Anne of Romania
A Bourbon princess who became Romania's exiled queen, anchoring a monarchy without a throne through decades of communist rule and beyond.
1923–2016 (age 93)·Titular queen consort of Romania·Birthday: September 18·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Born Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma in Paris in 1923, she seemed destined for a life of European aristocracy, not political drama. The Second World War upended that, as she drove an ambulance for the French Red Cross and later served as a military driver. Her 1948 marriage to the exiled King Michael I of Romania was a love match that scandalized some royal houses—she was a Roman Catholic, he was Orthodox, and he had been forced from his throne just months earlier. From that moment, Anne never inherited a crown to wear, but she masterfully defined the role of a queen in exile. For over four decades under communist rule, she was the steadfast partner in their Swiss home, preserving the idea of Romania's monarchy as a symbol of national continuity. After the 1989 revolution, she returned triumphantly with Michael, her poise and dedication helping to reconcile a nation with its royal past. She became, in the eyes of many Romanians, the dignified maternal face of a monarchy that survived not by power, but by perseverance.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Anne was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anne Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Anne's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2016Died at 93
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
Key Achievements
- Served as a volunteer ambulance driver for the French Red Cross during the WWII London Blitz.
- Was the first Roman Catholic to marry a reigning Orthodox Romanian monarch, requiring a special papal dispensation.
- Co-founded the Princess Margarita of Romania Foundation to support Romanian civil society after the fall of communism.
Did You Know?
She was a skilled pilot and obtained her private pilot's license in the 1950s.
Her wedding to King Michael was the only royal wedding of the 20th century where the groom was a former monarch and the bride a princess born in a château.
She was a direct descendant of King Louis XIV of France through the Bourbon line.
“I have never been a queen on a throne, but I have tried to be a queen in my heart for my people.”
