Mihai I
King of the Romanians
Reign	20 July 1927 – 8 June 1930 6 September 1940 – 30 December 1947
Born	October 25, 1921 (1921-10-25) (age 85)
	Sinaia, Romania
Predecessor	Ferdinand I Carol II
Successor	Carol II Kingdom abolished
Consort	Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma
Issue	Margarita Elena Irina Sophie Marie
Royal House	Hohenzollern
Father	Carol II
Mother	Elena of Greece and Denmark

King Michael I of the Romanians (born October 25, 1921), Prince of Hohenzollern^[1][2][3], reigned as King of the Romanians (in Romanian Maiestatea Sa Mihai I Regele Românilor or Majestatea Sa Mihai I Regele Românilor) from July 20, 1927 to June 8, 1930, and again from September 6, 1940 until deposed by the Communists on December 30, 1947. A great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria and a third cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, he is one of the last surviving heads of state from World War II, the others being Simeon II of Bulgaria and Mohammed Zahir Shah of Afghanistan.^[4][5][6] Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar). ... June 8 is the 159th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (160th in leap years), with 206 days remaining. ... 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... December 30 is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 1 day remaining. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for full calendar). ... County Prahova County Status Town Mayor Vlad Gheorghe Oprea, National Liberal Party, since 2004 Population (2002) 14,636 Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... Ferdinand of Romania Ferdinand or Ferdinand I (August 24, 1865-July 20, 1927) was the king of Romania from October 10, 1914 until his death Born in Sigmaringen in southwestern Germany, Prince Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen became heir to the throne of his childless uncle, King Carol I of Romania... Carol II of Romania, (15 October 1893 – 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8, 1930 until September 6, 1940. ... Carol II of Romania, (15 October 1893 – 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8, 1930 until September 6, 1940. ... Princess Anne Antoinette Françoise Charlotte of Bourbon-Parma (born September 18, 1923), is the wife of the former King Michael I of Romania. ... Margarita, Crown Princess of Romania (b. ... Princess Elena (Helen) (born 15 November 1950) is a daughter of Michael I (Mihai), King of Romania. ... Her Royal Highness Princess Irina of Romania was born on 28 February 1953, in Lausanne, Switzerland. ... Born in 1957 to King Michael I of Romania in Lausanne,Switzerland. ... Princess Marie of Romania Her Royal Highness Princess Marie of Romania (Marie von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, 6 January 1900 – 22 June 1961) was the Queen Consort of King Alexander of Yugoslavia. ... Hohenzollern redirects here. ... Carol II of Romania, (15 October 1893 – 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8, 1930 until September 6, 1940. ... Princess Elena (Helen) of Greece and Denmark was born on May 2, 1896 in Athens, the third child of the King Constantine I, King of the Hellenes and his Queen, Sophie Dorothea Ulrica of Prussia. ... October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for full calendar). ... The House of Hohenzollern is a German dynasty of electors, kings, and emperors of Prussia, Germany, and Romania. ... The King of Romania was the title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947 when Romania was proclaimed a republic. ... July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar). ... June 8 is the 159th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (160th in leap years), with 206 days remaining. ... 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about communism as a form of society, as an ideology advocating that form of society, and as a popular movement. ... December 30 is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 1 day remaining. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819–22 January 1901) was a Queen of the United Kingdom, reigning from 20 June 1837 until her death. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Simeon Sakskoburggotski as Prime Minister of Bulgaria Simeon II (born June 16, 1937) was the last Tsar of Bulgaria from 1943 to 1946, and is the current Prime Minister of Bulgaria. ... // The Shah was born into the Persian speaking Pashtun Barakzai dynasty of Afghanistan. ...

Early life

Michael was born in the Foişor Castle, Sinaia, Romania, the son of the then-Crown Prince Carol and Princess Elena, and grandson of the then-reigning King Ferdinand I of the Romanians. When Carol eloped with his mistress Elena "Magda" Lupescu and renounced his rights to the throne in December 1925, Michael was pronounced the heir apparent. He succeeded to the throne upon Ferdinand's death in July 1927. County Prahova County Status Town Mayor Vlad Gheorghe Oprea, National Liberal Party, since 2004 Population (2002) 14,636 Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... A Crown Prince or Crown Princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. ... Carol II of Romania, (15 October 1893 – 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8, 1930 until September 6, 1940. ... ... Ferdinand of Romania Ferdinand or Ferdinand I (August 24, 1865-July 20, 1927) was the king of Romania from October 10, 1914 until his death Born in Sigmaringen in southwestern Germany, Prince Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen became heir to the throne of his childless uncle, King Carol I of Romania... Elena Wolff and Carol II arriving in the Caribbean in 1940 Elena Wolff (1895 - 1977), perhaps better known as Magda Lupescu -- Lupescu is the Romanian equivalent of the German surname Wolff and Elena can be a shortened form of Magdalena -- was the mistress of king Carol II of Romania and... Contrasting with heir presumptive, an heir apparent is one who cannot be prevented from inheriting by the birth of any other person. ...

Rule

1930s and Antonescu era

A regency functioned on behalf of the 5-year-old Michael, but in 1930 Carol II suddenly returned to the country at the invitation of politicians dissatisfied with the regency and had himself proclaimed King, designating Michael as crown prince with the title "Grand Voievod of Alba-Iulia". In September 1940 the pro-German régime of the Prime-Minister Marshal Ion Antonescu staged a coup against Carol, whom it considered anti-German. Antonescu had the 18-year-old Michael proclaimed King to popular acclaim, but legally Michael could not exercise much authority besides that of being supreme Head of the Army and of designating a plenipotentiary Prime-Minister ("Conducător")^[7]. Regent, from the Latin, a person selected to administer a state because the ruler is a minor or is not present or debilitated. ... 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... Carol II of Romania, (15 October 1893 – 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8, 1930 until September 6, 1940. ... For the heavy metal music band see Voivod (band). ... County Alba County Status County capital Mayor Mircea Hava, Democratic Party, since 2000 Area 103. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Office Prime Minister, Conducător of Romania Term of office from September 4, 1940 until August 23, 1944 Profession Soldier, politician Political party none, formally allied with the Iron Guard Spouse Rasela Mendel Date of birth June 15, 1882 Place of birth PiteÅŸti, Romania Date of death June 1... Conducător (literally in Romanian, Leader) was the title used officially in two instances by Romanian heads of state. ...

Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is the cadet branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty, less known however than the Franconian branch which became Burgraves of Nuremberg and later ruled Brandenburg, Prussia and ultimately Germany in the centuries to 1918. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (521x616, 50 KB) The Coat of Arms of the Kingdom File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Carol I, original name Karl Eitel Friedrich Zephyrinus Ludwig von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (April 20, 1839 - October 10, 1914) was elected Domnitor (prince) of Romania in April 1866 following the overthrow of Alexander John Cuza, and proclaimed king on March 26, 1881. ... Queen Elizabeth of Romania Elizabeth of Wied (December 29, 1843 - November 2, 1916) was the Queen Consort of King Carol I of Romania, widely known by her literary name of Carmen Sylva. ... Princess Maria of Romania (Maria von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, 8 September 1870 – 9 April 1874) was the only child of Carol I of Romania and his wife, Elisabeth of Wied. ... Ferdinand of Romania Ferdinand or Ferdinand I (August 24, 1865-July 20, 1927) was the king of Romania from October 10, 1914 until his death Born in Sigmaringen in southwestern Germany, Prince Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen became heir to the throne of his childless uncle, King Carol I of Romania... Princess Marie of Edinburgh (Marie Alexandra Victoria; later Queen of Romania; 29 October 1875 – 18 July 1938) was a member of the British Royal Family who became the queen consort of Ferdinand I of Romania. ... Carol II of Romania, (15 October 1893 – 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8, 1930 until September 6, 1940. ... Queen Elisabeth of Greece neé Princess Elisabeth of Romania (12 October 1894 - 14 November 1956) was the Queen Consort of King George II of Greece. ... For her mother, Queen Marie of Romania, please see Marie of Edinburgh. ... His Life Prince Nicholas of Romania (1903-1978) was the second son of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie of Romania. ... Princess Ileana of Romania (1909-1991) was officially the youngest daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie of Romania. ... Prince Mircea of Romania was born in 1913 and died in 1916. ... Carol II of Romania, (15 October 1893 – 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8, 1930 until September 6, 1940. ... Princess Elena (Helen) of Greece and Denmark was born on May 2, 1896 in Athens, the third child of the King Constantine I, King of the Hellenes and his Queen, Sophie Dorothea Ulrica of Prussia. ... Queen Anne of Romania (born Princess Anne Antoinette Françoise Charlotte of Bourbon-Parma on September 18, 1923), is the wife of the former King Michael I of Romania. ... Margarita Princess of Romania Princess Margarita of Romania, Princess of Hohenzollern (b. ... Princess Elena (Helen) (born 15 November 1950) is a daughter of Michael I (Mihai), King of Romania. ... Her Royal Highness Princess Irina of Romania was born on 28 February 1953, in Lausanne, Switzerland. ... Born in 1957 to King Michael I of Romania in Lausanne,Switzerland. ... Princess Marie (Maria) of Romania is the youngest daughter of Michael I (Mihai), King of Romania. ...

Turning against Nazi Germany

On August 23, 1944, Michael joined with pro-Allied politicians which included the Communists, in staging a coup d'état against Antonescu, whom he placed under arrest. On the same night, the new Prime Minister, Lt. General Constantin Sănătescu, gave custody of Antonescu to the Communists, who delivered him to the Soviets on September 1.^[8][9] In a radio broadcast to the nation and army, Michael proclaimed Romania's loyalty to the Allies, announced the acceptance of the armistice offered by the USSR, Great Britain, and the USA, and declared war on Germany^[10], but this did not avert a rapid Soviet occupation, and capture of about 130,000 Romanian soldiers transported to the Soviet Union, where many perished in prison camps^[11]. The coup speeded the Red Army's advance into Romania^[12]. The armistice was signed three weeks later on September 12, 1944, on terms the Soviets virtually dictated.^[13] The coup effectively amounted to a "capitulation"^[14], an "unconditional surrender"^[15] to the Soviets. King Michael was spared the fate of another former German ally, Prince Kyril, Regent of Bulgaria, executed by the Soviets in 1945, and was also the last monarch behind the Iron Curtain to lose his throne. By some accounts, the coup may have shortened World War II by six months, thus saving hundreds of thousands of lives^{[citation needed]}. At the end of the war, King Michael was awarded the highest degree (Chief Commander) of the Legion of Merit by U.S. President Harry S. Truman. He was also decorated with the Soviet Order of Victory by Stalin for his personal courage in overthrowing Antonescu and for putting an end to Romania's war against the Allies. August 23 is the 235th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (236th in leap years), with 130 days remaining. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... King Michael Coup refers to the coup detat led by King Michael of Romania in 1944 against the pro-Nazi Romanian faction of Ion Antonescu. ... Constantin Sănătescu (1885 - November 8, 1947) was a Romanian statesman that was the first Prime Minister of Romania after the 23 August 1944 coup. ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Prince Kyril of Bulgaria, Prince of Preslav (November 17, 1895 - February 1, 1945) was the second son of Ferdinand I of Bulgaria and his first wife Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma. ... Warsaw Pact countries to the east of the Iron Curtain are shaded red; NATO members to the west of it — blue. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. ... President Truman announces that Germany had surrendered (May 8 1945) Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) was the thirty-third President of the United States (1945–1953); as Vice President, he succeeded to the office upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. ... The Order of Victory (Russian: Орден Победы) was the highest military decoration in the Soviet Union, and one of the rarest orders in the world. ... Iosif (usually anglicized as Joseph) Vissarionovich Stalin (Russian: Иосиф Виссарионович Сталин), original name Ioseb Jughashvili (Georgian: იოსებ ჯუღაშვი&#4314...

However, some claim^[16] that Michael's coup afforded Stalin's troops a faster advance^[17] into Romania and Europe, to the detriment of that of the Western Allies. Some others^[18] even see in Michael's failure to be invited, with a few exceptions, to most of the V.E. Day celebrations in the West throughout the years, a tacit condemnation by the Western Allies of the consequences of his coup. Michael was not invited to the 60th anniversary of the V.E. Day by any Western Ally. He was invited only to the celebrations in Russia and to some Czech and Slovak commemorations on the same occasion.^[19] This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

The Reign under Communism

In March 1945, political pressures forced Michael to appoint a pro-Soviet government dominated by the Romanian Communist Party. Under the Communist régime Michael functioned as little more than a figurehead. Between August 1945 and January 1946, during what was later known as the "royal strike," Michael tried unsuccessfully to oppose the first Communist government led by Prime Minister Petru Groza, by refusing to sign its decrees. In response to Soviet, British, and American pressures^[20], King Michael eventually gave up his opposition to the Communist government and stopped demanding its resignation. PCR hammer and sickle symbol The Romanian Communist Party (Romanian: Partidul Comunist Român, PCR) was a Communist political party in Romania. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Petru Groza, (December 7, 1884 - January 7, 1958), nicknamed The Red Bourgeois by his political adversaries, was a leading political figure in interwar Romania who eventually became Premier of the states coalition government from 1945 to 1952. ...

He did not amnesty Ion Antonescu, later condemned as a war criminal^[21][22][23]or the leaders of the opposition^{[citation needed]}, victims of Communist political trials, as, some argue, the Constitution prevented him from doing so without the counter signature of the Communist justice minister. The memoirs of the King's aunt Princess Ileana^[24]quote the high-ranking Communist Party politburo member, Soviet spy, and minister of Defense^[25] Emil Bodnăraş, as saying: "Well, if the King decides not to sign the death warrant, I promise that we will uphold his point of view." Princess Ileana was skeptical that the King would have willingly signed an unconstitutional document such as a death warrant decided by unconstitutional political courts: "You know quite well (...) that the King will never of his free will sign such an unconstitutional document. If he does, it will be laid at your door, and before the whole nation your government will bear the blame. Surely you do not wish this additional handicap at this moment!" The last cellmate of the most prominent Communist victim Iuliu Maniu, the leader of the anti-Communist opposition and president of PNŢ party, deprived of its victory in the general elections of 1946, which were falsified by the Communist government, seemingly confessed under Communist interrogation, that Maniu "cursed Michael from behind the bars of the political prison where he died, for not having done anything in the defense of the PNŢ members, despite their many services rendered to the monarchy"^[26]. Princess Ileana of Romania (1909-1991) was officially the youngest daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie of Romania. ... Politburo is short for Political Bureau. ... Emil BodnăraÅŸ (1904– January 24, 1976) was an influential Romanian Communist politician, an army officer, and a Soviet agent. ... Iuliu Maniu (January 8, 1873—February 5, 1953) was a Romanian politician. ... The National Peasants Party (PNT, Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc) was a political party in Romania, formed in 1926 by the fusion of the National Romanian Party from Transylvania and the Peasants Party. ...

Abdication

In November 1947 Michael traveled to London for the wedding of the future Queen Elizabeth II, occasion during which he met Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma, who was to become his wife. King Michael "did not want to go back, but American and British personalities [present at the wedding] encouraged him to do so," according to "Romanian royalist circles" quoted by The Washington Post^[27]. He returned "at the express advice of Winston Churchill," who "is said to have counseled Michael, ‘above all things, a king must be courageous.’" According to his own account^[28], King Michael had no such intentions of not returning back to his country. After his return to Romania, Michael was forced to abdicate, on December 30, 1947. The Communists announced the abolition of the monarchy and its replacement by a people's republic and broadcasted the King's pre-recorded radio proclamation^[29] of his own abdication. On January 3, 1948 Michael was forced to leave the country, followed^[30] over a week later by Princesses Elisabeth and Ileana, who "collaborated so closely with the Russians that they became known as the King's ‘Red aunts.’"^[31] Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma was born on September 18, 1923 in Paris, France . ... The Washington Post is the largest newspaper in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. ... Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can) (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was an English statesman, soldier and author. ... December 30 is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 1 day remaining. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Look up peoples republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... Queen Elisabeth of Greece neé Princess Elisabeth of Romania (12 October 1894 - 14 November 1956) was the Queen Consort of King George II of Greece. ...

There are several reports^{[32][33][34][35]} that the Romanian Communist authorities obedient to Stalin presented King Michael with 42 valuable Crown-owned paintings shortly before the King's abdication, some of which^[36] were reportedly sold through the famed art dealer Daniel Wildenstein. One of the paintings belonging to the Romanian Crown which was supposedly taken out of the country by King Michael in November 1947, returned to the national patrimony in 2004 as a donation^[37][38][39] made by John Kreuger, the former husband of King Michael's daughter Princess Irina. Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, in response to a query of the parliamentarian and former Securitate officer Ilie Merce^[40], stated that the accusations about Michael having taken out of Romania Crown paintings were "more than dubious" and that the Romanian government had no proofs of any such action by King Michael, claiming that, prior to 1949, the government had no official records of the artwork taken over from the former royal residences. The renowned Romanian editorialist Dan Cristian Turturica^[41] claims that "the King did not steal the paintings as they had been offered to him by the communist rulers so that he would leave Romania more quickly^[42]." According to Ivor Porter's authorized biography^[43] "Michael of Romania: The King and The Country" (2005), which quotes Queen-Mother Helen's daily diary, the Romanian royals took out paintings belonging to the Romanian Royal Crown on their November 1947 trip to London to the wedding of the future Queen Elizabeth II, paintings of which two, signed by El Greco, were sold in 1976. However, many other editorialists deny any such Communist gift to the King and call such accusations anti-monarchist Communist propaganda. Throughout the Commonwealth Realms The Crown is an abstract concept which represents the legal authority for the existence of any government. ... Daniel Wildenstein (September 11, 1917 - October 23, 2001) was a major international art dealer, collector, and scholar, as well as a leading thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder. ... Her Royal Highness Princess Irina of Romania was born on 28 February 1953, in Lausanne, Switzerland. ... Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu The title given to this article lacks diacritics because of certain technical limitations. ... The Securitate (Romanian for Security; official full name Departamentul Securităţii Statului, State Security Department), was the secret police force of Communist Romania. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... Princess Elena (Helen) of Greece and Denmark was born on May 2, 1896 in Athens, the third child of the King Constantine I, King of the Hellenes and his Queen, Sophie Dorothea Ulrica of Prussia. ... El Greco (The Greek, 1541 – April 7, 1614) was a painter, sculptor, and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ...

When he left Romania, Michael's financial assets amounted to 500,000 Swiss francs^[44], allegedly received from the Communist Government according to recently declassified Soviet transcripts^[45] of talks between Stalin and the Romanian Prime-Minister Petru Groza. In the past, King Michael repeatedly denied^[46] that the Communist Government had allowed him to take into exile any financial assets or valuable goods besides four personal automobiles loaded on two train cars. However, during a visit to New York City in March 1948, the 26-year-old Michael shopped on what has been described as the most expensive boulevard in the world^[47][48], Fifth Avenue, and enjoyed so much the plane in which he had just flown over the Statue of Liberty, that he thought he might buy it^[49]. New York, NY redirects here. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Street sign at Fifth Avenue and East 57th street Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in New York City. ... Liberty Enlightening the World (French: La liberté éclairant le monde), known more commonly as the Statue of Liberty (Statue de la Liberté), is a colossal statue given to the United States by France in 1886, standing at Liberty Island, in the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor...

In January 1948^[50], Michael started styling himself "Prince of Hohenzollern"^[51] instead of using the title of "King of Romania." In March 1948 he denounced his abdication as forced and illegal. Time magazine alleged that it took Michael over two months to denounce his abdication because "he had been negotiating with the Communists for the salvage of some of his Romanian properties^[52]," in spite of earlier reports that "$3,000 in cash, four automobiles, and a diamond-and-ruby medal given to him by Stalin were all that Bucharest let him take out^[53]." He has since styled himself mostly as "Michael of Romania."
Time, (whose trademark is capitalized TIME) is a weekly American newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report. ...

Life after the throne

In June 1948 he married Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma in Athens, Greece. They lived first in Britain and later settled in Switzerland. The Communist Romanian authorities stripped him of his Romanian citizenship in 1948. He became a commercial pilot and worked for an aircraft equipment company. He and his wife have five daughters. The current Romanian Royal Family consists of the family of Michael I of Romania. ... Queen Anne of Romania (born Princess Anne Antoinette Françoise Charlotte of Bourbon-Parma on September 18, 1923), is the wife of the former King Michael I of Romania. ... Margarita Princess of Romania Princess Margarita of Romania, Princess of Hohenzollern (b. ... Princess Elena (Helen) (born 15 November 1950) is a daughter of Michael I (Mihai), King of Romania. ... Her Royal Highness Princess Irina of Romania was born on 28 February 1953, in Lausanne, Switzerland. ... Born in 1957 to King Michael I of Romania in Lausanne,Switzerland. ... Princess Marie (Maria) of Romania is the youngest daughter of Michael I (Mihai), King of Romania. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (521x616, 50 KB) The Coat of Arms of the Kingdom File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A style of office, or honorific, is a form of address which by tradition or law precedes a reference to a person who holds a title or post, or to the political office itself. ... Look up majesty in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Majesty is an English word rooting in the Latin Maiestas, meaning literally, Greatness. ... Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma was born on September 18, 1923 in Paris, France . ... Athens (Greek: Αθήνα - Athína) is the largest city and capital of Greece, located in the Attica periphery of central Greece. ...

In 1992, three years after the revolution which overthrew the Communist dictatorship, the Romanian government allowed Michael to return to his country for Easter celebrations, where he drew large crowds. In Bucharest over a million people turned out to see him. Michael's popularity alarmed the government of President Ion Iliescu so Michael was forbidden to visit Romania again for five years. In 1997, after Iliescu's defeat by Emil Constantinescu, the Romanian Government restored Michael's citizenship and again allowed him to visit the country. He now lives partly in Switzerland and partly in Romania, in an official residence voted by the Romanian Parliament by a law concerning arrangements for former heads of state. 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Combatants Communist Romania Ad hoc local Romanian militias, demoralized romanian army forces Commanders Nicolae CeauÅŸescu Various independent militia leaders, discontented Communist party members Casualties 1,104 deaths The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a week-long series of riots and fighting in late December of 1989 that overthrew the... Easter, the Sunday of the Resurrection, Pascha, or Resurrection Day, is the most important religious feast of the Christian liturgical year, observed at some point between late March and late April each year (early April to early May in Eastern Christianity), following the cycle of the moon. ... Ion Iliescu (born March 3, 1930) is a Romanian politician. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Michael has the following children:

• Margarita (born 1949)
• Elena (born 1950)
• Irina (born 1953)
• Sophia (born 1957)
• Maria (born 1964).

Both Elena and Irina have sons as well as daughters. Sophia, whose marriage was not accepted by her father, has a daughter. Margarita, Crown Princess of Romania (b. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... Princess Elena (Helen) (born 15 November 1950) is a daughter of Michael I (Mihai), King of Romania. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Her Royal Highness Princess Irina of Romania was born on 28 February 1953, in Lausanne, Switzerland. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Born in 1957 to King Michael I of Romania in Lausanne,Switzerland. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Princess Marie of Romania Her Royal Highness Princess Marie of Romania (Marie von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, 6 January 1900 – 22 June 1961) was the Queen Consort of King Alexander of Yugoslavia. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ...

For further details, see the genealogical listing^[54].

Because of the Romanian succession law incorporated in the kingdom's last democratic Constitution of 1923, upon the death of King Michael (assuming he dies without any male children, as it is likely now), in absence of its necessary change along with the Constitution, which would first require the restoration of the monarchy, the succession will devolve back into the main Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen family, with its head Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern, currently first in line. 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is the cadet branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty, less known however than the Franconian branch which became Burgraves of Nuremberg and later ruled Brandenburg, Prussia and ultimately Germany in the centuries to 1918. ... Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern (Friedrich Wilhelm Ferdinand Joseph Maria Manuel Georg Meinrad Fidelis Benedikt Michael Hubert von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen) (Born 3 February 1924) is the head of the house of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. ...

Political positions

Michael has not encouraged monarchist agitation in Romania and royalist parties have made little impact in post-Communist Romanian politics. He takes the view that the restoration of the monarchy in Romania can only result from a decision by the Romanian people. "If the people want me to come back, of course, I will come back," he said in 1990. He said that "Romanians have had enough suffering imposed on them to have a right to be consulted on their future." In spite of this, King Michael has not given up the hope for himself or his family of returning back on the throne: "We are trying to make people understand what Romanian monarchy was and what it can still do^[55]." MCMXC redirects here; for the Enigma album, see MCMXC a. ...

Michael has undertaken some quasi-diplomatic roles on behalf of post-Communist Romania. In 1997 and 2002 he toured Western Europe, lobbying for Romania's admission into NATO and the European Union, and was received by heads of state and government officials. NATO 2002 Summit in Prague. ...

In December 2003, Michael awarded the "Man of The Year 2003"^[56] prize to the then-prime minister Adrian Năstase, leader of the PSD party, on behalf of a minor tabloid. Some monarchists regarded^[57] Michael's gesture as a break with the traditional political neutrality of the monarchy and a financially motivated compromise with his former Communist enemies. Adrian Năstase (born June 22, 1950) is a Romanian politician who was the Prime Minister of Romania from December 2000 to December 2004. ... The Social Democratic Party of Romania (Partidul Social Democrat or PSD) is the governing party of Romania. ...

Personality and personal interests

Michael has had a reputation for taciturnity. He once said to his grandmother, "I have learned not to say what I feel, and to smile at those I most hate."

Michael is passionate about cars^[58], especially military jeeps^[59][60]. He is also interested in airplanes^[61], having worked as a commercial flight pilot^[62] during his exile. In 1998 Michael gave his honorary patronage^[63], together with that of King Juan Carlos of Spain, to the publication of a new version of the renowned Almanach de Gotha. King Juan Carlos I His Majesty King Juan Carlos I (Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón), styled HM The King (born January 5, 1938), is the reigning King of Spain. ... The Almanach de Gotha was a directory of Europes nobility first published in 1763 at the ducal court of Friedrich III of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (which included the city of Gotha). ...

On May 10th 2007, King Michael was awarded the Prague Society and Global Panel's 6th Annual Hanno R. Ellenbogen Citizenship Award previously awarded to Vladimir Ashkenazy, Madeleine Albright, Vaclav Havel, Lord Robertson and Milos Forman. The Prague Society for International Cooperation is a Central European policy organization located in Prague, Czech Republic. ... Vladimir Ashkenazy Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazy (sometimes transliterated Ashkenazi) (Russian: Влади́мир Дави́дович А́шкенази) (born July 6, 1937) is a conductor and, more notably, a pianist. ... Madeleine Korbel Albright (born Marie Jana Korbelová, IPA: , on May 15, 1937) was the first woman to become United States Secretary of State. ... Václav Havel [VAWTS-lav HA-vel] (born October 5, 1936) is a Czech writer and dramatist. ... Lord Robertson of Port Ellen George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, KT, GCMG, PC (born 12 April 1946) was the Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, between October 1999 and early January 2004; he succeeded Javier Solana for that position. ... Jan Tomáš Forman (born February 18, 1932), better known as Miloš Forman, is a film director, actor and script writer. ...

Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is the cadet branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty, less known however than the Franconian branch which became Burgraves of Nuremberg and later ruled Brandenburg, Prussia and ultimately Germany in the centuries to 1918. ... October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for full calendar). ... Ferdinand of Romania Ferdinand or Ferdinand I (August 24, 1865-July 20, 1927) was the king of Romania from October 10, 1914 until his death Born in Sigmaringen in southwestern Germany, Prince Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen became heir to the throne of his childless uncle, King Carol I of Romania... King of the Romanians (Romanian: Regele Românilor)[1] rather than King of Romania (Romanian: Regele României) was the official title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947 when Romania was proclaimed a republic. ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar). ... 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... Carol II of Romania, (15 October 1893 – 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8, 1930 until September 6, 1940. ... Carol II of Romania, (15 October 1893 – 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8, 1930 until September 6, 1940. ... King of the Romanians (Romanian: Regele Românilor)[1] rather than King of Romania (Romanian: Regele României) was the official title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947 when Romania was proclaimed a republic. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Anthem Zdrobite cătuÅŸe (1947 - 1953) Te slăvim Românie (1953 - 1968) Trei Culori (1968-1989) Capital Bucharest Language(s) Romanian Government Socialist republic Head of State  - 1947–1965 Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej  - 1965-1989 Nicolae CeauÅŸescu Legislature Marea Adunare NaÅ£ionalÇŽ Historical era Cold War  - Monarchy abolished... The current Romanian Royal Family consists of the family of Michael I of Romania. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Margarita Princess of Romania Princess Margarita of Romania, Princess of Hohenzollern (b. ... Carol II of Romania, (15 October 1893 – 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8, 1930 until September 6, 1940. ... King of the Romanians (Romanian: Regele Românilor)[1] rather than King of Romania (Romanian: Regele României) was the official title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947 when Romania was proclaimed a republic. ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar). ... 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Constantin Ion Parhon (October 15, 1874 - August 9, 1969) was a Romanian scientist, politician and head of state from 1947 to 1952. ... Anthem Zdrobite cătuÅŸe (1947 - 1953) Te slăvim Românie (1953 - 1968) Trei Culori (1968-1989) Capital Bucharest Language(s) Romanian Government Socialist republic Head of State  - 1947–1965 Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej  - 1965-1989 Nicolae CeauÅŸescu Legislature Marea Adunare NaÅ£ionalÇŽ Historical era Cold War  - Monarchy abolished... This article is about pretender as applied to a monarchy. ... The King of Romania was the title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947 when Romania was proclaimed a republic. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... HH Friedrich Wilhelm, The Prince of Hohenzollern (Friedrich Wilhelm Ferdinand Joseph Maria Manuel Georg Meinrad Fidelis Benedikt Michael Hubert von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen) (Born 3 February 1924) is the head of the house of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. ...

See also

• Kings of Romania
• Communist Romania
• Line of succession to the Romanian throne

The King of Romania was the title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947 when Romania was proclaimed a republic. ... Anthem Zdrobite cătuÅŸe (1947 - 1953) Te slăvim Românie (1953 - 1968) Trei Culori (1968-1989) Capital Bucharest Language(s) Romanian Government Socialist republic Head of State  - 1947–1965 Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej  - 1965-1989 Nicolae CeauÅŸescu Legislature Marea Adunare NaÅ£ionalÇŽ Historical era Cold War  - Monarchy abolished... The succession law to the throne of Romania as established by the royal constitutions is Salic Law, i. ...

External links

• Semi-official Michael of Romania website
• Royal Family events - Official website of Radu, Prince of Hohenzollern-Veringen
• "Bonny King Michael" - Michael at age 5, on the cover of Time
• "Michael of Romania" - 1990 interview with Peter Kurth
• "King of Romania recalls sacrifices", The Prague Post, May 2005
• "We reigned in darkness", The Spectator, June 14, 1997
• "World War II -- 60 Years After: Former Romanian Monarch Remembers Decision To Switch Sides", Radio Free Europe, May 6, 2005
• "A king and his coup," Telegraph, 12/06/2005
• "The King’s Revenge", Evenimentul Zilei, April 20, 2006
• "The King and The Jester", Evenimentul Zilei, December 18, 2003
• Oliver North, "A Lesson in Leadership", The Washington Times, April 17, 2006
• (Romanian) Costel Oprea, "Regele Mihai, retrocedare de un miliard de euro", România Liberă, April 27, 2007
• (Romanian) Costel Oprea, "Harta marilor retrocedări (II)", România Liberă, April 18, 2007

Time, (whose trademark is capitalized TIME) is a weekly American newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report. ... Image:Prague Post. ... Cover of the Nov 12, 2005 issue of The Spectator magazine. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cover of Radio Liberty booklet The Most Important Job in the World Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a radio and communications organization which is funded by the United States Congress. ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (127th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Logo of Evenimentul Zilei Evenimentul Zilei is one of the leading newspapers in Romania. ... April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... In the Gregorian calendar, December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years), with 13 days remaining until the end of the year. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Oliver Laurence North (born October 7, 1943) is most well known for his involvement in the Iran-Contra Affair. ... The Washington Times[1] is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., United States. ... April 17 is the 107th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (108th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... România Liberă is one of the leading newspapers in Romania. ... April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ...

References