alfred J Baldacchino, a PN member of parliament who crossed the floor to Mintoff's PL side. At the time, the rumour was that Baldacchino owed government a large sum of money in succession duties and the defection was the comfortable arrangement reached. The rumour was false. Obviously. Mintoff government would never stoop to such levels.

Baldacchino, now carrying a torch rather than a maduma, did not, let's just say, improve his stature with time. He started heading a fake order of knights and today goes by the following name: Sua Altezza Imperiale e Reale, Granduca Alfred Josef Baldacchino, Capo di Nome e d’Arme della Dinastia Rjurik, Principe di Gagry e Marchese di Casal Grimaldo, Sovrano e Principe Gran Maestro ered. I kid you not - click: I Cavalieri dell’Ordine Bizantino del Santo Sepolcro.

He also calls himself Rector Magnificus of the 'Universitas Sancti Cyrilli' which is supposed to have been founded in 1669 and is currently located in Santa Lucia St, Valletta. It is yet another con job, as a quick peek at Sua Altezza's site will reveal. Click : Universitas Sancti Cyrilli. 

Finally, daughters are not to be blamed for the misdeeds of their fathers and vice versa. But in this particular case, it is not easy to determine who is damaging whose reputation most, parent or spawn. Sua Altezza's daughter is Arlette Baldacchino, the Norman Lowell groupie.

That was the first PN defector on the list. The story of a dynasty continues ...