Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown has hosted a Royal Evening for the Diplomatic Corps accredited to Bucharest, online. The event, on December 9th 2020, was broadcast simultaneously on the online platforms of the Romanian Royal Family and to the various diplomatic missions and embassies in Bucharest. The event is usually attended every year by several hundred guests in a grand ceremony held at the former Royal Palace. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s event was held digitally.
In her speech, Her Majesty said: “My husband and I were looking forward to welcoming you this evening to the Royal Palace in Bucharest, a place which, in one shape or another, has been the centre for Romanian life for over a century of our nation’s modern existence. The tradition of this encounter with the Diplomatic Corps in the heart of our capital city, which goes back to the days of Carol I in the 19th century, was revived by my late Father after the fall of the communist dictatorship. Unfortunately – and for reasons known to you all – it proved impossible for us to meet in person tonight. However, I am determined to continue upholding this tradition today and into the future, even if we must communicate remotely.”
The Custodian of the Romanian Crown continued: “My family and I wish to express our deepest respect and admiration to the personnel of our national and emergency services, to the doctors, nurses and other frontline workers who fought and are fighting this pandemic. I also wish to convey my gratitude to the tens if not hundreds of thousands of Romanians working abroad throughout Europe and beyond who have contributed to the national health services of other nations during the current pandemic. I know how appreciated they are, and how vital their contributions have been.“
It was also important for Her Majesty to extend her support to international cooperation, both with the EU and NATO. Her Majesty said: “But this year also reminded us of the importance of belonging to the European family. For we, the Romanians, could never have managed the challenge which faced us this year on our own. I must also pay tribute to NATO, our joint military alliance which remains the bedrock of our security. We only need to look at the recent military clashes in countries adjacent to the Black Sea to realise why NATO continues to be needed.“
