Absolutely alone, seemingly isolated in a peacefulness without end, estranged from all the agitation around him. That's how Mihai I was yesterday, upon his arrival in Romania on the first day of his "unofficial visit," at the invitation of President Ion Iliescu. The ceremonial reception, discreet from clothing to personal gestures, with nothing unusual happening until 3:00 p.m., transformed itself, ever so slowly, into a ritual. Princess Margareta and Prince Radu had already arrived at Otopeni Airport, in the official reception room, by 2:30. The couple smiled and held hands on the red carpet.. Behind them, together, stood the royal counselors, Jonathan Eyal, Michael Flax, and Simina Mezincescu. During the hour's wait, the room was clearly divided: on one side the press, crowded and agitated, and far away from them, the royal party. Around 3:00, the only appearance that interrupted the pastel harmony of the official party (the Princess was in checkered beige, Simina Mezincescu, straw yellow, and Lucy Vandoros, lady in waiting to Queen Ana, also wore beige) was presidential counselor Ion Talpes, with his dark, opaque sunglasses. Strangely enough, he didn't take them off even when conversing. Mr. Opaschi, dressed in gray, held a small bouquet of apricot-colored roses.

At 3:30 the Swiss Air flight landed. The king appeared at the top of the stairs at twenty to four. Behind him, Queen Ana stood in an apricot-colored dress, matching Mr. Opaschi's flowers. The king descended, embraced Princess Margareta, spoke with Prince Radu, and greeted President Iliescu's emissaries. Then, without pronouncements, without smiles, without gratuitous gestures, the group withdrew to the official salon. On the red carpet, the queen held the king by the arm. Inside, at the same distance, the royal family stood together only long enough to be photographed. Nobody said a word. The kind had come cloaked in silence. As never before, the royal supporters were not allowed along the runway. Even so, the king stopped his car, a Mercedes, to greet his supporters. The column headed for Elisabeta Palace, the royal residence. At the gates were more supporters, who seemed to understand the general tone of things. They just stood there, discussing among themselves, in anticipation, without attempting to force an entrance and without shouting slogans.

Inside Elisabeta Palace, the ritual achieved a kind of rhythm. The king visited various rooms, one after another. Though surrounded by the press and his supporters, he forged on ahead, without declarations, without smiling. At this point appeared the three bodyguards of the SPP. Silence reigned, though a cavalier of the Order of Mihai Viteazul exclaimed "Majesty, oh!" on seeing the king through a doorway, the only outburst during the progress, as the king walked on and on, with the press obediently quiet behind him. He climbed the stairs. Always, the palace guards were careful to stay at least a meter away from him. On the stairs, King Mihai, alone, enveloped in that protocolar distance, appeared as his royal self. Arriving in a small room upstairs, he stopped. All stopped with him. There was a long moment of silence. Finally, the reporters' nerves gave out. "Welcome," could be heard at the same time as the stupid question, "Do you have a special feeling here?" Nobody thought it would happen, as Queen Ana brought a finger to her mouth to hush them, but the king began to speak. At no time did he raise his voice to be heard. He didn't answer questions, but spoke to himself: "Those who provoked this thing [his abdication] are all gone. Ironically, I'm the only one left. That's what ought to be said. In any case, it's a sad place. What else is there to say? That's about it." After a few minutes, the king, accompanied by the queen and the princely couple, went outside into the palatial garden. Surprisingly, since he was surrounded by so many people who were waiting for something, he stared at the green places, as if he could see them looking through people.

King Mihai made just one concession to the press. When he arrived on the terrace outside the palace, the king stopped. "More to the left, more to the right," they yelled for photos. With difficulty, the king took a step to the left. He stopped with his right hand on the royal seal in stone along the frontispiece, raising his left hand into the air in greeting.

By Oana Iurascu - From the newspaper Adevarul [The Truth] (Copyright S. C. ADEVARUL S.A.)

Translated from Romanian by Dr. Roy K. Bird

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