Povestea vieții mele Vol. 2

Regina Maria a României recalls plans for her wedding. This is the second volume of her memoirs. At 17, she left Western Europe to wed Romania’s crown prince. She tells of a visit to his family at Sigmaringen. There she met Prince Leopold, her future father-in-law. She writes with warmth of his ease with people.

The book suits readers drawn to royal lives and life stories. Maria describes Romania’s varied land and dark-eyed people in folk dress. She viewed the land with hope and a sense of romance. Her wedding memories show how young she felt. She recalls heavy white silk, puffed sleeves, and a long train. She chose tulle, not lace, with diamonds and orange blossoms. But her mother’s taste shaped her bridal look most. Her own wishes played less of a part.

Maria’s birthplace was Eastwell Park in Britain, in 1875. People knew her as Missy. Her full name was Maria Alexandra Victoria de Saxa-Coburg și Gotha. Queen Victoria and Russia’s Tsar Alexander II were her grandparents. She held the title of princess of Britain and Ireland. She later became Romania’s crown princess, then its queen.

This edition marks 100 years since her coronation, her crowning as queen. It keeps the work’s four parts as first written. Miruna Andriescu translated the text from English.