Michael I of Romania

King Michael I of Romania
King Michael I of Romania in 1947
King of Romania
First reign	20 July 1927 – 8 June 1930
Predecessor	Ferdinand I
Successor	Carol II
Regents	See list Prince Nicholas (1927–1930) Miron Cristea (1927–1930) Gheorghe Buzdugan (1927–1929) Constantin Sărăţeanu [ro] (1929–1930)
Second reign	6 September 1940 – 30 December 1947
Predecessor	Carol II
Successor	Monarchy abolished
Coronation	6 September 1940
Born	(1921-10-25)25 October 1921 Peleș Castle, Sinaia, Kingdom of Romania
Died	5 December 2017(2017-12-05) (aged 96) Aubonne, Vaud, Switzerland
Burial	16 December 2017 Royal Cathedral, Curtea de Argeș Monastery, Curtea de Argeș, Romania
Spouse	Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma ​ ​ (m. 1948; died 2016)​
Issue	Margareta of Romania Princess Elena Princess Irina Princess Sophie Princess Maria
House	Romania (from 2011) Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (until 2011)
Father	Carol II of Romania
Mother	Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark
Religion	Romanian Orthodox
Signature

King Michael I of Romania^[1][2][3] (25 October 1921 – 5 December 2017), reigned as King of Romania for two periods.^[4] He was king from 20 July 1927 to 8 June 1930, and again from 6 September 1940, until forced to abdicate by the Communist Party of Romania. The communists were backed up by orders of Stalin to the Soviet armies of occupation on 30 December 1947.

He was one of the last surviving heads of state from World War II,^[5][6][7][8] the other one is Simeon II of Bulgaria.^[9]

He died 5 December 2017 of complications from leukemia in Aubonne, Switzerland at 96 years old.^[10]

1. ↑ "Compression" Archived 2013-08-23 at the Wayback Machine, Time, 12 January 1948
2. ↑ "Milestones" Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine, Time, 21 June 1948
3. ↑ Genealogy of the Royal Family of Romania Archived 2012-11-10 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 2 October 2006
4. ↑ Romanian: Maiestatea Sa Mihai I Regele Românilor, literally "His Majesty Michael I King of Romanian".
5. ↑ World War II—"60 Years After: Former Romanian Monarch Remembers Decision To Switch Sides", Radio Free Europe, 6 May 2005
6. ↑ Oliver North, “Looking for Leadership” Archived 2009-01-11 at the Wayback Machine, Human Events, 14 April 2006
7. ↑ Peter Kurth, "Michael of Romania" Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
8. ↑ Craig S. Smith, "Romania’s King Without a Throne Outlives Foes and Setbacks", The New York Times, 27 January 2007
9. ↑ Simeon Saxecoburggotski, Encyclopædia Britannica
10. ↑ Romania: Ex-king Michael who ruled during WWII dies at 96, ABC News