Over the weekend of 15 October, King Ferdinand I of Romania’s descendants, members of the Romanian Royal Family, marked 100 years since his coronation.
On Saturday, Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Crown, Prince Radu and Princess Sophie arrived with the Romanian Royal Train at Alba Lulia Station, where the celebration was set to take place.
The Romanian royals have a long tradition of travelling by train to important events. Upon the arrival of the royal train, a military ceremony took place with a local band and soldiers from the Cluj Gendarmerie Inspectorate present. Then, the National Anthem and the Royal Anthem were sung before the Royal Family was greeted by the sounds of the “King Carol I march” and bread and salt.
Margareta, Custodian of the Crown of Romania, was joined by her husband, Prince Radu and her sister, Princess Sophie, at the events commemorating the jubilee. The royals attended a military parade in which soldiers were wearing the uniforms and insignia of the Royal Romanian Army from the 1920s, the Michael the Brave Guard Brigade and military students from Alba-Iulia marched past the royals.
The royals also attended a memorial service in the same cathedral where the coronation occurred 100 years ago. Several representatives from official and political Romania also took part in the events, which were broadcast live on Romanian TV. The memorial service was led by Daniel, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, and Her Majesty unveiled a plaque commemorating the coronation afterwards.
The Custodian of the Crown and the President of the Alba County Council also unveiled a new marble statue of Queen Marie of Romania, the spouse of King Ferdinand I. During the evening, Princess Sofia and the President of the Romanian Royal Council participated in a concert by the Royal Chamber Orchestra.
His Majesty King Ferdinand I was Romania’s second king from 1914 to 1927. As the nephew of King Carol I of Romania, Ferdinand ascended the throne of Romania after his uncle in 1914. Because of the First World War, he was not crowned until 1922.
