Royal House announces Queen-Mother Elena re-burial funerals, mourning for 18, 19 and 20 October

Queen-Mother Elena's remains are going to be brought home, to Romania, so to be re-buried at Curtea de Arges, alongside her son King Mihai I, the Royal Family announces, scheduling a mourning period of three days on 18, 19 and 20 October.

"As of today, all of those who wish to lit a candle and lay wreaths in tribute to Queen-Mother Elena may do that in front of the Elisabeta Palace in Bucharest or at Curtea de Arges, in front of the New Archiepiscopal and Royal Cathedral. Her Majesty Margareta asks all of those who will bring their homage to only choose white flowers, as a tribute to Queen-Mother Elena," a release by the Royal House sent on Sunday to AGERPRES, says.

According to the source, an airship of the Romanian Air Forces with the coffin bearing Queen Elena's remains will touch down on 18 October at the Henri Coanda-Otopeni International Airport where a military and religious ceremony will take place, attended by the Romanian Crown Custodian Margareta, members of the Royal Family, representatives of the Romanian state, of the Romanian Orthodox Church and of other confessions and religions in Romania, of the Romanian Army, of the diplomatic corps, with no access for the large public.

The Royal Family adds that as of 11 October a condolence book to stay put until 21 October, will be open at the Elisabeta Palace. Messages of condolence could be also written at www.romaniaregala.ro/.

Queen Elena passed away in Lausanne, Switzerland on 29 November 1982, a period in which our country was under Ceausescu's regime. She was buried at the Boix-de-Vaud cemetery of Lausanne.