Royal funeral for Romania's uncrowned Queen Anne by Nick Thorpe BBC News Eastern Europe correspondent

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37064327

A royal funeral takes place in central Romania on Saturday for a queen who was never crowned and never served and yet still commands full state honours...

Why such affection for an uncrowned queen?

...It seems hard to believe that democratic Romania is going to so much trouble over a royal family that was only created in 1866, after the end of Ottoman rule, and then forced into exile in 1947.

Anne barely spoke Romanian, preferring her native French, and in a sense could hardly be called a queen, as she married the king after he lost his throne.

The answers lie in the extraordinary popularity of the royal couple among Romanians, and the careful diplomacy of the former king, queen, and their daughters since they were allowed back to Romania.

Although there is little prospect of restoration of the monarchy, polls suggest the royal family is the most trusted institution in Romania.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37064327

 

Also read:

Zulu king: I won't let my people forget our history

King Goodwill Zwelithini discusses the past, present and future of the Zulu nation and keeping its culture alive.

King Goodwill rules under the "traditional leadership" clause of South Africa's republican constitution.

Although his role is largely ceremonial, he as seen as safeguarding the Zulu people's connection with their history.

King Goodwill came to power after his father King Cyprian died in 1968, but he wasn't crowned until 1971.

Before he could become king, he was forced to take refuge outside KwaZulu-Natal because of assassination threats.  

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2016/08/zulu-king-won-people-forget-history-160812092015304.html

 

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Thursday, 28 March 2024

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