The Royal House of Romania has announced the schedule of Queen Anne’s funeral, according to which the coffin with the body of the late sovereign will reach Romanian soil next Tuesday, to be laid in state at the Peles Palace.
“On Tuesday afternoon, 9 August 2016, 3:15pm, the coffin with the body of late Queen Anne will touch down at Bucharest-Henri Coanda (Otopeni) International Airport from where it will be transported by automobile to the Peles Palace. The event is to unfold in the presence of Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Margareta and the Royal Family, of the representatives of the state bodies and of the members of the Royal House of His Majesty the King,” a release by the Royal House reads.
The public will have no access to this event.
From Tuesday 9 August, 5 p.m. till Wednesday 10 August, 6:30 p.m., the body of the late sovereign will be laid in state at Peles Palace’s Hall of Honour.
High officials are expected on Wednesday at the Peles Palace to present their condolences, according to the following schedule:
- 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, of the European Union, NATO and of international organisations.
- 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.: Representatives of state institutions.
- 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.: The Presidency, the Presidency of the Republic of Moldova, members of the Romanian Government and of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, members of the Romanian Parliament and of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.
- 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.: Representatives of the Romanian Academy and of the Republic of Moldova’s State Academy, of the Orthodox Church, of the Catholic Church and of other religious institutions.
The public and the media will have no access in the Hall of Honour while the coffin is laid in state at the Sinaia Royal Domain.
On Wednesday night, the coffin will be transported to the Throne Room of the Royal Palace in Bucharest. The ceremony will be private, no access for the public or media.
On Thursday, 11 August, and on Friday, 12 August, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., all of those who wish to lay flowers and pray at the bier of Queen Anne can go to the Throne Room of the Royal Palace, the Royal House specifies in the said release.
According to the release, those present at the Royal Palace to pay their respects to Queen Anne are asked to observe certain rules, including not use any cameras or cell phones, since photography and filming are banned.
At the same time, flower or wreaths will not be laid at the bier. Flowers will be laid in the garden in front of the Royal Palace or on the sidewalk outside the Palace.
On Saturday, 13 August, 10:55 a.m., the coffin with the body of the late sovereign will be placed on a bier at the very centre of the Royal Palace Square. A religious ceremony will be delivered on the spot. The public will be allowed to attend in the specially designated areas for participants. At 11:30 a.m., the coffin will be put in the mortuary van.
The funeral procession will proceed, at low speed, on the following route: the Royal Palace Square, the Magheru Blvd., the Romana Square, the Victoriei Square, the Aviatorilor Blvd., the Charles de Gaulle Square, the Triumphal Arch. There will be no halt and no religious ceremony at the Triumphal Arch.
From the Triumphal Arch, the funeral procession will drive through to Curtea de Arges, with no stops, but at low speed in localities.
The burial ceremony will take place on Saturday at 3 p.m. Queen Anne will be buried in the narthex of the New Cathedral at Curtea de Arges. It will be a private event, attended only by the Romanian Royal Family and the members of foreign Royal Families. The public will only have access at the entrance gate in the Park of the Curtea de Arges’s Archbishopric. The ceremony will be split in two: in front of the New Cathedral and the burial religious ceremony inside the New Cathedral.
Romanians can express their condolences over a period of 40 days and can lay flowers at the Royal Palace in Bucharest
The Royal Family has announced a state of full mourning following the death of Queen Anne. Over a 40-day period starting on Tuesday, Romanians can convey their messages at the Peles Palace, the Royal Palace in Bucharest and the Elisabeta Palace. Books of condolences will be opened simultaneously in all aforementioned locations. According to the Royal Family, messages can also be sent online on: http://www.familiaregala.ro/mesaje/.
Moreover, those who want to lay funeral wreaths or flowers are invited to do so at outside the main gate of the Royal Palace in Bucharest, starting on Tuesday, August 2.
Funeral preparations in full force at Curtea de Arges
Preparations for the funeral of Queen Anne, scheduled on August 13, are ongoing at Curtea de Arges, where the Episcopal and Royal Cathedral is located. Work on the Cathedral is still taking place, the building being set to be inaugurated on the same day.
On Monday evening, several workers were busy inside the Episcopal and Royal Cathedral, which has a surface area of 800 square metres and will be the burial place for the members of the Royal Family.
Curtea de Arges Mayor Constantin Panturescu stated that Queen Anne will be buried on August 13, at 3 p.m.
“Around two years ago there was talk of her Majesty’s illness, but the fact that so much time had passed since then had me hoping that she would survive at least until her 93rd birthday, which would have been in September. She did not get to reach the beautiful age I wished her with all my heart. The fact that she is a Catholic probably calls for a religious service rendered by the representative of the Catholic Church in Romania, that seems natural to me. I can tell you that when Queen Elisabeth, who had converted to Orthodoxy, was buried the religious services were both Protestant and Orthodox, so both types of services, one in Bucharest and the other in Curtea de Arges. I believe that in Queen Anne’s case the religious service will be Roman-Catholic, although at the moment of her marriage Pope Pius 12th excommunicated her for her refusal to have a Catholic marriage and to baptise her children as Catholics. As you know, all five princesses are baptised Orthodox. From what I’ve heard, the tombs are ready. They are located below ground, exactly where a royal necropolis organised in line with all the rules should be, and the tombs are ready. The ongoing works concern the furniture aspects,” Stefan Dumitrache, manager of the Curtea de Arges Museum, stated.
The 12 royal tombs at the Curtea de Arges are located just inside the new Episcopal and Royal Cathedral which covers 800 square metres.
Nicolae Dragoi, chief of the construction works, stated that building the Cathedral “was difficult, based on arches. It’s built with brick, and the structure is made out of iron and cement, in line with legal regulations. The frontal area is special, housing the royal tombs, 12 of them. It’s solid, made out of reinforced concrete and has a depth of 2 metres and a half.”
“There are 12 tombs for the members of the Royal House, six on the left side and six on the right side, and represented our utmost priority. The Arges Archbishopric and the Royal Family signed a protocol in this sense,” stated Caliopie Ichim, Bishopric Advisor with the Arges Archbishopric.
The Cathedral, which will be inaugurated on August 13, has Saint Filofteia of Arges and Archangels Michael and Gabriel as its patron saints.
The construction works started in the presence of Crown Princess Margareta and her husband Radu Duda, on 10 May 2009.
The Ciolos Government wants to declare August 13, the day on which Queen Anne will be buried, a day of national mourning, government sources told Mediafax.
“We don’t know whether we have time to take the decision during the meeting on Wednesday, August 3, but this can be arranged during the next government meeting too,” the aforementioned sources stated.
PM Ciolos: Queen Anne, a symbol of noblesse, discretion and dignity
Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos on Monday sent a message of condolence over the death of Queen Anne of Romania in which he says the queen “will remain a symbol of noblesse, discretion and dignity, all values that round up the defining contribution the royal house brought and will bring to the Romanian society.”
“Together with King Mihai, Her Majesty Queen Anne represented Romania, defending its interests with honour, pride and love of the country, overcoming all the injustices the Royal Family had to put up with. I was saddened by the news of the death of Her Majesty, who will continue to inspire us by modesty, devotion and loyalty. I am with the Romanian Royal Family in these moments of tribulation, and I want to convey my thought for consolation and solidarity,” Ciolos says in his message.
British Ambassador: In this difficult time we stand by the side of King Mihai, Royal House of Romania
British Ambassador to Romania Paul Brummell signed on Tuesday in the book of condolences opened at the Elisabeta Palace in memory of Queen Anne, and said that his country stands by the side of the Royal Family.
“I am deeply saddened by the passing away of Her Majesty Queen Anne of Romania. Queen Anne stood by the side of His Majesty King Mihai of Romania for a long and very difficult forced exile period. Her Majesty has always been a supporter of Romania and close to the countries of Western Europe, including Great Britain. In this difficult time we stand by the side of His Majesty King Mihai and Royal House of Romania,” said Paul Brummell.
Asked whether representatives of the British Royal Family will attend the funeral of Queen Anne, the British Ambassador said that so far he did not have this piece of information, but stressed that his country stands by the side of the Royal House of Romania.
Deputy Premier Dincu: Exile of Queen Anne of Romania came to an end
Deputy Premier Vasile Dincu says in a message of condolences following the death of Queen Anne that the exile of Her Majesty came to an end, now being able to return home, “a house she was never granted for home.”
“Now, Queen Anne of Romania returns home. A house she was never allowed to consider home, and yet which could receive her for her eternal rest. Her wondering came to a closure! May God receive her in His kingdom and comfort the grieving souls of her loved ones, the royal family and the Romanian people,” wrote Vasile Dincu on Tuesday on his Facebook page.
According to him, for decades now the royal family of King Mihai I was pushed by all political regimes of Romania far from the country, away from home.
Archbishop Lucian Muresan praises Queen Anne’s dignity, generosity and freshness of faith
Lucian Muresan, Major Archbishop of the Romanian United, Greek Catholic Church, is deploring the death of Queen Anne of Romania in a condolence message addressed to King Mihai, emphasizing “the dignity, the generosity and especially the freshness of faith” of the late sovereign.
“I carry in my soul Her Majesty Queen Anne’s dignity, generosity and especially the freshness of faith, who, in the years after liberation, represented You will in our midst, visiting me in Blaj. I took then Her prayer and hopes to the altar of the Lord, I will do so from now on, with the confidence that the Lord will lay her soul full of dignity alongside her illustrious predecessors of the Royal House of France and Romania. May she rest in peace! Her memory forever!” says Cardinal Lucian Muresan in the message sent to Agerpres by the Romanian Greek-Catholic Metropolitan Church, United with Rome.
“During dictatorship or the transition’s democracies, our Royal House lived in exile. As empathetic as we are, I don’t know if we could ever understand the loneliness and humiliations of the one who is always an alien, be they king or ordinary man. King Mihai and Queen Anne have reigned over the broad realms of our Diaspora, for the kingdom of ice of those who were doomed to eat the foreignness’ black bread. They were Craft-King and Queen of Tears, and each historical age came with its disappointment over this way tried family,” says Dincu.
He adds that King Mihai and Queen Anne were a symbol of the love sturdiness that lasts beyond history.
Chairman Tariceanu: Irreplaceable loss to King Mihai, Romanian nation
Chairman of the Romanian Senate Calin Popescu-Tariceanu on Monday said that the death of Queen Anne of Romania is irreplaceable loss to King Mihai I and the Romanian people alike.
“I have learned with great sadness about the death of Her Majesty Queen Anne. Because of her devotion and discreteness, she was the moral support His Majesty the King needed to overcome the difficult moments of his exile and his distance far away from his country and people. It is an irreplaceable loss to His Majesty King Mihai I and the Romanian people. The Romanians will have a respectful memory of her. In the name of the Romanian Senate, I want to extend, in these sad moments, heart-felt condolences to the Royal Family. May God rest her soul!” Tariceanu is quoted as saying in a press statement.
Ex-President Iliescu: Deeply saddend to learn of Queen Anne’s death, my full compassion goes to King Mihai
Former President Ion Iliescu regrets the death of Queen Anne and conveys his full compassion to King Mihai and the royal family of Romania.
”I was saddened to learn about Queen Anne’s death, and I want to extend my entire sympathy for this great loss to King Michael and the members of the royal family. I had the privilege to know the queen and I appreciated the manner in which, overcoming a history that, in the end, showed no clemency to any of us, she deeply cared for Romania. I keep the memory of the discussions we had both in Versoix and in Bucharest, as my relationship with the royal family has been of respect and acknowledgement of the responsibilities each of us has had and has towards the Romanians. May God rest her soul in peace!” the former head of state wrote on his blog.
Liberal Party: Romania loses one of its greatest historic symbols
The National Liberal Party (PNL) conveyed on Monday a message of condolence to the royal family of Romania on the death of Queen Anne, pointing out that she was a bright, gentle figure who had a beneficial influence on Romania’s destiny.
“PNL learned today with deep sorrow about the death of Her Majesty Queen Anne of Romania. In this difficult moment, the thoughts of compassion and condolence messages of all Romanian Liberals go out to His Majesty the King, and the Royal Family. The loss suffered today by the Romanian people is irreplaceable. Through everything she represented in our recent history, Her Majesty Queen Anne stands out as a bright figure full of gentleness, who, acting with tact and persistence, managed to influence the country’s destiny for the good,” reads a PNL statement to AGERPRES on Monday.
According to the PNL, during communism, Queen Anne and King Mihai were a historic landmark for all Romanians.
“For decades, Romania travelled a painful path through communist totalitarianism, and Queen Anne was always at the side of His Majesty the King during a sad and long exile. Throughout this period, the sovereigns represented a historic landmark for all Romanians and they gave us the courage to hope for a better future. Then, with every year after we regained our freedom in 1989, Her Majesty Queen Anne was a source of inspiration for the young Romanians who were fighting for a democratic course of our country,” the statement says.
The Liberals mention that with the death of Queen Anne, Romania loses one of its greatest recent history symbols.
“As Her Majesty Queen Anne used to say: ‘losing what you love is the supreme unhappiness’. This is what happens today, as on this sad day Romania loses one of the greatest symbols of its recent history, also a symbol of dignity, integrity and elegance. Through everything she did for the Romanians, Her Majesty Queen Ann will dwell forever in our hearts and our history,” reads the PNL’s condolence message.
PSD extends condolences to Royal Family, asks Gov’t to decree three days of national mourning
The Social Democratic Party (PSD) has extended condolences to the Romanian Royal House over the death of Queen Anne, asking Government to decree three days of national mourning.
“The Social Democratic Party is with Romania’s Royal Family in the tribulation following the death of Her Majesty Queen Anne of Romania. Her Majesty Anne was always with Romania until her last moment and we ought to treasure her memory. May God rest Her Majesty Queen Anne of Romania in peace!” reads the PSD message.
The party also calls on the Government to decree three days of national mourning.
