Prince Michael Bates, the reigning monarch of the Principality of Sealand, has a unique plan in case the British Navy attempts to reclaim his micronation off England's coast. He jokingly stated that he would bring out his best china and make them a nice cup of tea. Sealand, originally known as "His Majesty's Roughs Tower," started as a hastily constructed artillery fort during World War II. It was manned by Marines to shoot down German warplanes. By the 1960s, the North Sea became a hub for unlicensed commercial radio, with pirate radio stations operating on ships and old forts. Bates took over a fort in 1965 and set up Britain's first 24-hour pirate radio station, Radio Essex. However, the British government made pirate radio illegal, forcing Bates to shut down Radio Essex. In a bold move, Bates seized Roughs Tower, which was outside UK territorial waters, on September 2, 1967, and declared it an independent state, naming it Sealand. He declared himself prince, and his wife, Joan, became princess. The Bates family faced numerous challenges, including invasion attempts and coups. They aimed to turn Sealand into a tax haven, luxury island, and casino, creating their own flag, stamps, currency, anthem, and national motto: "E mare libertas," meaning "From the sea, freedom." The British Ministry of Defence had secret plans to take Sealand by force, and in 1978, a group of rogue German and Dutch lawyers and diamond merchants attempted a coup to establish their own offshore casino. They tied up Prince Michael, but he was later released, and he and his father, Prince Roy, returned to Sealand armed to retake it. They successfully disarmed the plotters and punished a German citizen named Putz, who held a Sealand passport, for treason. Despite its challenges, Sealand remains a sovereign nation. Today, Sealand's permanent population consists mostly of Mike Barrington, who handles various roles on the island, including immigration, customs, and homeland security. The royal family resides in the English town of Southend-On-Sea. They attempted to turn Sealand into an offshore data haven in the early 2000s, but the venture failed. To generate income, they sell noble titles online, such as lord, lady, duke, or duchess. Sealand holds a unique place in international politics and has met the requirements for statehood, including a government, a defined territory, and a permanent population.