Michael I of Romania

King Michael I of Romania
King Michael I of Romania in 1947
King of Romania
First reign20 July 1927 – 8 June 1930
PredecessorFerdinand I
SuccessorCarol II
Regents
See list
Second reign6 September 1940 – 30 December 1947
PredecessorCarol II
SuccessorMonarchy abolished
Coronation6 September 1940
Born(1921-10-25)25 October 1921
Peleș Castle, Sinaia, Kingdom of Romania
Died5 December 2017(2017-12-05) (aged 96)
Aubonne, Vaud, Switzerland
Burial16 December 2017
Royal Cathedral, Curtea de Argeș Monastery, Curtea de Argeș, Romania
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1948; died 2016)​
IssueMargareta of Romania
Princess Elena
Princess Irina
Princess Sophie
Princess Maria
House
FatherCarol II of Romania
MotherPrincess Helen of Greece and Denmark
ReligionRomanian Orthodox
SignatureKing Michael I of Romania's signature

King Michael I of Romania[1][2][3] (25 October 1921 – 5 December 2017), reigned as King of Romania for two periods.[4] He was king from 20 July 1927 to 8 June 1930, and again from 6 September 1940, until forced to abdicate by the Communist Party of Romania. The communists were backed up by orders of Stalin to the Soviet armies of occupation on 30 December 1947.

He was one of the last surviving heads of state from World War II,[5][6][7][8] the other one is Simeon II of Bulgaria.[9]

He died 5 December 2017 of complications from leukemia in Aubonne, Switzerland at 96 years old.[10]

Titles, styles and honours

Titles and styles

  • 25 October 1921 – 28 December 1925: His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Romania, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
  • 28 December 1925 – 20 July 1927: His Royal Highness Crown Prince Michael of Romania, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
  • 20 July 1927 – 8 June 1930: His Majesty King Michael I of Romania, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
  • 8 June 1930 – 6 September 1940: His Majesty King Michael I, The Grand Prince of Alba Iulia, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
  • 6 September 1940 - 10 May 2011: His Majesty King Michael I of Romania, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
  • 10 May 2011 - 5 December 2017: His Majesty King Michael I of Romania

Honours

National

Foreign

Ancestry

He was a paternal first cousin of King Peter II of Yugoslavia and maternal first cousin of Queen Alexandra, Queen Consort of Yugoslavia, King Constantine II of Greece and his elder sister Queen Sofía, Queen Consort of Spain.

He was great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria I of the United Kingdom through both of his parents and was therefore a third cousin of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, King Harald V of Norway, King Juan Carlos I of Spain, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Queen Elizabeth II.

Referencecs

  1. ↑ "Compression" Archived 2013-08-23 at the Wayback Machine, Time, 12 January 1948
  2. ↑ "Milestones" Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine, Time, 21 June 1948
  3. ↑ Genealogy of the Royal Family of Romania Archived 2012-11-10 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 2 October 2006
  4. ↑ Romanian: Maiestatea Sa Mihai I Regele Românilor, literally "His Majesty Michael I King of Romanian".
  5. ↑ World War II—"60 Years After: Former Romanian Monarch Remembers Decision To Switch Sides", Radio Free Europe, 6 May 2005
  6. ↑ Oliver North, “Looking for Leadership” Archived 2009-01-11 at the Wayback Machine, Human Events, 14 April 2006
  7. ↑ Peter Kurth, "Michael of Romania" Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ Craig S. Smith, "Romania’s King Without a Throne Outlives Foes and Setbacks", The New York Times, 27 January 2007
  9. ↑ Simeon Saxecoburggotski, Encyclopædia Britannica
  10. ↑ Romania: Ex-king Michael who ruled during WWII dies at 96, ABC News