Thousands bring last homage in Palace Square on Queen Anne’s funeral day

More 1,000 persons took part on Saturday, the day of national mourning, in the service officiated for Queen Anne in the Palace Square in the Capital.

King Mihai I did not attend the service, remaining in Switzerland, due to the doctors’ recommendations, Agerpres informs.

The royal funeral started at around 9.30h, in the Throne Room, when the members of the Royal Family reached Queen Anne’s bier, followed at 10.00h by members of foreign royal families — those of Russia, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, of Baden, of Wurttemberg and of Bourbon-Parma, as well as members of the Princely Families of Ligne, Hohenberg, and of Schaumburg-Lippe.

The bier was also guarded by members of the Romanian Royal House, first by members of the Royal Council (HRH Prince Lorenz of Belgium, Andrew Popper, Anders Lindberg, Adrian Vasiliu), and then the Royal Princesses — Crown Princess Margareta, Princess Helen, Princess Sofia and Princess Maria.

An orthodox funeral service was officiated at 10.30h in the presence of His Beatitude Daniel, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR), and BOR hierarchs, in the Throne Room.

Afterwards, the coffin with the body of Queen Anne, carried by eight servicemen of the 30th ‘Mihai Viteazul’ Guard Regiment, was removed from the Royal Palace and taken to the Palace Square. In front of the coffin, another serviceman carried her cross, followed by His Excellency Archbishop Ioan Robu, Cornel Damian, auxiliary bishop of Bucharest, Mihai Fratila, Greek-Catholic Bishop of Bucharest, and other clerics from the Roman and Greek Catholic churches. Following the coffin were other servicemen, one bearing a crown of white flowers, another bearing the standard of the Queen, followed by the Crown Princess and Prince Radu.

The churches in the surrounding area pealed the bells.

The coffin was guarded on its four corners by servicemen with the 30th ‘Mihai Viteazul’ Guard Regiment, while on its flanks two knights of the Order of Malta held lit candles.

People of all ages — men, women and children, came to the Palace Square since early morning. Some declared monarchists bearing flags and portraits of Queen Anne, others in traditional dress or in formal attire. The ceremony was also attended by numerous foreign tourists.

The funerary trumpets marked, around 11.00h, the beginning of the requiem officiated by Archbishop Ioan Robu, together with Catholic hierarchs and an assembly of priests, in the presence of Patriarch Daniel and hierarchs of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Standing together with the Royal Family were Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos, accompanied by his wife, Deputy Prime Minister Costin Borc, members of foreign royal families, representatives of Romanian and Moldovan State institutions, members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Bucharest, former President Emil Constantinescu, Rodica Coposu, sister of late leader of the Romanian Peasants’ Party Corneliu Coposu, and other personalities in the civil society.

The requiem ended with the chanting of the Paschal Troparion — Christ has Risen!

The ending of the religious ceremony was marked by a long trumpet signal, followed by funerary music rendered by the Representative Orchestra of the Ministry of National Defence, which lasted until the coffin was placed in the hearse, in the applause of those present, who threw flowers.

The hearse, accompanied by 12 gendarmes on horseback, six in front and six behind, started slowly in the toll of the bells of the churches in the vicinity.

The funerary procession crossed central Bucharest until the Roman Square whereupon the riders withdrew and the procession continued at towards Curtea de Arges. On the road to Curtea de Arges the procession will not stop, but will reduce speed in localities.

Around 14.30h the arrival of the funeral procession at the Curtea de Arges monastery will take place.

The coffin will be taken to the New Archbishopric and Royal Cathedral and set on a bier. The funeral service will be officiated by the Archbishop of Arges and Muscel, Calinic, together with an assembly of Orthodox hierarchs and priests.

At 15.30h, the coffin will be taken inside of the New Cathedral and the burial ceremony will take place, which is strictly private in character.

Queen Anne died on August 1 in a hospital in Switzerland, aged 92.

photo: TVR capture