Princess Margareta has been named Romania’s most influential woman by Forbes magazine.

Readers voted the Swiss-born princess who turns 73 on Saturday in recognition of her work in promoting Romania globally, and for her contribution to creating a better society.

Margareta, who is the eldest daughter of the late King Michael, thanked people for their votes.

She previously won or was runner-up in  Forbes Romania’s “most influential woman in Romania” award in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Since  King Michael’s death in 2017, Margareta who is Custodian to the Crown, has taken on a prominent role in public life, becoming involved in political as well as social issues.

In 2018, she addressed Romania’s Parliament to express the family’s support for the reunification of Romania with Moldova. The former Soviet republic used to be part of Romania until it was annexed during World War II.

More recently, members of the Romanian royal family have been active in relief work for Ukrainian refugees who have fled their country after Russia invaded.

She has been president of the Romanian Red Cross since 2015. She set up the  Princess Margareta of Romania Foundation in 1990 after seeing an orphan die in front of her during a visit to a squalid state orphanage.

King Michael was forced to abdicate by the communists in 1947. Margareta returned to Romania after the 1989 revolution and married actor Radu Duda in 1996. He was awarded the title Prince Radu of Romania after the marriage.

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