Helen, Queen mother of Romania’s humanitarian efforts are increasingly appreciated in Europe. This last weekend, one of her grandchildren, Princess Sophie of Romania, visited Florence, where she attended the inauguration of the “Queen Mother Helen of Romania Garden”. On this occasion, a commemorative plaque was unveiled in the garden on the hill leading to the Piazzale Michelangelo.
The initiative for the garden came from several organisations representing the Romanian and the Italian community.
The event continued with a visit to the Garden of Iriși, where the delegation of the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest had the opportunity to present the collection of Romanian irises planted in the spring of this year. In addition, the NATIVA Association presented the grand Fiorino d’Oro prize of the International Iris Competition 2021 to the Italian Society of Irises. Princess Mafalda of Aosta also attended the event.
Following the visit, Princess Sophie met Vittoria and Bernardo Gondi. Together with the historian Domenico Savini, they visited the Gondi Palace, which was built by Giuliano da Sangallo. Today, the building belongs to the descendants of the Gondi family. Princess Sophie attended a Te Deum service in memory of Queen mother Helen, which took place at the Romanian Orthodox Church of Santa Lucia in Florence.
After the religious service, together with the Romanian community, Her Royal Highness took part in the presentation and viewing of the documentary film “Queen-Mother Helen, Queen of the four exiles” made by Camelia Csiki. The film received the award for the best television film at the Gala of the Romanian Filmmakers Union.
This was the third foreign visit of the Royal Family of Romania this year, after the visit to the Republic of Poland by Princess Sophie in September, and the participation of Prince Radu at the 24th Marmara Eurasian Economic Summit, in Istanbul in July.
