Michael, last king of Romania and Cold War exile

King Michael I, Romania’s former monarch who was forced to abdicate by the communists in the aftermath of the Second World War, has died aged 96.

Michael, who played a pivotal role in Romania’s switch to the Allied cause following a coup in 1944, spent decades in exile working as a chicken farmer and aircraft pilot.

He finally got his citizenship back in 1997, eight years after the collapse of communism.

Michael’s death leaves only two people alive who headed their nations during the war – former King Simeon II of Bulgaria, and the Dalai Lama of Tibet, both of whom were children at the time.

In a statement, the Romanian royal house said Michael died in his residence in Aubonne, Switzerland.

Michael had been suffering from leukaemia and another type of cancer and last year withdrew from public life, handing over his responsibilities to his oldest daughter.

President Klaus Iohannis declared “days of mourning”, saying Michael “wrote the history of Romania”.

Michael, a great-great-grandson to Britain’s Queen Victoria, acceded to the throne in 1927 when he was six years old after his father Carol II eloped with his mistress and abdicated.

After three years Carol returned to the throne and stayed there until abdicating again in 1940 and Michael became king for a second time.

Michael reigned for seven years until he was forced to abdicate.

Michael’s reign is best-remembered for his coup on August 23 1944, against pro-Nazi leader Marshal Ion Antonescu, which took Romania into the war on the side of the Allies.

For this, he was awarded Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit by US President Harry S Truman and the Soviet Order of Victory by Joseph Stalin. Romania’s switch gave the Soviets the opportunity to advance into the country.

After the war, Michael was little more than a figurehead as the Soviets installed a communist-led government and Romania became part of the Warsaw Pact.

Many thought he would remain in exile in London after his arrival for the wedding of Princess Elizabeth to his cousin Prince Philip of Greece in November 1947.

However, he was summoned to the Elisabeth Palace in Bucharest and told to sign a pre-typed abdication or else 1,000 soldiers would be executed.

Though Romania remains a republic, the royal house looks after the family’s properties and bestows honours.

Picture: AP. Michael I was a great-great-grandson to Britain’s Queen Victoria.