Thousands attend garden party at Elisabeta Palace in spite of rain

Thousands of guests from all the counties of Romania and the Republic of Moldova on Friday attended a traditional garden party at Elisabeta Palace in spite of the rain, alongside Custodian of the Romanian Crown Margareta, Prince Radu, Princess Elena, Alexander Philips Nixon, Princess Sofia and Princess Maria. Like every year, members of the royal family greeted the invitees from the palace's balcony, then went down to talk to them. "Long live the Queen!" and "Long live Queen Margareta!" was shouted. Attending the party were representatives of rural and urban communities, dignitaries, local public administration officials, civil society and business leaders, teachers, pupils and students, representatives of the Romanian armed forces, the church and members of the diplomatic corps accredited in Bucharest. Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Romania Andrew James Noble, ambassador of the Republic of Moldova Mihai Gribincea, Deputy Prime Minister Ana Birchall, PNL Senator Iulia Scantei, as well as journalists Bogdan Chirieac and Ion M Ionita were also among the guests. The Romanian Army brass orchestra staged a concert during the party. Also present were representatives of the 30th Mihai Viteazul Guard Brigade and the Mounted Gendarmerie. At 18:30hrs, the Carol I Central University Library Hall was scheduled to host a Macedonian-Romanian Cultural Society gala, where a "Macedonian-Romanian 1880 Album" was to be launched in the presence of Princess Elena and Alexander Philips Nixon. In the first part of the day, Margareta and Radu laid a wreath at King Carol I statue in Piata Palatului Regal to mark May 10, Monarchy Day. Day 10 May was declared a national holiday in Romania under Law 103/2015. According to the piece of legislation, on that day Parliament, the President of Romania, the government and other central and local public administrations organise cultural and artistic events marking the anniversary. May 10 was a national holiday in Romania when Romania was a kingdom. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Popescu, editor: Florin Marin; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)