Prince Charles visits Romania
The British Crown Prince Charles has paid an official visit to Romania, his second since 1998
Bogdan Matei, 31.03.2017, 13:35
There are few famous strangers Romanians seem to have taken a liking to, perceiving them as one of their one. Among them, the British Crown Prince Charles, who for the last two decades has been frequently visiting Romania, a country where he also holds a few estates. A keen enthusiast of the nature and architecture of Transylvania, Prince Charles set up a foundation promoting national heritage buildings, such as houses, citadels and fortified churches built by the Saxon settlers who migrated here in the Middle Ages.
On Wednesday, President Klaus Iohannis awarded Prince Charles the “Romania Star” National Order, in Rank of Grand Cross, in token of appreciation for his activity in Romania and for helping promote the country’s image worldwide. Prince Charles hailed the good relations between the two countries and again spoke of his deep appreciation for Romanians. “All I’ve ever tried to do in the last 20 years while I have been visiting Romania was to help Romanians and make them remember the distinctiveness of their culture, their architectural legacy and, above all, their potential today”, Prince Charles said.
During his meeting with Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu, Prince Charles discussed what will happen to Romanians living in the UK after Brexit, about political and military relations between the two countries, both members of NATO, and about taking a common approach to foreign policy issues. An admirer of folk traditions, Prince Charles also visited the National Village Museum in Bucharest, where he expressed his delight with the old peasant houses and traditional customs.
Prince Charles even joined a circle dance to the tunes performed by a folk ensemble, he sat down and talked to master craftsmen, taking an interest in their craft and the materials they use. In front of a traditional household typical of the Danube Delta, Prince Charles was received by the several-time Olympic and World champion rower Ivan Patzaichin, who gave the Prince an oar bearing his signature.
The director of the Village Museum, Paula Popoiu, told us more about the visit: “Prince Charles visited the Village Museum and told me, before departing, that the museum is magnificent and he would return to visit it again. I find it truly remarkable for a man of such importance as him, who’s helping Romania so much, promoting our traditions, to visit our museum and deem it ‘magnificent’”.
The agenda of Prince Charles’s official visit also included a meeting with the Patraich of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, and a family dinner with his cousin once removed, Princess Margareta of Romania, steward of the Romanian Crown. The eldest of King Mihai I’s five daughters, Princess Margareta has been fulfilling royal duties on behalf of his majesty who last year withdrew from public life due to his old age and health problems. (Translated by V. Palcu, edited by D. Vijeu)
