The Last KING to be Buried! - CAROL II of Romania is LAID TO REST (Saturday, March 9, 2019)

Last Saturday, March 9, a monarch's re-internment took place! King Carol II of Romania, father to the last King Mihai, was buried at the New Cathedral of Curtea de Arges, next to the rest 3 Kings.

His "funeral", donated by the Romanian state, included religious & military ceremonies with full military honours. It was broadcasted live on national TV, in presence of former Royal family members.

The farewell begun on Friday (March 8), with the former King's coffin - drapped in Romanian royal standard with a bouquet of white flowers above - was transfered from a nearby chapel (where it lay from 2003) to the main monastery temple.

Two short religious masses were read before & after the transportation - with 11 soldiers of a local Battalion carrying the coffin; with the husband of King Carol's elder granddaughter Margareta (Prince Radu), & two of his younger granddaughters (Princesses Sofia & Maria) in attendance.

At Curtea de Arges' main Cathedral's funeral service - Saturday, March 9, 2019 (~12pm).

The official service started Saturday noon. The same members of former royal family attended, along with the King's disinherited great-grandson (Nicolae Meddforth-Mills) & several officials. His granddaughter, Margareta (the dynasty's current Head,) was absent.

After the major Orthodox service (described by the Romanian media as 'emotional' & 'historical'), Carol II's remains were carried by the 30th brigade guard of "Mihai Viteazul", from Cathedral's nave to its royal necropolis, with a royal fanfare' salute outside. 

King Carol was laid to rest privately, in a specially prepared grave, close to those of his son, Michael I & daughter-in-law, Ana (buried there following their deaths in 2017 & 2016, respectively).

He died in exile in 1953, in Portugal. His coffin was placed inside the royal pantheon of a local monastery São Vicente de Fora, before being returned back to Romania in 2003, with that of his third wife.

Carol II (right) as a child with his father, Ferdinand
(left) & great-uncle, King Carol I (centre)

King Carol was the son of King Ferdinand & great-nephew of King Carol I (who established Hohenzollern dynasty in the newly-created Kingdom of Romania). Born in 1893, he was the first of the country's four Kings, born & educated in Romania according to the orthodox doctrine, and speaking Romanian as his mother language.

From early on he took controversial decisions on morganatically marrying his first wife (Zizi Lambrino) in 1918. This marriage was annulled a year later, and his elder son born from it (Carol Lambrino) lost his succession right (claiming it for his entire life).

King Carol II (left) with his son
Crown Prince Mihai in the 1930s

He was married to Princess Helena of Greece & Denmark in 1921, with their only son, Mihai born the same year. However Carol soon begun another affair with Magda Lupescu, and choose to give up his right of succession to the throne (he was then Crown Prince), leaving with his mistress abroad (& being divorsed by Helena in 1928). Thus following the death of his father (King Ferdinand) in 1927, his underage son Mihai became King.

Nonthenless Carol returned to Romania in 1930 & assumed the throne via a coup d'etat, as King Carol II. In the decade of his reign the constitution was amended, with a royal dictatorship, of anti-semitic laws and alliance with Nazi Germany gradually imposed. In 1940 he was forced by his powerful Prime Minister, Ion Antonescu, to exile, being succeeded again by his son, Mihai (by then 18).

When Antonescu established his own dictatorship, Carol desired to form a commitee for Romania's liberation from Mexico. He even tried to spread a pro-Jewish propaganda, and join the Alliance Forces in the end of WWII. None of his alternatives were successful, while (within the monarchist circles) his son's popularity gradually overshadowed his own one.

Following the deposition of Romanian monarchy (1947) Carol II still made efforts to reaffirm himself as the rightful claiming King.

Carol II & Magda (Elena) Lupescu in 1947

He and Lupescu were married in 1947 (with her taking the name Elena) and lived in Portugal & latin America up until his death.

Elena Lupescu (/Von Hohenzollern) outlived Carol by 24 years, and was temporary interred beside him (at the Royal Pantheon of Portuguese House of Braganca); when their remains were returned (2003), Elena was buried in Curtea de Arges' monastery cemetery (as a commoner) while Carol II remained unburied for 16 years.

The King's remains, contained in his coffin with the Royal
standard of the Kingdom of Romania, lay in a monastery
chapel of Curtea de Arges' Cathedral from 2003 to 2019.

King Michael - who never saw his father since 1940 - missed both Carol's funerals (in 1953 & 2003). In the 2003 ceremony (also held with former Head of state's honours), Michael's elder daughter (Margareta) represented him. As the current claimant to the throne (following Mihai's death), she also decided not to attend this year's internment ceremony (being represented by her husband & sisters).

Carol's senior granddaughter, Margareta, was represented (on his funeral) by
her husband Radu (centre) & her younger sisters, Sofia & Maria (seen righter)

All the other modern Romanian monarchs were buried in Curtea de Arges' necropolis following their deaths. Thus, Carol II is the last King to be permanently laid to rest here. The remains of his wife, 'Queen' Helena & brother, Prince Mircea (interred in Switzerland & Bran' castle, respectively), are the only ones yet to be reburied here.

Video (in Romanian) from the re-burial ceremony:

& Additional links (in English & Romanian) of information:

https://www.actmedia.eu/daily/earthly-remains-of-king-carol-ii-reinterred-on-saturday-in-the-new-archbishopric-and-royal-cathedral/79962

https://www.romania-insider.com/carol-ii-reburried-curtea-de-arges

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_II_of_Romania

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magda_Lupescu#In_exile

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_royal_family

http://stiri.tvr.ro/ceremonie-pentru-regele-carol-al-ii-lea-la-curtea-de-arge----tvr-a-filmat-in-exclusivitate_842625.html#view

http://stiri.tvr.ro/moment-istoric-la-curtea-de-arge----osemintele-regelui-carol-al-ii-lea-au-fost-reinhumate-in-noua-catedrala-regala_842638.html?fbclid=IwAR00-0G853TCe8BoIK8DI1luGY1LIvwALedswnynGVqp8EwYRZb__O3wM9s#view