Tuesday, November 17, 2020

A Romanian Buffet of Books

 



When I was in Bucharest in January for H.M. Margareta's 30th anniversary of her first visit to Romania,  the Romanian-language edition of Margareta Three Decades of the Crown.   The English-language edition was released in the early summer by Romanian publisher Curtea Veche.  

The first section of the book features family photos of Her Majesty, from infancy to boarding the plane with Princess Sophie in January 1990 for their first trip to Romania.  This is followed by 30 facts about Margareta and then individual chapters on each year - from 1990 to 2019 -- as the family is allowed to live in Romania.  

The Princess Margareta Foundation was established in  August 1990 and is now one of the leading charitable organizations in Romania.

This book offers highlights of the first 30 years of Margareta's work with details on her engagements, photos of her work (as well as with the family and other dignitaries).     Margareta's role, first as her father's primary support, then as heir, and now as Custodian of the Crown, has evolved into a functioning monarchy in a republic.

Margareta Three Decades of the Crown is the definitive book on Her Majesty's work as the Custodian of the Crown.  Plenty of photos and details about her engagements and travels on behalf of the Crown.

The book was written by Sandra Gatejeanu-Gheorghe, a long-time confidante of Margareta. The English-translation was done by Jean Harris.

The book is available from the publisher.  The price is 95 Lei, which is about $23.00 plus postage. Although the site is in Romanian, it is easy to order the book.  
 By the way, postage is not prohibitive.


Prince Radu is the author of Povestea Castelului Peles,  published in 2017 by Curtea Veche.  This is a 300-page book on Castle Peles in Sinaia.  The castle was built privately by King Carol I and inherited by his nephew, King Ferdinand who left the property to his grandson King Michael.  

Peles and Pelisor were returned to King Michael in 2006.  The Romanian royal family leases the castles to the Romanian government.  Unfortunately, the book is in Romanian only. 

The book is currently priced at 78 leis.  A bargain.






Curtea is also the publisher of Săvârșin. Detaliul, co-authored by Margareta, Custodian of the Crown, and Prince Radu.  This is a 202-page book published in 2015 about the Romanian Royal Family's country home, Săvârșin, which King Michael purchased in the 1940s.   

This book was published following restoration work that began in 2007 and ended in 2015.  

Wonderful photographs by Christian Coposesc.











The Prince of Wales wrote the foreward for Lumea Majestății Sale. Jubileul Custodelui Coroanei Române,  a Romanian-language celebration of  Margareta's first thirty years in Romania.  The book was written by Alexandru Muraru and Daniel Sandru.

The book includes 20 pages of photographs.

This book was published in a paperback edition by Corint, which has no plans to translate the book into English.   Charles' foreward is in English and Romanian.



If the links do not work, you can search for the titles on the publisher's website.

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