Michael I of Romania

**King Michael I of Romania** (25 October 1921 – 5 December 2017), reigned as King of Romania for two periods. 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, the other one is Simeon II of Bulgaria.

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

## Memorial concert

On 8 December 2017, German conductor Matthias Manasi conducted a worldwide broadcast memorial concert to honor King Michael I of Romania with the National Radio Orchestra of Romania and the Academic Radio Choir at Sala Radio at the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company in Bucharest. Matthias Manasi conducted the _Requiem_ by Gabriel Fauré with the soloists Veronica Anușca and Ștefan Ignat and pieces by Beethoven, Chausson and Massenet with the Romanian violinist Alexandru Tomescu as the soloist.

### Titles and styles

- **25 October 1921 – 28 December 1925**: _His Royal Highness_ Prince Michael of Romania, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
- **28 December 1925 – 20 July 1927**: _His Royal Highness_ Crown Prince Michael of Romania, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
- **20 July 1927 – 8 June 1930**: _His Majesty_ King Michael I of Romania, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
- **8 June 1930 – 6 September 1940**: _His Majesty_ King Michael I, The Grand Prince of Alba Iulia, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
- **6 September 1940 - 10 May 2011**: _His Majesty_ King Michael I of Romania, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
- **10 May 2011 - 5 December 2017**: _His Majesty_ King Michael I of Romania

#### National

- House of Romania: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Carol I

#### Foreign

- : Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honour
- Russia
    - : Member of the Order of Victory
- : Grand Officer of the Order of the Legion of Merit

## Ancestry

He was a paternal first cousin of King Peter II of Yugoslavia and maternal first cousin of Queen Alexandra, Queen Consort of Yugoslavia, King Constantine II of Greece and his elder sister Queen Sofía, Queen Consort of Spain.

He was great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria I of the United Kingdom through both of his parents and was therefore a third cousin of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, King Harald V of Norway, King Juan Carlos I of Spain, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Queen Elizabeth II.

## Infobox (royalty)

- **name**: King Michael I of Romania
- **image**: Mihai.jpg
- **caption**: King Michael I of Romania in 1947
- **succession**: King of Romania
- **reign1**: 20 July 1927 – 8 June 1930
- **reign-type1**: First reign
- **predecessor1**: Ferdinand I of Romania, Ferdinand I
- **successor1**: Carol II
- **reg-type1**: Regents
- **reign-type2**: Second reign
- **reign2**: 6 September 1940 –
- **coronation2**: 6 September 1940
- **predecessor2**: Carol II
- **successor2**: _Monarchy abolished_
- **birth place**: Peleș Castle, Sinaia,
- **death place**: Aubonne, Vaud, Switzerland
- **burial date**: 16 December 2017
- **burial place**: Royal Cathedral, Curtea de Argeș Cathedral, Curtea de Argeș Monastery, Curtea de Argeș, Romania
- **issue**: Margareta of Romania
Princess Elena of Romania, Princess Elena
Princess Irina of Romania, Princess Irina
Princess Sophie of Romania, Princess Sophie
Princess Maria of Romania (born 1964), Princess Maria
- **father**: Carol II of Romania
- **mother**: Queen Helen, Queen Mother of Romania, Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark
- **religion**: Romanian Orthodox
- **signature**: Michael of Romania Signature.svg