Romania's Royal House celebrates 150 years since it was established and the King's Day with a series of events in Bucharest and at the Peles Castle in Sinaia.

Romania was a monarchy from 1881 until 1947 but the Royal House of Romania started in 1866 when Carol I was proclaimed Prince of the Romanian United Principalities. He was later proclaimed king in 1881. The forced abdication of King Michael, in December 1947, was the end of monarchy in Romania. The country is currently a republic.

The program started on Thursday, May 5, with the inauguration of the Queen Elena School in Bucharest’s District 6. The event marked 120 years since Queen Elena’s birth and was attended by Crown Princess Margareta, Prince Radu, Princess Elena and Mr. Alexander Nixon Philips, and Princess Maria. Queen Elena was married to King Carol II of Romania and was King Michael's mother.

On May 6, 12:00, the Coral Temple in Bucharest will host a ceremony organized by the Hebrew Communities Federation in Romania to commemorate 120 years since Queen Elena's birth. Crown Princess Margareta, Prince Radu, Princess Elena and Mr. Alexander Nixon Philips, and Princess Maria will be present at the event.

The Sala Radio’s foyer located on General Berthelot street in Bucharest will also host an event on May 6, starting 18:00: the launch of the Anul Regal (Royal Year) book published by Adenium. The book’s editors and two Romanian journalists will be there to present the book. Prince Radu, Princess Elena and Mr. Alexander Nixon Philips, and Princess Maria will also attend the event.

Later the same day, at 19:00, Sala Radio will host a Royal concert dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the Royal House of Romania. The special guests are Prince Radu, Princess Elena and Mr. Alexander Nixon Philips, and Princess Maria.

On Saturday, May 7, Prince Radu will be present at the oina King’s Cup final organized at the National Rugby Stadion in Bucharest. Oina is a Romanian traditional sport, similar to baseball. The final will start at 11:00.

At 12:00 the same day, the Pelisor Castle in Sinaia mountain resort will host the opening of the Architecture and royalty 1866 - 1881 – 2016 exhibition, which pays a tribute to the 150th anniversary of the Royal House. The exhibition comprises three sections, namely the Architecture of Romanian kings and queens, the Representative architecture in Romania influenced by royalty and monarchs, and the Exhibition of royal exhibitions. Princess Elena and Mr. Alexander Nixon Philips will attend the event.

On May 9, 11:00, the Great Hall of the Romanian Academy in Bucharest will host a solemn session to celebrate 150 years since the arrival of Sovereign Prince Carol in Romania. HRH Crown Princess Margareta, Custodian of the Crown, will speak on behalf of the Royal Family. Prince Radu, Princess Elena and Mr. Alexander Nixon Philips, Princess Sofia, Archduchess Maria-Magdalena, and Baron Hans Ulrich von Holzhausen will be present at the event.

A military ceremony will take place at the King Carol I statue located in the Royal Palace Square in Bucharest on Tuesday morning, 10:30. The Royal Family is scheduled to arrive at the statue at 11:00.

On Tuesday, May 10 (King's Day), 13:00, the Royal flag will be hoisted on the Peles Castle’s tower. On that day, the Royal flag will fly for the first time since 1947. Royal House staff, foreign guests and members of the Royal House will be present at the ceremony.

The program will end on May 10, in Sinaia, where a Garden Party and a Royal Concert are scheduled to take place at the Peles Castle starting 17:00. All those who want to take part at the event are welcomed on the Peles Castle’s lawn.

The events celebrate 150 years of monarchy in Romania. Carol I, born Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, was elected Ruling Prince of the Romanian United Principalities on April 20, 1866. He was proclaimed King of Romania in March 1881 after he led the country to achieving full independence from the Ottoman Empire, in 1878.

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Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com