My personal headcanon: The Monarchy in Griffonstone was abolished, and Grandpa Gruff is the president of this Griffon Republic, the evidence is when Gilda says outright there is no king.

There is leadership everywhere, even among anarchists : even if griffons do not care about titles anymore, Grampa Gruff is de facto the “elder” of Griffonstone.

@Frustration in Excelsis  
Thanks. I knew I’d heard/read that theory on this site.

@Ardashir  
@Ardashir
 
I’ve seen that particular hypothesis around. I wouldn’t call it common, but it’s definitely out there. I believe it’s due partly to Gruff being the only griffon who seems to care about Griffonstone’s history, and partly because one of King Guto’s guards got an ugly scratch over the same eye Gruff is blind in when Arimaspi attacked.  

@Dogman15  
I remember reading some comments on the site and elsewhere to that effect. Maybe I just read the right/wrong comments.

@Ardashir  
Maybe, but this is the first time I’ve heard that.

I thought the main line of fanon on Grampa Gruff was that he is the last surviving member of the old Griffonstone Royal Guard who was present when the Arimaspi stole the Idol of Boreas?

one of them is grunkle stan with dementia

One of them has is wearing a fez.

@Background Pony #D09C
 
I’m still scratching my head as to why they didn’t give him any concrete title. He’s called a “ruler” in To Change a Changeling which I usually only hear associated with royalty, but nothing more than that. It’s a little ridiculous in my opinion. In fact, I don’t care if he’s never called a king in the show, that’s what he is and that’s what I going to refer to him as.

Actually Thorax was never called the king, but the leader instead.

I see them as the great powers pre wwi
 
Griffens-ottoman empire  
Dragons- russia  
hippogriffs - Austria Hungary, tho persia could fit them a bit  
Yaks- well, they would have been russia (or sweden a bit) but embers aggression with the griffens would fit more in line with russia , unless dragons = germany. But lets put them with Germany  
Changelings -France , although Persia again would be an interesting dynamic  
M6 - USA  
Celestia and Chancellor Neighsay - UK

@Frustration in Excelsis  
I headcanon it involved a bet, maybe somebody was a hustler, and things escalated quickly.

Hey! That old guy is paying good money for that kid to go to an international school of friendship!

@NickLozano2793  
Yeah. I remember some episodes.

@NickLozano2793  
Oh, I didn’t see that you were replying to Diaz. I thought you were replying to me again, which made me think your reply was a non-sequitur.

@Dogman15  
Diaz got it. It’s “The X’s”  
Here’s a Wiki link.

@NickLozano2793  

 
@Dogman15  

 
@NickLozano2793  
Huh?

@Diaz  
You got it! Color me surprised. I was so sure no one would know about that show. It’s pretty obscure and didn’t run for very long.

@NickLozano2793  
I give up.

@Dogman15  
Nope.

I really wonder what happened to Gruff’s eye.

You know, come to think of it, Prince Rutherford is the only one wearing jewelry, at least that can be seen. And, for that matter, he’s the only one whose eyes are hidden.

@Aristagtle  
… I goth me beard stugh bewheen my eeth.”

@Starswirl  
Yeah, it’s almost a tongue twister. Try to say that quickly five times in a row. =)