King Charles Arrives in Romania as Prince Harry Prepares For UK Court Appearance

King Charles’s love of Romania is so well-established that one writer recently described Transylvania as his “secret kingdom.” And today, the King arrived in the country on his first overseas trip since his coronation for a visit that is part official and part private.

The King was formally welcomed to Bucharest with a Guard of Honour at Cotroceni Palace this afternoon before undertaking a bilateral meeting with President Iohannis. During a reception, he delivered a speech reflecting on his deep love for and connection with Romania, where he owns carefully restored guest accommodation that he retreats to regularly.

“I can scarcely believe that twenty-five years have gone by since my first visit to this most remarkable country, although even before I came here I felt a deep connection to Romania,” the King said. He added, “I have come to love Romania—your culture and art, your heritage and history, your sweeping landscapes and priceless biodiversity…Romania has retained, in its ancient forests, pristine countryside, and through some remarkable examples of sustainable farming, an incomparable richness of Nature.”

While Charles’s visit to Romania is not unexpected at this time of year, it happens to fall just as Prince Harry is due to arrive in the UK for a very public appearance. Harry will become the first British royal to appear in the witness box in more than 100 years when he gives evidence and is cross-examined at the High Court in his phone hacking claim against Mirror Group Newspapers next week. The case is one of a number of lawsuits that Harry has brought against British media organizations. In an interview with ITV’s Tom Bradby he described “changing the media landscape within the UK” as being his “life’s work.”

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