Their Majesties King Mihai and Queen Ana have arrived in Bucharest, on Friday Mai 18th, around 3:30 PM. They were welcomed by Her Royal Highness Princess Margareta, His Highness Prince Radu and by the presidential counselors Mr. Ioan Talpes and Mr. Victor Opaschi. His Majesty is accompanied by his private counselor, Mr. Jonathan Eyal, director of the Royal Institute for Strategic Studies from London.

The Royal Family went to the Elisabeta Castle, where several hundred people welcomed them. This is the same castle where, more than fifty years ago, in 1947, King Mihai was forced at gunpoint to sign the abdication. The King said: "Those who provoked the events are gone. I am the only one who survived". The Elisabeta Palace was provided by the Romanian government to serve as residence for the Royal Family during this 3 week visit. It is not clear yet whether the palace will be return to the Royal Family, who owned it before the communists came.

On Saturday, May 19, Their Majesties the King and the Queen, together with HRH Princess Margareta and her husband HH Prince Radu, have a private diner with Mr. President Ion Iliescu and his wife. Mr. Iliescu is accompanied by the Prime minister, Mr. Nastase, by Mr. Ioan Talpes and Mr. Victor Opaschi.

On Sunday, May 20, the Royal Family goes to Nucsoara village, Arges County, to meet again with Elisabeta Rizea, who is a famous anticommunist hero from the Fagaras Mountains.

For the rest of the official engagements please read the message released by HM The King's Press Office on May 15.

images and text addapted from "Ziua" newspaper, BBC, and Mediafax; first image: The King and the Queen at Otopeni Airport, together with Princess Margareta and her husband; second: Their Majesties at Elisabeta Palace

Translated from Romanian by:
Dragos Sabau

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