Photo credit: (c) Sorin LUPSA / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

King Michael turned 93 years old on October 25, and he celebrated his name day on Nov. 8.

People of all ages, from children to the elderly, attended the ceremony held in the garden of the Elisabeta Palace. A military band played military songs, but also arias from famous operas.

The King stepped out onto the balcony around midday, alongside Princess Margareta and Prince Radu and greeted the crowd; after this moment, the band started to sing the Royal Anthem. Many people had tears in their eyes when seeing the royal family. They chanted “King Michael!”, “The King and the Fatherland!”, “Monarchy saves Romania!”.

President-elect of Romania, Klaus Iohannis also attended the event; he was welcomed at the entrance to the palace by Princess Margareta and Prince Radu Duda.

Klaus Iohannis gave Princess Margareta a bouquet of flowers.

An offbeat presence was that of former classmate of the King, Lascar Zamfirescu. “I love him very much, because he had a hard and unjust life,” Lascar Zamfirescu said referring to King Michael.AGERPRES