RSS
First Romanian Crown's celebrations since the abdication of King Mihai I on 30 December 1947
The events dedicated to the celebration of the Romanian Crown, at its 150 years, have begun on Tuesday at the Peles Castle in Sinaia (north of Bucharest) with the hoisting of the royal flag on the mast of the edifice's tower.
It was the first ceremony of this kind since the abdication of King Mihai I on 30 December 1947.
According to a release by the Royal House, the Royal Flag was raised on the arrival of Crown Custodian Princess Margareta, the ceremony being attended by her husband Prince Radu, by Princess Elena and her husband Alexander Philips Nixon McAteer, Princess Sofia and Archduchess Maria-Magdalena of Austria.
According to the official schedule of the event, the ceremony will carry on with Princess Margareta bestowing the awards to the winners of the 5th edition of the Royal Marathon.
Later in the afternoon, the castle's terrace and lawn will host the traditional garden party and a gala concert. The Defence Ministry's Band will perform, and the royal family will greet the attendance from the castle's balcony at 6pm.
Three YAK-52 aerobatic aircrtaft will fly over the royal park before the concert, and some 400 white doves will be released after it.
Since 2015, 10 May is again celebrated as a national holiday in Romania; it used to be the King's Day, and it is also Romania's Independence Day.
The Royal House is and will remain to Romanians a reference point for the love of their country and their rectitude, in one and a half centuries of history, Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos says in a message sent on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Romanian Royal House.
"On their 150th anniversary, I am sending to the Royal Family the best thoughts and the warmest feelings. The Royal House is and will remain to Romanians a reference point for the love of their country and their rectitude in one and a half centuries of history," Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos wrote on Tuesday evening on his Facebook page.
Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR) Patriarch Daniel also sent a congratulations message to former King Mihai I and the royal family on the Day of 10 May, with "warm wishes of good health, peace, joy and much help from God in all the good deed."
According to the Romanian Patriarchate's Press Office, the Patriarch's message on Tuesday emphasizes "the good cooperation between the Romanian Monarchy and the Romanian Orthodox Church on religious, spiritual, cultural, town-like, educational and social-philanthropic levels."
The Patriarch also mentioned that "150 years since Carol I has risen to Romania's throne, at the Patriarchal Cathedral, the very spot of his oath to the country (in 1866) and of his crowning (in 1881), King Carol I, together with King Ferdinand I were remembered in a special service."
"We thank God for all the gifts He lavished on the Romanian people through the bravery and wisdom of the kings of Romania, to whom we are paying a pious homage of gratitude. (...) At the same time, we wish Your Majesty and all of the Royal Family good health, peace, joy and much help from God in all the good deed. May you have a long, blessed life!", the Patriarch concluded his message.
May 10, the former King's Day and Romania's Independence Day, was restored as a national holiday in 2015.