Carol II

Carol II (1893-1953), King of Romania (1930-1940). Son of Ferdinand I, Carol was born in Sinaia and became Crown prince in 1914, when his father ascended the throne. His first marriage, to a commoner, was dissolved, and in 1921 he married a Greek princess. Four years later he left his wife, renounced his right to the throne, and went into exile in order to live with his mistress, Elena Lupescu. He returned in 1930 at the invitation of Prime Minister Iuliu Maniu and was crowned king, replacing his young son, Michael, who had been placed on the throne under a regency in 1927. Despite opposition from the politicians, Elena Lupescu joined him in 1931.

Following his authoritarian bent, Carol gave covert support to the Iron Guard, a Romanian Fascist movement, but later became alarmed by its growing power. He then established a royal dictatorship (1938) and had the Iron Guard leaders executed. At the outbreak of World War II, Carol tried to remain neutral, but in 1940 the Germans occupied Romania, and he was forced to abdicate. He spent the rest of his life in exile, settling in the Portuguese town of Estoril. He married Lupescu in 1947. In February 2003 the bodies of both Carol and his wife were repatriated to Romania, where they were reburied.