Romanian president Nicușor Dan was received by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, December 17, during his official visit to the United Kingdom, marking the final stage of his trip to London. The head of state also met with Romanians who welcomed him during the visit.

President Dan posted a brief message alongside a photograph from the meeting with the British monarch on social media, thanking King Charles III for the reception at Buckingham Palace.

Only a limited number of Romanian officials have previously been received at the palace, local news channel Digi24 noted. 

However, the meeting was not the first between the two. They also met in 2022, when Charles, then Prince of Wales, visited Romania in the context of the war in Ukraine. During that visit, he went to Romexpo, where Romanian authorities, together with Nicușor Dan, the mayor of Bucharest at the time, had set up a center for Ukrainian refugees.

Moreover, earlier this year, when Dan took office as president, King Charles sent him a message through the United Kingdom's embassy in Romania, expressing confidence that relations between the UK and Romania would be prosperous during Nicușor Dan's mandate.

"Dear Mr. president, my wife and I would like to extend our warmest congratulations to you on your election as president of Romania. Your tenure starts during a period of great uncertainty in Europe and in the world. Together, we face many challenges, from countering climate change and protecting Nature, to ending the terrible conflict in Ukraine," reads the letter. 

King Charles is connected to Romania by his deep love for Transylvania, a region he has visited on many occasions in the last 27 years. His most recent visit to Romania was in 2023 - his first overseas trip since being crowned. 

The Buckingham Palace meeting concluded the Romanian president's London visit. He then departed for Brussels to attend the European Council summit, where discussions will focus on the war in Ukraine.

At the end of his visit to the UK on Wednesday, president Dan also delivered press statements at the Romanian Embassy in London. He said the trip was part of a broader series of engagements linked to key international meetings, including the Eastern Flank States meeting held in Helsinki on December 16 and the European Council meeting scheduled for December 18. He also noted that an annual meeting between the European Council and the Western Balkan states would take place in Brussels later that evening.

Referring to his stay in the UK, he said that on Wednesday morning, he held a meeting with members of the Romanian diaspora active in economic sectors such as technology, finance, and innovation, focusing on ways to create an ecosystem in Romania that stimulates creativity and technological potential. He also met representatives of the British business community, including companies already operating in Romania and firms considering entering the Romanian market, outlining the current situation and opportunities available to foreign investors.

President Dan said he conveyed the same message of openness to Romanian communities he met in Helsinki and in the UK, emphasizing that the diaspora represents a significant potential for Romania and highlighting the need to strengthen connections in order to develop joint projects.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Nicușor Dan)