Life of King Michael of Romania (1921-2017)

HM King Michael, the former King of Romania passed away today at age 96. He had been in poor health for a long time, having been diagnosed with chronic leukemia last year.

1921 

• Micheal's parents Crown Prince Carol of Romania and Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark are married in Romania. 
• Crown Prince Carol had previously been married to Zizi Lambrino. They had eloped in secret in Ukraine in 1918. Carol's parents, the King and Queen were furious and the marriage was annulled shortly after in 1919. After the annulment, the couple continued to live together for a while and had a son in 1920. 
• Micheal is born on 25 October in Romania, during his grandfather, King Ferdinand I's reign.

1925

• Micheal's father, Crown Prince Carol, runs off with his new mistress Magda Lupescu and renounces his rights to the throne. 
• Carol is exiled from Romania, and Micheal is made the new Crown Prince.  

1927

• King Ferdinand passes away. Micheal became King just before his 6th Birthday, and the country is ruled by regents.

1928

• Micheal's parents finally divorce after being separated for many years. 

1930

• Micheal's father, Carol returns to Romania and is proclaimed King by parliament. 
• Micheal once again becomes Crown Prince, at age 8.

1939

• World War II begins.

1940 

• King Carol is forced to abdicate and is once again forced into exile. Micheal becomes King for the 2nd time, a month before his 19th Birthday. 

1945 

• World War II ends.

1947

• King Micheal meets his would-be-wife, Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma, in London. They get engaged.
• King Micheal is forced to abdicate at age 26 and is exiled from Romania.
• The government tries to used King Micheal engagement as an explanation of why he abdicated.
• King Carol finally marries his mistress Magda Lupesc. 

1948

• King Micheal marries Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma in Athens, Greece at the Royal Palace. 
• Greece was still a monarchy at this time. King Micheal's uncle Paul, is King of Greece.
• King Carol is not invited to his son's wedding. 

1949

• King Micheal & Queen Anne's 1st child is born, Princess Margareta is born in Switzerland. She is the first of four daughters. 

1953

• King Carol dies in exile.
• King Micheal does not attend his funeral, having refused to meet with his father since Carol's exile in 1940. 

1982 

• King Micheal's mother dies and is buried in Switzerland.

1990

• King Micheal and his family return to Romania for the 1st time. They land in the country, but on their way to Curtea de Argeș Cathedral are stopped by the police and taken back to the airport. 

1992

• The Romanian government allows King Micheal & Royal Family to return to Romania for the Easter celebrations. 
• This was Queen Anne's 1st ever visit to Romania. 
• Later, King Micheal is banned from the country again and is turned away in 1994 and 1995 during his attempt to return. 

1997

• King Micheal's Romanian citizenship is restored. And assists and property that had belonged to the royal family are returned to them. 
• The Royal Family is allowed to use Elisabeta Palace.

2007

•  King Micheal's designated his eldest daughter Princess Margareta as his Heir, instead of his grandson Prince Nicholas. And allows women in the line of succession. 
• When Romania was a monarchy, the succession was limited to males only. Prince Nicholas was the 1st male in the succession. 

2016

• Micheal is diagnosed with Leukemia and retires from public life.
• Micheal's wife, Queen Anne passes away at age 92. She is buried in Romania. 

2017

• Micheal passes away at age 96.