WEDDING FLOWERS: Romanian Royalty
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Showing posts with label Romanian Royalty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romanian Royalty. Show all posts

Royal Platinum Wedding: 5 other royal events of 1947


In the end, it is the royal event we all remember from 1947. The marriage of the then Princess Elizabeth to Philip Mountbatten on November 20th 1947 has gone down in history as a regal milestone and the start of an historic story. But it wasn't the only major royal event that year.
Three reigns came to an end, two tenures began, one monarchy ended for good. There was also a regency and a tragic event that would change another throne forever. Here are five more royal events of 1947...

Death of a prince


Who Prince Gustaf Adolf Oscar Frederik Arthur Edmund, Duke of Vasterbotten, eldest son of the Crown Prince of Sweden and second in line to his country's throne

When January 26th 1947

Where Kastrup Airport, Copenhagen, Denmark

What Prince Gustaf Adolf was on his way back from visiting Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands when his plane made a routine stop in Copenhagen. On taking off again, the aircarft got into trouble, stalled and crashed, killing all 22 people on board.

Consequences The prince left behind a widow and five children. As Swedish law at the time only permitted princes to succeed to the throne, his only son, nine month old Carl Gustaf, immediately became second in line to the throne. Gustaf Adolf was buried on Karlsborg Island, Solna. His son is now the King of Sweden.

A change of power in Greece


Who King George II of the Hellenes and King Paul I of the Hellenes

When April 1st 1947

Where Athens, Greece

What King George II of the Hellenes died on April 1st 1947 at the Royal Palace in Athens. He was succeeded the same day by his younger brother who became King Paul I of the Hellenes.

Consequences The Greek monarchy had gone through turbulent times and George had only returned to his country in 1946 following a referendum which supported the restoration of royal rule. King Paul's rule would be more stable although republican sentiments in Greece continued to flourish. Paul died in 1964 and was succeeded by his son, Constantine, who went into exile in 1967. 


A new king for Denmark



Who King Christian X of Denmark and King Frederik IX of Denmark

When April 20th 1947

Where Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen

What King Christian X of Denmark died on April 20th 1947 and was immediately succeeded by his son who became King Frederik IX of Denmark

Consequences Christian X had been a popular monarch and was widely mourned. His son was also well supported and made a major change to the monarchy in 1953 when he changed the rules to allow women to succeed - previously they had had no rights at all. Frederik died in 1972 and was succeeded by the eldest of his three daughters, Margrethe II, who still rules today.


The end of an era begins in the Netherlands



Who Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and Princess Juliana of the Netherlands

When October 14th 1947 - December 1st 1947

Where Amsterdam, the Netherlands

What Juliana, heir to the Dutch throne since her birth, became her country's regent time when her mother's health proved problematic. In that capacity, she attended the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip at Westminster Abbey on November 20th 1947.

Consequences Wilhelmina is said to have wanted to abdicate during this regency but was urged to remain on the throne by Juliana who wanted her mother to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee, set for 1950. However, in 1948 it became clear that Wilhelmina would step aside and the abdication took place on September 4th that year. Wilhelmina died in 1962. Juliana was Queen of the Netherlands until her own abdication in 1980. 


Abdication of a King





Who King Michael I of Romania

When December 30th 1947

Where Bucharest, Romania

What King Michael of Romania returned from attending the Royal Wedding at Westminster to find his country in more turmoil. The pro Soviet government, in place since the end of World War Two, forced him to abdicate at the end of the year. 

Consequences Michael went into exile in January 1948 and didn't return to his country until 1990. Throughout that time he was supported by his wife, Anne, who he met at the wedding of Elizabeth and Philip. He now enjoys a strong level of popularity in his home nation but has always maintained the monarchy can only be restored there with public backing which has never materialised.

You can read lots more about the royal Platinum Wedding on a special page here.

Photos Wiki Commons

Royal Platinum Wedding: the marriage it made


It's said that a really good wedding should always lead to another. The Queen's wedding, on November 20th 1947, was a real cracker and in true romantic tradition another marriage followed as a result. But while the regal lovebirds might have been happy ever after with each other, it was very far from a complete royal fairytale. For the monarchical marriage made in Westminster Abbey that winter's day was that of Michael and Anne of Romania.



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This was a love match with more than its fair dose of drama. The couple had been known to each other for a while before their meeting but Cupid got a chance to fire his arrow in very unusual circumstances. When Anne arrived in London for the royal wedding, she popped into Claridge's to see her parents and found Michael there. She made her excuses as soon as she could but the deal was done. The couple ended up spending plenty of time together and a proposal followed within weeks. 



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The bride was far from a stereotypical princess despite her very royal pedigree. Anne Antoinette Francoise Charlotte Zita Marguerite of Bourbon-Parma had been born on September 18th 1923 in Paris, daughter of Prince Rene of Bourbon-Parma and Princess Margaret of Denmark. She was a great granddaughter of King Christian IX of Denmark and of the controversial King Miguel I of Portugal among others. But her old world ancestry had given way to a very modern existence. For Anne had fled France in 1939 as World War Two began but in 1943 joined the French Army where she served in Algeria, Morocco and liberated Germany. She was given the Croix de Guerre.





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The groom had had a no less interesting life. Michael of Romania was born on October 25th 1921 in Peles Castle, son of the heir to the throne, Prince Carol, and his second wife, Princess Elena. But within years, the couple had separated and Carol gave up his rights to the throne to live with a mistress, Magda Lupescu. Not long afterwards, in 1927, Michael became King of Romania on the death of his grandfather, King Ferdinand, only to see his dad return and claim the throne in 1930. Michael became king for a second time in 1940 when his father was deposed by Ion Antonescu. In 1944, Michael staged a coup against Antonescu and joined Romania to the Allies as World War Two continued. After the war, his country came under the rule of the pro-Soviet government of Petru Groza and by the time Michael left for London to attend the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, his country was in turmoil.



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Falling in love would prove to be just a momentary distraction from his political worries. Just weeks after returning to Romania from London, Michael was forced to abdicate and went into exile days later. It was there that the couple planned their wedding. They needed a dispensation from the Pope but none came and so, when they did say 'I do' on June 10th 1948, it was at an Eastern Orthodox ceremony that took place in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace in Athens. The bride's parents ended up staying away on the advice of her uncle who was in charge of the family at the time.





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This royal wedding should have turned the bride into Queen of Romania and in a nod to her new royal role, Anne wore the tiara that her mother in law had used for her own marriage. But there was no coronation or regal celebration following the wedding. Instead, Michael and Anne moved to England where they began their family before settling in Switzerland. It would be decades before they were ever allowed into Romania again.




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 But despite the turmoil surrounding their lives, Michael and Anne were a notoriously happy couple. They remained devoted to one another until Anne's death in August 2016. All good weddings should lead to another and in this instance that proved true. The history making marriage of Elizabeth and Philip led directly to this very happy union. A wedding tradition worth celebrating all round.

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