Editing Michael I of Romania (section)

==Later years==
[[File:Mănăstirea Sâmbăta King Mihai I.jpg|thumb|Fresco of King Michael I on the walls of [[Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery|Sâmbăta Monastery]]]]
[[File:King Michael I of Romania by Emanuel Stoica.jpg|thumb|Michael I in [[Alba Iulia]], 2007]]
Michael neither encouraged nor opposed monarchist agitation in Romania and royalist parties have made little impact in post-communist Romanian politics. He took the view that the restoration of the monarchy in Romania can only result from a decision by the Romanian people. "If the people want me to come back, of course, I will come back," he said in 1990. "Romanians have had enough suffering imposed on them to have the right to be consulted on their future." King Michael's belief was that there is still a role for, and value in, the monarchy today: "We are trying to make people understand what the Romanian monarchy was, and what it can still do [for them]."<ref>[http://www.ziua.ro/display.php?id=209809&data=2006-10-25 "King Mihai I Turns 85] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508230504/http://www.ziua.ro/display.php?id=209809&data=2006-10-25 |date=8 May 2016 }}", ''[[Ziua]]'', 25 October 2006</ref>

According to a 2007 opinion poll conducted at the request of the Romanian royal family, only 14% of Romanians were in favour of the restoration of the monarchy.<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20090315181925/http://www.cotidianul.ro/pnl_monarhia_salveaza_basescu_mania-56647.html "NLP: Monarchy saves Basescu-mania"] ("[[National Liberal Party (Romania)|PNL]]: Monarhia salvează [[Traian Băsescu|Băsescu]]-mania"), [[Cotidianul]], 31 August 2008</ref><!--Quote: "Potrivit unei cercetări sociologice realizată în 2007 la comanda Casei Regale, doar 14% dintre români ar fi de acord cu reinstaurarea monarhiei." Translation: "According to a sociology research study carried out in 2007 at the request of the Royal House, only 14% of the Romanians would agree with the restoration of the monarchy.--> Another 2008 poll found that only 16% of Romanians are monarchists.<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20090315181915/http://www.cotidianul.ro/monarhia_dorita_de_doar_16_din_populatie-58787.html "Monarchy: desired by only 16% of the population"] ("Monarhia, dorită de doar 16% din populaţie"), [[Cotidianul]], 21 September 2008</ref> Michael himself, however, was shown to be much more popular personally with the Romanian people: In a July 2013 survey, 45% of Romanians had a good or very good opinion of Michael, with 6.5% thinking the opposite. The royal family also enjoyed similar numbers, with 41% having a good or very good opinion of it, and just 6.5% having a poor or very poor one.<ref>[http://www.ziare.com/alegeri/sondaj/41-la-suta-dintre-romani-ar-vota-pentru-mentinerea-republicii-27-2-la-suta-ar-alege-monarhia-inscop-1248839 41% dintre romani ar vota pentru mentinerea republicii, 27,2% ar alege monarhia – INSCOP]. Retrieved 2 August 2013.</ref>

Michael undertook some quasi-diplomatic roles on behalf of post-communist Romania. In 1997 and 2002 he toured Western Europe, lobbying for Romania's admission into [[NATO]] and the [[European Union]], and was received by heads of state and government officials.

In December 2003, to the "stupefaction of the public opinion in Romania",<ref name="VIP">[https://web.archive.org/web/20090223131455/http://www.evz.ro/articole/detalii-articol/636756/The-Watchtower-The-king-and-the-jester/ "The Watchtower: The king and the jester"]. [[Evenimentul Zilei]], 18 December 2003</ref><ref>{{in lang|ro}} ?[https://web.archive.org/web/20120730034932/http://www.adevarul.ro/cultura/Adrian-Nastase-premiul-Regelui-Mihai_0_75594618.html "Adrian Nastase received his prize from King Michael's hand], [[Adevarul]], 17 December 2003</ref> <!--Quote:"alaturarea acestor personaje altundeva decat pe campul de lupta al politicii pare intrucatva desprinsa dintr-o poveste suprarealista." Translation: "The joining together of these two characters elsewhere than on the battle field of politics seems somewhat torn out of a surreal story."-->  Michael awarded the "Man of The Year 2003"<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071016151802/http://princeradu.ro/index.php?page=articol&aid=292&cid=132&cid2=146 "100 %"]. Talk Show on Realitatea TV, Prince Radu's website, 12 April 2004</ref> prize to Prime Minister [[Adrian Năstase]], leader of the [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democratic Party]] (PSD), on behalf of the [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid]] ''VIP''.<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [http://www.revistavip.net/Publicitate/ VIP – Advertising] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723062951/http://www.revistavip.net/Publicitate/ |date=23 July 2008 }}, [http://www.revistavip.net/ The "VIP" website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913074648/http://www.revistavip.net/ |date=13 September 2008 }} as of 22 July 2008</ref><!--Quote: "FORMAT REVISTA *Tabloid". Translation: "Magazine format *Tabloid"--> The daily ''[[Evenimentul Zilei]]'' subsequently complained that 'such an activity was unsuited to a king and that Michael was wasting away his prestige', with the majority of the political analysts 'considering his gesture as a fresh abdication'.<ref name="VIP" /><!-- Quote: "A number of analysts saw it as a sign of normality, while the majority considered the gesture as a fresh abdication."-->

On 10 May 2007, King Michael received the [[Prague Society for International Cooperation]] and {{ill|Global Panel Foundation|de}}'s 6th Annual [[Hanno R. Ellenbogen Citizenship Award]], previously awarded to [[Vladimir Ashkenazy]], [[Madeleine Albright]], [[Václav Havel]], [[George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen|Lord Robertson]], and [[Miloš Forman]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120219032616/http://www.globalpanel.org/english/charity/HRE_infopage.html "Hanno R. Ellenbogen Citizenship Award"], www.globalpanel.org</ref> On 8 April 2008, King Michael and [[Patriarch Daniel of Romania|Patriarch Daniel]] were elected as honorary members of the [[Romanian Academy]].<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [http://www.familiaregala.ro/?id2=02020214&lng= Communique], [http://www.familiaregala.ro/ The Royal Family website], 8 April 2008</ref><ref>{{in lang|ro}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20080220145453/http://antena3.ro/Patriarhul-Daniel-si-Regele-Mihai-au-devenit-membri-ai-Academiei-Romane_clt_43452_ext.html Patriarch Daniel and King Michael have become members of the Romanian Academy], [[Antena 3 (Romania)|Antena 3]], 19 December 2007</ref>

Michael participated in the [[2010 Moscow Victory Day Parade|Victory Parade]] in Moscow in 2010 as the only living Supreme Commander-in-Chief of a European State in the [[Second World War]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.familiaregala.ro/stiri/articol/regele-mihai-la-moscova|title=Regele Mihai la Moscova|access-date=22 December 2016|archive-date=8 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208141024/http://www.familiaregala.ro/stiri/articol/regele-mihai-la-moscova|url-status=dead}}</ref> The name of Michael I is listed on the memorial in the [[Grand Kremlin Palace]] as one of only 20 recipients of the [[Order of Victory]].

In old age, Michael enjoyed a strong revival in popularity. On 25 October 2011, on the occasion of his 90th birthday, he delivered a speech before the assembled chambers of the Romanian Parliament.<ref name="Grdn" />  An opinion poll in January 2012 placed him as the most trusted public figure in Romania, far ahead of the political leaders.<ref>[http://www.nineoclock.ro/romanians-have-the-highest-confidence-in-king-mihai-i Romanians Have the Highest Confidence in King Mihai I] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226175350/http://www.nineoclock.ro/romanians-have-the-highest-confidence-in-king-mihai-i/ |date=26 February 2015 }}. nineoclock.ro.</ref> Later, in October 2012, celebrating Michael's 91st birthday, a square in Bucharest was renamed after him.<ref>[http://www.romania-insider.com/bucharest-square-to-be-named-after-romanias-king-michael-on-his-91st-birthday/67580/ Bucharest square to be named after Romania's King Michael on his 91st birthday] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026093046/http://www.romania-insider.com/bucharest-square-to-be-named-after-romanias-king-michael-on-his-91st-birthday/67580/ |date=26 October 2012 }}. Retrieved 25 October 2012.</ref>

On 1 August 2016, he became a widower when Queen Anne died at the age of 92.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/08/01/queen-anne-of-romania--obituary/|title=Queen Anne of Romania – obituary|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=August 2016|access-date=22 December 2016}}</ref>

=== Health issues ===
On 2 March 2016, the Royal Council announced King Michael's retirement from public life;<ref>{{cite web|author=Nume * |url=https://radioromaniacultural.ro/30-decembrie-1947-regele-mihai-i-al-romaniei-este-fortat-sa-abdice/ |title=30 decembrie 1947 – Regele Mihai I al României este forțat să abdice &#124; Radio România Cultural |publisher=Radioromaniacultural.ro |date=23 August 1944 |access-date=5 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.familiaregala.ro/conferinte/articol/declaratia-consiliului-regal-2-martie-2016 |title=Declarația Consiliului Regal, 2 martie 2016 |work=Romanian Royal Family |date=2 March 2016 |access-date=2 March 2016 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303080752/http://www.familiaregala.ro/conferinte/articol/declaratia-consiliului-regal-2-martie-2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> with tasks assumed by Crown Princess [[Margareta of Romania|Margareta]], his daughter. After surgery, Michael was diagnosed with chronic [[leukemia]] and metastatic [[squamous-cell carcinoma|epidermoid carcinoma]] and faced a complex and lengthy treatment.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gandul.info/stiri/grav-bolnav-regele-mihai-se-retrage-din-viata-publica-15094256 |title=Grav bolnav, Regele Mihai SE RETRAGE din viaţa publică |work=Gândul |author=Andrei Luca Popescu |date=2 March 2016}}</ref>

In June 2017, the Royal House stated in a press release that "His Majesty's health is fragile but stable. King Michael is quiet, has soulful appreciation and appreciates the care of his medical team. Along with the King, they are permanently employed by His Majesty's House, detached in Switzerland, and two Orthodox nuns."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.europafm.ro/casa-regala-starea-de-sanatate-a-regelui-mihai-este-fragila-dar-stabila/ | title=Casa Regală: Starea de sănătate a Regelui Mihai este fragilă, dar stabilă | date=27 June 2017 }}</ref>

At the end of August 2017, the Royal House announced that King Michael was "in a fragile but balanced state, and has a good mood," stating that [[Princess Elena of Romania|Princess Elena]] had completed a visit to Switzerland for a few days to see her father, at the private residence. According to the Royal House, Michael remained "daily under close supervision of physicians, medical staff of various specialties, and in the presence of devoted members of the staff of His Majesty's House, stationed in Switzerland." Two Orthodox nuns, detached from the Romanian Orthodox Church, remained at the private residence.<ref>{{cite web |author=Nume * |url=https://radioromaniacultural.ro/portret-regele-mihai-i-implineste-96-de-ani/ |title=PORTRET: Regele Mihai I împlineşte 96 de ani. &#124; Radio România Cultural |publisher=Radioromaniacultural.ro |access-date=5 December 2017 |archive-date=26 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026122757/https://radioromaniacultural.ro/portret-regele-mihai-i-implineste-96-de-ani/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>