| Elisabeta Palace Palatul Elisabeta | |
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 Interactive map of the Elisabeta Palace Palatul Elisabeta area | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Moorish Brancovan elements |
| Location | 26Kiseleff Road Sector 1,Bucharest,  Romania |
| Coordinates | 44°28′15″N26°04′47″E / 44.470830°N 26.079720°E /44.470830; 26.079720 |
| Current tenants | Official Romanian Residence of theRomanian Royal Family |
| Construction started | 1936 |
| Completed | 1937 |
| Inaugurated | 19 December 1937 |
| Client | Princess Elisabeth of Romania |
| Design and construction | |
| Architects | Constantin Ionescu Corneliu M. Marcu |
Elisabeta Palace (Romanian:Palatul Elisabeta) is a palace onKiseleff Road inBucharest,Romania. Built in 1937, it is the official residence in Romania of Her MajestyMargareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, her husband HRHPrince Radu, and two of her sisters, HRHPrincess Sophie and HRHPrincess Marie.
The Palace was designed in 1935 by two architects named Constantin Ionescu and Corneliu Marcu and built in 1937 forPrincess Elisabeth of Romania, the daughter ofKing Ferdinand I and his wifeQueen Marie, and also the aunt ofKing Michael I, who was forced to abdicate on 30 December 1947.
In 2001, theRomanian Senate passed a bill awarding the Palace to the former king for use as a residence during his lifetime.[1] Since then, members of theRoyal Family have been living there. Foreign heads of state, royalty and politicians are received there, as well as Romanian political, cultural, economic and academic figures when special events are conducted.[2]
In July 1935,Princess Elisabeth, formerQueen Consort of Greece, divorced her second cousin, the deposedKing George II of Greece. After her divorce, she moved to Romania, where she stayed atBanloc Castle.[citation needed]
For Elisabeth, the Palace was the achievement of a long elusive dream, heightened during the dearth years spent in Greece. In her memoirs, she wrote: "Perhaps the only thing that I really want is a house of my own something that I can call mine. It has always been my greatest longing since the age of 17. My house to create, to improve, to make perfect and love, offering hospitality to and rejoicing with all those who would love it too. I think the possession of a house would really make me happy. I lived on that hope when I came back to Romania".[citation needed]
The Palace was the official residence of Princess Elisabeth until 1944, whenKing Michael I performedhis coup and overthrew the Nazi-supporting government. After the coup, theRoyal Palace of Bucharest was bombed by Germany, by that time being the official royal residence of theKing of Romania, Michael moved into Elisabeta Palace with his mother to be directly in the centre of the capital; Princess Elisabeth had moved toCopăceni Castle.[citation needed]
On the evening of 30 December 1947, King Michael abdicated. Much later, he claimed that he was forced to do it at gunpoint, with the Palace surrounded by troops from theTudor Vladimirescu Division, an army unit loyal to the Communists.[3]
Following King Michael's abdication and throughout the period of the "Socialist Republic of Romania", the Palace fell into disuse until 2001, when theformer Royal Family returned to Romania after nearly five decades of exile. At that time, they were given official use of the Palace by a bill signed byTraian Băsescu, 4thPresident of Romania, and approved by theRomanian Senate.[4]
Today Elisabeta Palace is the working residence of Her MajestyMargareta of Romania and HRHPrince Radu. It is also the Headquarters of Her Majesty's Household Association (Romanian:Asociația Casa Majestății Sale), an NGO recognised by the Government of Romania as 'an Organization of Public Utility' which supports the activities of the Royal Family.[5] Margareta's sisters also carry out engagements from the Elisabeta Palace when in Bucharest.
Margareta and the Royal Family frequently receive cultural and political leaders at the Elisabeta Palace who have included The President of Romania[6] and the Prime Minister[7][8][9][10][11] among many others. The Royal Family also receive foreign leaders at the Palace[12][13] as well as hosting receptions, investitures and dinners. An annual Garden Party is given by Margareta in the grounds of the Palace on 10 May to celebrateMonarchy Day.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] In June 2021 the Royal Family held a Reception to mark 20 years since they returned to the Elisabeta Palace.[23][24]
From 2020 the Palace was opened to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday between July and September from 10 AM to 5 PM for guided tours of the public rooms and grounds.[25]
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44°28′15″N26°04′47″E / 44.4708°N 26.07965°E /44.4708; 26.07965
