The last king is dead

Michael Romania's King dies age 96

In 1944, World War II was going badly for the Axis powers, but the military dictator Prime Minister Marshal Ion Antonescu was still in control of Romania. By August 1944, the Soviet conquest of Romania had become inevitable, and was expected in a few months.[13] On 23 August 1944, Michael joined the pro-Allied politicians, a number of army officers, and armed communist-led civilians[14] in staging a coup against Antonescu. King Michael ordered his arrest by the Royal Palace Guard. On the same night, the new Prime Minister, Lt. General Constantin Sănătescu—who had been appointed by King Michael—gave custody of Antonescu to the communists (in spite of alleged instructions to the contrary by the King), and the latter delivered him to the Soviets on 1 September.[15][16] In a radio broadcast to the Romanian nation and army, Michael issued a cease-fire just as the Red Army was penetrating the Moldavian front,[14] proclaimed Romania's loyalty to the Allies, announced the acceptance of the armistice offered by the United Kingdom, the United States, and the USSR, and declared war on Germany.[17] However, this did not avert a rapid Soviet occupation and capture of about 130,000 Romanian soldiers, who were transported to the Soviet Union where many perished in prison camps.[14] Although the country's alliance with the Nazis was ended, the coup sped the Red Army's advance into Romania.[14] The armistice was signed three weeks later on 12 September 1944, on terms the Soviets virtually dictated.[14] Under the terms of the armistice, Romania recognized its defeat by the USSR and was placed under occupation of the Allied forces, with the Soviets, as their representative, in control of media, communication, post, and civil administration behind the front. The coup effectively amounted to a "capitulation",[18][19] an "unconditional"[20] "surrender".[13][14] It has been suggested that the coup may have shortened World War II by six months, thus saving hundreds of thousands of lives.[21]

At the end of the war, King Michael was awarded the highest degree (Chief Commander) of the Legion of Merit by U.S. President Harry S. Truman.[22] He was also decorated with the Soviet Order of Victory by Joseph Stalin "for the courageous act of the radical change in Romania's politics towards a break-up from Hitler's Germany and an alliance with the United Nations, at the moment when there was no clear sign yet of Germany's defeat", according to the official description of the decoration. With the death of Michał Rola-Żymierski in 1989, Michael became the sole surviving recipient of the Order of Victory

Michael was born in 1921 at Foișor Castle, Sinaia, Romania, the son of Carol II of Romania (then Crown Prince of Romania) and Princess Elena of Greece.[1] He was born as the grandson of then-reigning King Ferdinand I of Romania. When Carol eloped with his mistress Elena "Magda" Lupescu and renounced his rights to the throne in December 1925, Michael was declared heir apparent. Michael succeeded to the throne of Romania upon Ferdinand's death in July 1927, before his sixth birthday.[2] Later, Michael attended a special school established in 1932 by his father

Michael I (Romanian: Mihai I [miˈhaj]; 25 October 1921 – 5 December 2017) reigned as King of Romania from 20 July 1927 to 8 June 1930 and again from 6 September 1940 until his abdication on 30 December 1947.

Shortly after his birth, Michael's father Prince Carol had become involved in a controversial relationship with Magda Lupescu. In 1925, Carol was eventually pressured to renounce his rights to the throne and moved to Paris in exile with Lupescu. In 1927, Michael ascended the throne following the death of his grandfather, Ferdinand I. As he was still a minor, a regency council was instituted which comprised his uncle, Prince Nicholas; the Patriarch Miron Cristea; and the president of the Supreme Court, Gheorghe Buzdugan. The council proved to be ineffective and in 1930, Carol returned to Romania and replaced his son as king. As a result, Michael returned to being heir apparent to the throne and was given the additional title of Grand Voievod of Alba-Iulia.

Carol II was deposed in 1940, and Michael once again became king. Under the government led by the military dictator Ion Antonescu, Romania became aligned with Nazi Germany. In 1944, Michael participated in a coup against Antonescu, appointed Constantin Sănătescu as his replacement, and subsequently declared an alliance with the Allies. In March 1945, political pressures forced Michael to appoint a pro-Soviet government headed by Petru Groza. From August 1945 to January 1946, Michael went on a "royal strike" and unsuccessfully tried to oppose Groza's Communist-controlled government by refusing to sign and endorse its decrees. In November, Michael attended the wedding of his cousins, the future Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip of Greece in London. Shortly thereafter, on the morning of 30 December 1947, Groza requested a meeting with Michael where he was forced to abdicate. Michael was forced into exile, confiscated of his properties, and stripped of his citizenship. He married Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma in 1948 with whom he had five daughters and eventually settled in Switzerland.

King Michael of Romania, 96, has died at his residence in Switzerland, the national television has announced, quoting a Royal House press release. King Michael was the living monarch who had survived the second world war.

King Michael had ruled Romania while very young, but was forced to abdicate as the Communists rose to power in the wake of WWII. After decades in exile, he returned to Romania after the 1989 Revolution. While not a de facto ruler and despite him being rejected by the post-communist rulers in the early nineties, his symbolic status was eventually recognized and has been revered by many for his embodiment of monarchic values.

His body will be laid for two days at the Peles Castle in Sinaia, Central Romania and for two days in the Throne Room at the Royal Palace in Bucharest. He will be buried in Curtea de Arges, South Romania.

On November 16, the manager of His Majesty's House, Andrew Popper, had announced the King's health condition was serious.

King Michael has withdrawn from public life in March 2016.

50 Medals of honor :

29 Romanian medals
4 United Kingdom medals
3 Italian medals
3 Czech republic medals
2 Greek medals
2 France medals
1 Finland medals
1 Russia medals
1 Soviet union medals*
1 Sweden medals
1 Poland medals
1 Belgium medals
1 United States medals

He is survived by five daughters, of whom Margareta, acompanied by his her husband Radu Duda, has been the ruler of the Royal House. His wife Queen Ana died in August 2016, aged 92.