HRH Prince Carol Mircea-Grigore of Romania, the first born of HM King Carol the second and of HRH Princess Ioana Valentina, born Lambrino, finally finds peace in native land after a lefetime spent in exile.
HRH Prince Carol Mircea-Grigore of Romania left the country. He only came twice in Romania: at the funerals of Queen Mary for just two days and a second time in November 2005, a few months before his death on January 27th 2006.
Leading an agitated life, as agitated as the time history, HRH Prince Carol Mircea-Grigore of Romania was recognized as legal royal descendant, a natural right that was constantly refused to him in Romania, due to political reasons.
Although both HM King Carol the second recognized Mircea-Grigore as lawful son (by means of a letter sent to his wife from the battlefield) and Vaida Voievod (the Prime Minister of the time – by means of a declaration published in the most important newspaper “Epoca”), HRH Prince Carol Mircea-Grigore of Romania was forced to fight his entire life in order to prove his royal origin. A fight that was not necessary – sustain well-known Romanian and foreign historians.
Well-educated, a polyglot (the prince was fluent in six languages), highly appreciated by those close to him, HRH Prince Carol Mircea-Grigore of Romania always kept close to his heart the thought of returning to Romania. He was involved in many charities and by actively sustaining Romania abroad.
The ceremony at Cozia took place under the patronage of HRH Prince Paul of Romania and Princess Lia. Family, friends, those who had the chance of meeting HRH Prince Carol Mircea-Grigore of Romania, officials, all wanted to pay their respect to the one they referred to as “a very special man, who’s most important virtue was the love for his native country despite the misfortunes it brought on him”.
The ceremony at Cozia Monastery fulfilled a part of HRH Prince Carol Mircea-Grigore of Romania last wish: being buried on Romanian soil. The other part of his wish – lying next to his father at Curtea de Arges – will be fulfilled by his family.
The Foundation of Mircea the Ancient date from 1388: " so it was My will in the name of the sainted and redeeming Trinity, and i alone have nuilt the monastery in the place called Nucet..." And his portrait, on the panel reserved for the Founder, can be seen in all its majesty on the wall at the right of the narthex of the big church, clothed in mediaeval costume holding the miniature of the monastery in his hand and, standing beside his son whom he later associated to the throne. This portrait is painted also on other votive panels in the precincts of the monastery: in the northern chapel and in the monastery's hospice («Bolnita»).
Mircea died at the beginning of 1418, at the princely residence of Arges, he was brought to Cozia and buried in a sarcophagus resembling those which were, at that time, highly favored in the Occidental countries, and an ornamented gravestone was set upon the tomb: this gravestone was impaired during the 1916-1918 foreign occupation and - through the care of the diocese of Rimnic - it was replaced in 1938 with a new tombstone upon which the following inscription was engraved: "Here lies Mircea, prince of Wallachia. passed away in the year 1418."
Next to the tomb of the great Voevode, there is another tomb: that of the mother of Michael the Brave, who took the veil in 1601 at Cozia under the name of nun Teofana. She died in 1605 and over her grave, a tombstone was set witch can be seen to this day and witch bears the following inscription:” Here rests the nun Teofan, mother of the deceased Mihai Voevode, whose daughter princess Florica and his son Nicolae Voievode took it to heart and had (her name) engraved under the reign of Radu Voievode 7114”.
