Prince Paul of Romania, nephew of King Michael of Romania, the current head of the Royal family, recently went to court against the Transport Ministry, the Health Ministry and several other institutions, reclaiming 57,000 sqm of the formal royal farm Baneasa. He also asked for damages on account of some 25,600 sqm of the same property.

Prince Paul (in picture) has asked the air traffic service company ROMATSA and the Transport Ministry to redeem some 28,000 sqm of land, as well as the Health Ministry and the Cantacuzino Institute to make restitution for another 28,000 hectare plot. Both of them used to be part of the 268,000 sqm Royal Farm Baneasa. In case the in kind restitution is not possible, Prince Paul asked to receive either properties of the same value, or financial compensation.

Another request was for the Research and Development Institute for the Protection of Plants to grant him compensation for some 25,000 sqm out of 204,000 sqm. The institute had previously decided to give back some 170,000 sqm in kind to Prince Paul in 2008, but rejected the request for in kind compensation for the remainder 25,000, which is occupied by the institute's buildings.

The former Baneasa Royal Farm, which used to belong to Prince Paul's grandfather King Carol II, was confiscated during the communist regime. According to the request submitted by Prince Paul, the farm was valued at some USD 2.1 million.

Paul of Romania (Paul-Philippe of Hohenzollern) is the son of Mircea Grigore Carol of Romania, the second son of King Carol the II. Mircea Grigore Carol was born out of Carol the 2nd’s marriage with Zizi Labrino, but their morganatic marriage was annulled by the country’s Supreme Court in 1919.

Paul of Romania has been trying to be recognized as part of the Royal Family for the last 21 years, and a local court recognized him as part of the Royal Family in Romania in 2012. He has not been however officially included in the Romanian Royal Family. His father Mircea Grigore Carol Lambrino had been recognized by the Portuguese court in 1955, and ex-King Michael also recognized his brother, according to data on Prince Paul's website.

Paul, 65, and his wife Lia have a son, Carol Ferdinand, born in 2010. Their son was baptised by Romanian president Traian Basescu.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Prince Paul of Romania's website)