# Crown Council of Romania

The Crown Council (Romanian: Consiliul de Coroană) was an institution that advised the King of Romania. Informal between 1866 and 1938, it was formalized by the 1938 Constitution, in effect for two years. The forum met on occasions of great national importance. It had a purely advisory role, and was convoked by the King on the government's advice.
In 2010, the council was once again re-established by King Michael I on October 10, which succeeded the Political and Advisory Committee set up by the King during his exile and after 1989 Romanian Revolution.

## List of Crown Councils

The Crown Councils that took place and the issues discussed were the following:
| Date | Reason | King |
| 2 April 1877 | Entry into the Romanian War of Independence | Carol I |
| 21 July 1914 | Approval of Romania's neutrality at the beginning of World War I | Carol I |
| 14 August 1916 | Approval of Romania's entry into the First World War | Ferdinand I |
| 17–19 February 1918 | Approval of the start of peace negotiations with the Central Powers | Ferdinand I |
| 31 December 1925 | Took note of the abdication of Prince Carol | Ferdinand I |
| 9 April 1937 | The exclusion of Prince Nicholas from the royal family | Carol II |
| 17 March 1939 | Discussion of the situation created by the occupation of Czechoslovakia | Carol II |
| 6 September 1939 | Approval of Romania's neutrality at the beginning of World War II | Carol II |
| 27 June 1940 | Approval of the Soviet ultimatum on Bessarabia | Carol II |
| 23 August 1940 | Discussion of negotiations with Hungary on Transylvania | Carol II |
| 30 August 1940 | Approval of the arbitration offer made by Germany and Italy regarding Transylvania | Carol II |
| 31 August 1940 | Took note of the content of the Vienna Dictate | Carol II |

## Institutionalization of the Crown Council

At the beginning of 1938, King Carol II decided to abolish the parliamentary regime and established a regime of personal authority, enshrined in law by drafting, approving by plebiscite and then promulgating a new Constitution. Several measures were taken to reorganize the state, which included: censorship, suspension of the immovability of magistrates and the stability of civil servants, dissolution of political parties, creation of a "mass" party (National Renaissance Front), professional organization in guilds, reform administrative etc.
Against this background, on March 30, 1938, a decree-law was issued establishing the Crown Council as a distinct political organism. According to the decree-law, the members of the Council were to be appointed by royal decree, from current or former dignitaries of the state, church, army and royal court or from prominent personalities of the country, the number of members not being limited. The Council maintained its consultative status.

## Members
### Historical members

The members of the Council bore the title of royal adviser, and received a monthly allowance of 50,000 lei. These were the following (those for whom the date is not specified were appointed on 30 March 1938):
* Former Prime Ministers didn't become Crown Councillors for different reasons; Barbu Știrbey (1927), was vetoed by King Carol II and Iuliu Maniu and Octavian Goga (1937—1938) refused to serve.
Crown Councillors :
| Imaage | Name | Dates | Dates | Portfolio | PM |
| | Patriarch Miron (1868–1939) | 30 March 1938 | 6 March 1939 | Patriarch 1919–1939 | 1938–1939 |
| | Mareșal Alexandru Averescu (1859–1938) | 30 March 1938 | 30 October 1938 | | 1918 1920–1921 1926–1927 |
| | General Artur Văitoianu (1864–1956) | 30 March 1938 | 6 September 1940 | | 1919 |
| | Alexandru Vaida-Voevod (1872–1950) | 30 March 1938 | 6 September 1940 | | 1919–1920 1932 1933 |
| | Gheorghe Mironescu (1874–1949) | 30 March 1938 | 6 September 1940 | | 1930 1930–1931 |
| | Nicolae Iorga (1871–1940) | 30 March 1938 | 6 September 1940 | | 1931–1932 |
| | Constantin Angelescu (1869–1948) | 30 March 1938 | 6 September 1940 | | 1933–1934 |
| | Gheorghe Tătărescu (1886–1957) | 30 March 1938 | 6 September 1940 | | 1934–1937 1939–1940 |
| | Constantin Argetoianu (1871–1955) | 30 March 1938 | 6 September 1940 | | 1939 |
| | Mareșal Constantin Prezan (1861–1943) | 30 March 1938 | 6 September 1940 | | |
| | General Ernest Ballif [ro] (1871–1940) | 30 March 1938 | 6 September 1940 | | |
| | A. C. Cuza (1857–1947) | 16 June 1939 | 6 September 1940 | | |
| | Victor Iamandi (1891–1940) | 23 November 1939 | 6 September 1940 | | |
| | Ion Mihalache (1882–1963) | 17 April 1940 | 26 June 1940 | | |
| | Victor Antonescu (1871–1947) | 18 April 1940 | 6 September 1940 | | |
| | Patriarch Nicodim (1864–1948) | 20 August 1940 | 6 September 1940 | Patriarch 1939–1948 | |
| [] | Nicolae Bălan (1882–1955) | 20 August 1940 | 6 September 1940 | | |
| [] | Alexandru Nicolescu (1882–1941) | 20 August 1940 | 6 September 1940 | | |
* Metropolitan of Transylvania Nicolae Bălan, from August 20, 1940
* Metropolitan of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic Alexandru Nicolescu, from August 20, 1940.

#### 2010–2017

* King Michael I of Romania
* Crown Princess Margareta of Romania
* Prince Radu
* Archduke Lorenz, Archduke of Austria-Este

### Current members

* Margareta, Custodian of the Crown of Romania
* Princess Elena of Romania
* Archduke Lorenz, Archduke of Austria-Este