Carol II 1893-1953
King of Romania

He was born in Sinaia, the eldest son of King Ferdinand I (reigned 1914-27) and great-nephew of Carol I. His flamboyant private life created constant problems. In 1917 he made a morganatic marriage to Zizi Lambrini, whom he divorced to marry Princess Helen of Greece (1921) and by whom he had a son, King Michael. In 1925 he renounced his right of succession to the throne, deserted his wife, and went into exile with his mistress, Magda Lupescu. In 1930 he returned to Romania and became king in a coup that overthrew his son. His reign was made chaotic by pressures from both Russia and Germany. He admired the authoritarian methods of Mussolini and, in an attempt to counter the pro-Nazi Iron Guard movement, he banned all political parties (1938) and created a Front of National Rebirth. In 1940, after being forced to cede northern Transylvania to Hungary, he was deposed through German influence in favour of his son, and fled into exile in Spain, where he married Lupescu (1947).