Page 7 - Romania 100

alone with the Queen.
HM the Queen talked to me about her family, her wishes regarding her children and her hopes for Romania:
”You know,” she said, ”The King and I have been through a difficult time because neither of us is Romanian. As you know, I was very young when I came here.”
I smiled and replied: „Indeed, all the people here told me that Your Majesties are Romanian. People have a great love for you.”
”The peasants,” said the Queen, „are not educated and the cultivated circles were a little bewildered when, upon my arrival here, I expressed my claim to continue my life free of any constraints, as I had done before. I wanted to live my life the way I understood it, but now Romania’s happiness matters to me above all else. I was never able to understand why I must always need a lady in waiting. But on this matter nobody agreed with me. Neither me nor my sisters have been raised as high-ranking princesses because we have received a typical bourgeois education. ”
”The King and I are never in a disagreement, even when our views differ, because we both consider only the good of our country. We hope that Romania will become big and strong under our reign, because that is the only way we can say that we have played an important role in history. ”
„When I came here I saw that Romania lacks the necessary energies. That is why I tried as much
as possible to inspire people with my own desires, because I enjoy an iron health and a great life force. ”
I was told, “You are always so cheerful and lively. But my letters reveal life experiences that do not remain unspoken. But still, why be sad? Life is so short. Let us, at least until the end of our days, contribute to general happiness and hide our pain. “
“The beautiful camaraderie that reigns between me and my husband is based on a single idea, that of the unity of action. Whatever the sacrifices and pains we will have to assume for Romania, we will carry them with elegance because we know it is our destiny. “ “As far as my children are concerned, there is no doubt that you have already heard of matrimonial projects between them and princes and princesses of the royal houses. Prince and princess came to Bucharest for a meeting with my eldest children. Of course, I have my hopes regarding their marriages, but the choice is reserved for them and they will only follow the call of their hearts. “
And when I showed some amazement, the Queen said,
“I assure you that this is the truth. I hope that none of my children will be determined to marry against their will. We also have a heart and feelings like everyone else. “
During the discussion I made a remark about the fact that this war is a war of contradictions and HM seemed to agree with me.
“My sister, the wife of the Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich4 is in Russia,” she added. “I want to mention,” I said, “that the Grand Duchess was awarded for merits proven on the battlefield.5” “Yes, it’s beautiful,” the queen answered. “But my
5 In the sense that she had a meritorious activity as a nurse and organized motorized ambulances for the rapid transportation of the wounded.
Victoria-Melita „Ducky” (1876 -1936) married in 1894
the great Ernst-Ludwig von Victoria Hessen-Darmstadt (1868-1937). The couple divorced in 1901. Ducky got secretly remarried to her cousin, Grand Duke Kiril Vladimirovich (1876-1938) at the Coburg family residence on the shores of Lake Tegernsee on October 8, 1905, and the princess would convert to Orthodoxy 2 years later. They had three children: Maria (1907-1951), Kira (1909-1967) and Vladimir (1917- 1992) pretender to the throne of the Russian Tsars.
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PHOTO: AGERPRES