Prince Paul of Romania (in picture), the nephew of Romanian ex-ruler King Michael, has recently written a letter in response to the King's speech in the Romanian Parliament on his 90th birthday. Paul of Romania says King Michael has not done anything for Romanians for 50 years, while the country was under the communist ruling. Michael was forced to abdicate in 1947, when the country was taken over by the communist regime.

“Before everything, you rushed into counting the years that you served Romania. From this period, I think it is fair we take out the 50 years of communism in which you did nothing for our people. Wishing them a wonderful winter and Easter holidays cannot make up for all the hard times your abdication left them to,” writes Paul of Romania.

“With sadness and regret, I have the courage to declare that the reality we live today owes nothing to you. It owes the children of tomorrow that you, so poetically stated, borrowed us our country,” he goes on.

"In the name of my late father, your older brother, whom you have recognized in all the European countries when sharing the inheritance from my grand-father, HM Carol II, except for Romania, where the persons you served for 84 years dictated that to you, in the name of my son, Prince Carol Ferdinand, I ask you to show dignity, courage, loyalty and modesty by recognizing and respecting the historical TRUTH that you are part of, even if not in the way that the great Romanian people would have deserved you to be,” he concludes. Read his full speech here.

Michael of Romania said that the last 20 years brought democracy, freedom and the beginning of prosperity in Romania. “People travel, fulfill their dreams and try to strengthen family for the benefit of future generations. Romania has evolved over the past two decades’” said King Michael during the speech held Tuesday in front of the Parliament. However, he said that he is sad to see that, after two decades of democracy, old and sick people have to go through humiliating situations. Read the King's speech here.

Paul of Romania (Paul-Philippe of Hohenzollern) is the son of Mircea Grigore Carol of Romania, the son of King Carol the 2nd. Mircea Grigore Carol was born out of Carol the 2nd's marriage with Zizi Labrino, but their morganatic marriage was annulled by the country's Supreme Court in 1919.

Paul of Romania's father has won two paternity law suits in Portugal and France, as is recognized as Paul of Hohenzollern. Paul and his wife Lia have a son, Carol Ferdinand, born in 2010.

King Michael of Romania has decided to break the historical and dynastic bond with the House of Hohenzollern and give up on the title Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, which would offer the Royal House of Romania a national and independent status. This decision was made taking into account Kind Ferdinand I’s decision in 1921. King Ferdinand I was King Michael’s grandfather. Based on Ferdinand’s decision, all members of the Romanian royal family have the surname “Of Romania”. The bond was broken on worries that the house of Hohenzollern would have claims to head the Royal House of Romania after King Michael's death. Michael and his wife Ana have five daughters.

Michale of Romania is the great-great grandson of Queen Victoria of the UK and third - degree cousin with UK's Queen Elisabeth.

editor@romania-insider.com