King Charles has attended the “Marie of Romania” London exhibition dedicated to Romania’s British-born queen who helped Romania regain the province of Transylvania after World War I. This month marks 150 years since her birth.
The monarch, known as one of Romania’s best ambassadors, owns properties in Romania in the northwest Transylvania area, and started visiting the now NATO and EU member in 1998. His first visit abroad after he became king was to Romania, delighting his Romanian fans.
The exhibition which runs until Oct. 12, was organized by the London branch of the Romanian Cultural Institute, a government organization committed to promoting Romanian culture around the world.
Romania’s Ambassador to Britain, Laura Popescu, officially greeted the king.
Queen Marie was born in Kent, southeast England in 1875, and was a descendant of the British and Russian royal families. She was married to German prince Ferdinand who ruled Romania at the time, and she served as queen of Romania from Oct. 1914 to July 1927.
She died in 1938 and remains one of the most popular historical figures among Romanians, due to her love and devotion to her adopted country in the challenging years around World War I. She was appreciated for her geostrategic and diplomatic skills, as well as her piercing blue eyes, grace and dress sense. She and Ferdinand had six children, including Carol II of Romania.
“It’s been the greatest honor to welcome His Majesty King Charles to see “Marie of Romania, Artist Queen” exhibition which encapsulates Romania’s natural beauty through royal paintings of Queen Marie and King Charles,” the organizers said in a post on Wednesday.
“I was privileged to guide The King through the exhibition, which is equally a tribute to His Majesty’s work in Romania to preserve our precious landscape and heritage. There were lots of smiles and happy memories,” said Aura Woodward, director of the Romanian Cultural Institute in London in the post.
