Royal funeral for Romania's 'last queen'
Former Queen Anne of Romania was buried in a royal ceremony on Saturday. She died on Monday in a Swiss hospital at the age of 92.
Honor guard soldiers carry the flag-draped coffin of Anne of Romania, wife of Romania's last monarch King Michael, backdropped by the former Royal Palace, at the end of a religious service, in Bucharest, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016.
Bucharest declared a national day of mourning Saturday as a funeral was held for former Queen Anne of Romania, wife of the country's former king.
"We are turning a page on history. Anne was the last queen of Romania, even though she was never crowned," said Adriana Chiriac, a retired doctor and "confirmed monarchist" who was among around 1,000 mourners in the capital.
Former Romanian King Michael I, center, looks on as his wife, Anne de Bourbon-Parma, left, waves and Queen Sofia of Spain, right applauds during a ceremony to mark the couple's Diamond Wedding, in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday June 10, 2008. File photo
A descendant of French king Louis XIV, she was born Anne of Bourbon-Parma in Paris in 1923 and married Michael of Romania in 1948, a year after the king abdicated under pressure from the communists when the country became a republic. They have five daughters.
The couple were living in Switzerland when Anne, 92, died in hospital there on August 1. The former king, now aged 94, said it was "with great sadness" that he was unable to attend the funeral in Bucharest due to his poor health.
Guard regiment soldiers carry the coffin of the late Queen Anne of Romania at the Royal Palace, now The Art Museum of Romania, as members of the Royal House of Romania attend the ceremony, in Bucharest August 13, 2016.
Romania's royal family remains popular and recognised since the fall of communism, though only a minority of Romanians are in favour of a return of the monarchy.
Mourners stand in line to pay their last respects at the flag-draped coffin of Anne of Romania, wife of Romania's last monarch, King Michael, in the throne room at the former Royal Palace in Bucharest, now the National Museum of Art of Romania, in Buchare
"When I was born Romania was still a monarchy, it's too bad that some 25 years ago (with the end of communism) we didn't have Anne as our queen," said 80-year-old pensioner Zenaida Rosu, another mourner at the funeral.
Romanians look on the funeral ceremony of the late Queen Anne of Romania at the Royal Palace, now The Art Museum of Romania, as members of the Royal House of Romania attend the ceremony, in Bucharest August 13, 2016.
After an Orthodox mass celebrated in the throne room of a former royal palace and another Catholic service in the square outside, Anne was to be buried in an Orthodox cathedral in a private ceremony.
Princess Margaret, right, daughter of Romania's last monarch King Michael, stands as her husband Prince Radu of Romania adjusts her scarf, before a religious service as the body of Anne of Romania arrives in Otopeni, Romania, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016.
With the king Michael retired from public life, his eldest daughter Margareta now represents the royal family at public events.
Copyright © 2024 TRT World.