Prince Charles could become King of Romania.
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The heir to the British throne could find himself head of the Southern European state if it decides to restore its monarchy, due to the fact he is distantly related to historical Romanian ruler Vlad the Impaler, according to the Daily Mail.
Speculation has been fuelled after the country’s powerful tourism and development minister, Elena Udrea, flew to London last week to meet Charles.
Following the meeting, Udrea said Romanians should be more like Charles and “appreciate the country they live in”.
Charles is a great fan of Romania, and even bought a holiday home in the area in 2005, around the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania. He owns a simple, white-washed property in the heritage site of Viscri, an 18th century farmhouse.
He said recently: “The genealogy shows I am descended from Vlad the Impaler, so I do have a bit of a stake in the country.”
Romania’s monarchy was abolished when the country came under communist rule in 1947, and suffered greatly under the brutal regime of Nicolae Ceausescu, who ruled the country with an iron fist from 1965 until he was deposed and executed in 1989.
Palace sources are less supportive of suggestions Charles could become King of Romania, calling the speculation “ridiculous”.
