2014-09-24

From the Past: Queen Marie of Romania

Queen consort Marie of Romania was a fundamental figure in the history of Romania remaining close to her people in the times of great struggle and despair of World War One and also making a reality the centuries long dream of the Greater Romania. 

Daughter of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, she was born on 29 October 1875 as a member of the British royal family and titled Princess Marie of Edinburgh. In order to secure the succession to the throne of Crown Prince Ferdinand, King Carol I of Romania accepted the proposal of Grand Duchess Maria (her mother) to arrange a meeting between the two. They eventually got married in Sigmaringen Castle on 10 January 1893 in three ceremonies, one civil, one Catholic and one Anglican with Karl von Wendel, the German Emperor, being the first of the witnesses to sign the marriage act. On 11 October 1914 she and Ferdinand were proclaimed king and queen, their coronation had to wait till 15 October 1922 due to the war.








King Ferdinand and Queen Marie decorating soldiers who fought at Mărășești on august 1917.

Queen Marie helping injured soldiers at a war hospital in Iași.

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