Nicholas Medforth-Mills

Nicholas de Roumanie Medforth-Mills
Nicholas Medforth-Mills in 2013
Born (1985-04-01) 1 April 1985
Meyrin, Switzerland
Spouse
Alina Maria Binder (m. 2017)
House Romania (2007–2015)
Father Robin Medforth-Mills
Mother Princess Elena of Romania
Religion Romanian Orthodox

Nicholas Michael de Roumanie Medforth-Mills, formerly Prince Nicholas of Romania, (born 1 April 1985) is the eldest child and only son of Princess Elena of Romania and Robin Medforth-Mills. As a grandson of Michael I, the former king of Romania, he was third in line to the defunct throne of Romania according to a new family statute enacted in 2007, that also conferred the title of a "prince of Romania" on him[1] which was abrogated in 2015. The statute, and the titles it confers, have no standing in present Romanian law.

Early life

Birth

Nicholas Medforth-Mills was born on 1 April 1985 in Meyrin, a commuter town near Geneva, Switzerland, the first child and son of Princess Elena of Romania and her first husband Robin Medforth-Mills and the second grandchild of King Michael I of Romania and his wife Queen Anne.

He was baptised in the Orthodox faith, his godparents being Queen Anne (his maternal grandmother) and Crown Princess Margareta of Romania (his maternal aunt).[2]

He was followed by a sister, Elisabeta-Karina (born 1989).

Childhood

Until the age of 4, Medforth-Mills lived with his sister and parents at the Romanian royal family's residence in Versoix, Switzerland.[3] The family moved to England in 1989 where they took up residence at Flass Hall, Esh Winning in County Durham.[4]

Medforth-Mills joined the Beaver Scouts at age 5.[5] During his childhood, he developed an interest in cars, an interest shared with King Michael I. During holidays in Versoix, Switzerland with his maternal grandparents, Nicholas spent hours in his grandfather's garage, watching him maintain his jeep collection.[6] In an interview with historian Filip-Lucian Iorga, Nicholas recalled the time spent with King Michael, and how he had been allowed to drive one of his cars, a Ford which once belonged to General George S. Patton; the vehicle was given to his grandfather by Queen Anne's paternal uncle Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma as a gift. He also recalled spending time with Queen Anne at Versoix where they used to fish and play golf together.[7]

As a descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and King Christian IX of Denmark, he regularly met with many of his extended relatives.[8]

Education

Medforth-Mills attended Argyle House School, Sunderland, England which he left in 1999 with 8 GCSEs - English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Science (Chemistry, Biology and Physics), French, German, Information Technology, and Geography.[9]

In 1999, he enrolled with Shiplake College, Henley-on-Thames, England where he left with 3 A-levels of French, Business Sciences and Physical Education.[9] During this time he also took part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.[10]

Before enrolling for university he took a 5-year "Gap year", where:[9]

  • In 2004, before enrolling for university, Nicholas was assistant leader of an expedition to South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
  • In 2005, he lived in Kenya for four months and joined an expedition to Madagascar.
  • In 2006, he was employed in Kenya as a rafting trainer for the British Armies.

Activities in Romania

Medforth-Mills' first major appearance in Romania was on 19 April 1992 on Easter Day along with his grandparents King Michael I and Queen Anne and with his mother and her second husband Alexander Nixon.[11][12][13]

Medforth-Mills came again for the second time on Christmas Day 1997, when the entire royal family set foot in Romania for the first time after nearly five decades of exile.[14] In 2002, he visited Romania for the third time; he stayed at Elisabeta Palace. During this visit he started to consider his role as a member of the royal family, which required a fundamental transformation for him.[15]

Since the beginning of 2008, Medforth-Mills has become more involved in the public life of Romania, taking part, for instance, at the 2008 UNITER theatre gala[16] and in visits throughout the country with his aunt, Crown Princess Margareta, and his maternal uncle, Radu Duda.[17][18][19][20][21][22]

Royal status

Prince of Romania

Royal monogram of Prince Nicholas

In 1997, Romanian monarchists intended to ask Michael to designate a male heir-presumptive from the House of Hohenzollern in keeping with the rules of the last royal constitution which were based on agnatic primogeniture and "Salic law"; The monarchists eventually agreed on a compromise and requested him to designate a male rather than female heir-presumptive, in the person of Nicholas. However, under the influence of Queen Anne, Michael rejected the monarchists' request, and at the end of 1997, he designated Princess Margareta as heir presumptive in keeping with the European Convention on Human Rights,[23] which meant Nicholas would only succeed to the headship of the royal family after the deaths of King Michael, Crown Princess Margareta and his mother.

In 2005, Michael told Medforth-Mills that he could choose to have the chance of becoming a "prince of Romania" which would mean assuming responsibility in a conscious manner by starting to work for the country.

On 30 December 2007, the press office of King Michael announced that Nicholas Medforth-Mills would receive the title "prince of Romania" with the style of "royal highness", coming into effect on Nicholas's 25th birthday. On 1 April 2010,[1] by virtue of his new title, he became a member of the Romanian royal family[24] and was decorated with the Nihil Sine Deo, the highest of royal decorations at the time.

In February 2008, Nicholas stated in an interview with the Romanian daily newspaper Cotidianul that if the Romanian people asked him to become king, he would not refuse.[25]

In September 2012, after his university studies, he moved to Romania to undertake more of the royal family's public activities.[26]

Removal of succession rights and princely title

On 1 August 2015, former King Michael of Romania signed a document removing the title prince of Romania and the qualification of royal highness from his grandson. Medforth-Mills also has been removed from the line of succession. The former king took the decision after considering that Romania needed a ruler marked by modesty and moral principles, respect and thought for others after the "reign and life" of his eldest daughter, Crown Princess Margareta, will have finished. In issuing the declaration, the former king expressed the hope that "Nicholas will find in future years a suitable way to serve the ideals and use the qualities that God gave him". Nicholas's mother, Princess Elena, received notification of the former king's decision in a personal letter.[27]

The move "stunned Romanians" and "sparked speculation that a jealous relative had sought to edge Nicholas out of the succession."[28] According to the American biographer Marlene Eilers Koenig, the exclusion of Nicholas from the royal succession could be due to the birth of an illegitimate daughter, born from a short relationship with Nicoleta Cirjan.[29] The child, born 9 February 2016 and named Iris Anna, was not recognized by the former prince.[30]

Nicholas released a press statement on 18 November 2017 from London about the child.[31] Point 2 of the Press release stated, "I returned to Romania in November 2015 to resolve the situation with my alleged child. Due to the constant lack of co-operation from the mother of my alleged child, this situation has remained unclear. So far, there is no medical evidence to support the mother's accusations. Therefore, any accusations that are related to this subject are unfounded."[31]

Marriage

Nicholas became engaged to Alina Maria Binder, a Romanian journalist, in August 2017 and married civilly in Henley-on-Thames on 6 October 2017.[32]

On 30 September 2018 the couple married religiously at Saint Elijah Church in Sinaia, and the wedding reception took place at Sinaia Casino.[33]

Allegation of assault

On 8 November 2017, during Michael I's final illness, the Romanian Royal House filed a complaint with Swiss police alleging that Nicholas tried to force his way into his grandfather's home.[34] It alleged in a statement that Nicholas "physically and verbally assaulted" three staff members, while he accused his relatives of trying to stop him seeing his grandfather and discrediting his name.[35] The former king died on 5 December 2017.

Honours

Ancestry

References

  1. 1 2 "Fundamental Rules of the Royal Family of Romania : The Complete House Statute" (PDF). Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  2. ↑ de Andreea OFIŢERU. "INTERVIU CU PRINCIPELE NICOLAE AL ROMÂNIEI: „Cea mai importantă lecţie am învăţat-o de la bunicul meu, Regele Mihai" - Gândul". M.gandul.info. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  3. ↑ The Road Home: Filip-Lucian Iorga in dialogue with Prince Nicholas of Romania, Curtea Veche Publishing, 2014, ISBN 978-606-588-794-7: page 1
  4. ↑ Mail Diary by Nigel Dempster, in the Daily Mail, Monday 14 October 1991
  5. ↑ The Road Home: Filip-Lucian Iorga in dialogue with Prince Nicholas of Romania, Curtea Veche Publishing, 2014, ISBN 978-606-588-794-7: page 46
  6. ↑ Iorga,Filip-Lucian, Drumul spre casa, Curtea Veche Publishing, 2014, ISBN 978-606-588-675-9, pp.35–36
  7. ↑ Iorga,Filip-Lucian, Drumul spre casa, Curtea Veche Publishing, 2014, ISBN 978-606-588-675-9, pp.37
  8. ↑ Iorga,Filip-Lucian, Drumul spre casa, Curtea Veche Publishing, 2014, ISBN 978-606-588-675-9, pp.99
  9. 1 2 3 "INTERVIEW/Prince Nicholas: Books - a gate to another world, accessed through words and imagination – AGERPRES". Agerpres.ro. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  10. ↑ "The Award in Romania named Best Youth Programme | The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award". Intaward.org. 2014-06-10. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  11. ↑ "Ora Regelui LXXXIX | Familia Regală a României / Royal Family of Romania". Romaniaregala.ro. 2014-04-19. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  12. ↑ Mandache, Diana. "Principesa Elena | Diana Mandache's Weblog". Royalromania.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  13. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
  14. ↑ "ASR Principesa Maria". Familiaregala.ro. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  15. ↑ The Road Home: Filip-Lucian Iorga In dialogue with Prince Nicholas of Romania, [The Road Home: Filip-Lucian Iorga In dialogue with Prince Nicholas of Romania, Curtea Veche Publishing, 2014, ISBN 978-606-588-794-7 – page 2]
  16. ↑ (in Romanian) "Prince Georg | 15 – 04 – 2008", Prince Radu's blog, accessed on 18 April 2008
  17. ↑ (in Romanian) "Salonta and Beius | 17 – 04 – 2008", Prince Radu's blog, accessed on 18 April 2008
  18. ↑ (in Romanian) "Oradea and Marghita | 18 – 04 – 2008", Prince Radu's blog, accessed on 19 April 2008
  19. ↑ (in Romanian) "Carei and Satu Mare | 19 – 04 – 2008", Prince Radu's blog, accessed on 19 April 2008
  20. ↑ (in Romanian) "Prince Radu in Bihor county", Prince Radu's website, accessed on 18 April 2008
  21. ↑ (in Romanian) "The pupils from Gura Vadului | 16 – 04 – 2008", Prince Radu's blog, accessed on 18 April 2008
  22. ↑ (in Romanian) "The visit of the pupils from Gura Vadului", Prince Radu's website, accessed on 18 April 2008
  23. ↑ (in Romanian) "EXCLUSIVE. How the monarchy pulled the rug from under its own feet," Evenimentul zilei, 24 October 2015
  24. ↑ "Principele Nicolae | Familia Regală a României / Royal Family of Romania". Romaniaregala.ro. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  25. ↑ (in Romanian) Prince Nicholas: "I am ready to be the king of Romania" Archived 23 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine., Cotidianul, 28 February 2008
  26. ↑ Crăciun, Iulian Andrei (24 September 2012). "Urmaşul Regelui se stabileşte în România". adevarul.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  27. ↑ "Comunicatul Biroului de Presă al Majestății Sale, 10 august 2015". Familiaregala.ro. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  28. ↑ "Romania prince stripped of title by former king for lacking 'modest moral principles'". Telegraph. 2015-08-11. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  29. ↑ (in Romanian) Daniel Măgureanu (29 November 2015). "scandalul regal faza detaliilor intime ale relatiei dintre printul nicolae si nicoleta cirjan". www.evz.ro. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
  30. ↑ (in Romanian) Mihnea Măruță (26 October 2016). "Nicoleta Cîrjan, despre relația sa cu Principele Nicolae: "Dacă voiam să fiu regină, făceam avortul"". www.pressone.ro. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
  31. 1 2 Press Statement from Nicholas de Romanie Medforth-Mills, 18 November 2017
  32. ↑ https://nicolaealromaniei.ro/en/biografie/
  33. ↑ Romania Journal
  34. ↑ "Romania: Royal family reports ex-king's grandson to police". Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  35. ↑ Ana Maria Touma, "Deathbed Drama Surrounds Romania's Last King", Balkan Insight, 10 November 2017
  36. ↑ "Ordinului Coroana României". Familiaregala.ro. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  37. ↑ "Receptia din Sala de Muzica a Castelului Peles, 26 martie 2014, foto Daniel Angelescu, ©Casa Majestatii Sale Regelui | Familia Regală a României / Royal Family of Romania". Romaniaregala.ro. 2014-03-30. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  38. ↑ "Familia Regala, Castelul Peles, 10 septembrie 2013, foto Daniel Angelescu, ©Casa Regala a Romaniei | Familia Regală a României / Royal Family of Romania". Romaniaregala.ro. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  39. ↑ "Principesa Maria și Principele Nicolae, Noaptea Învierii la Sinaia și Cluj-Napoca | Familia Regală a României / Royal Family of Romania". Romaniaregala.ro. 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  40. ↑ "Dineul din Sufrageria de Stat, Castelul Peles, 25 martie 2015, foto Daniel Angelescu, ©Casa Majestatii Sale Regelui | Familia Regală a României / Royal Family of Romania". Romaniaregala.ro. 2015-03-30. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  41. ↑ "Decorația Regala Nihil Sine Deo". Familiaregala.ro. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  42. ↑ "Photographic image" (JPG). 3.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  43. ↑ "Dineul din Sufrageria de Stat a Castelului Peles, 26 martie 2014, foto Daniel Angelescu, ©Casa Majestatii Sale Regelui | Familia Regală a României / Royal Family of Romania". Romaniaregala.ro. 2014-03-30. Retrieved 2016-12-29.
  44. ↑ "Înalți reprezentanți de la City of London, invitați la Palatul Elisabeta | Familia Regală a României / Royal Family of Romania". Romaniaregala.ro. 2013-06-14. Retrieved 2016-12-29.

Bibliography

  • Mosley, Charles. Blood Royal – From the time of Alexander the Great to Queen Elizabeth II (Ruvigny Ltd, London, 2002) ( ISBN 0-9524229-9-9) (page 288)
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