About

Sealand is a self-declared sovereign state located on a former World War II sea fort in the North Sea, about 12 kilometers off the coast of Suffolk, England. The platform, officially known as HM Fort Roughs, was occupied by former British Army Major Paddy Roy Bates in 1967, who declared it an independent nation.

Sealand has its own constitution, flag, anthem, currency, and passports. While no country officially recognizes Sealand's sovereignty, a 1968 British court ruling stated that it fell outside British territorial waters (under the law at that time), which Sealand cites as de facto recognition.

The principality has experienced multiple dramatic incidents over the decades, including an attempted coup in 1978. Today Sealand is primarily a family enterprise run by Bates's descendants, and it generates revenue through the sale of noble titles, merchandise, and its own story.