Editing Carol II of Romania (section)

==Controversies surrounding Magda Lupescu==
The marriage soon collapsed in the wake of Carol's affair with [[Magda Lupescu|Elena (Magda) Lupescu]] (1895–1977), the Roman Catholic daughter of Jewish parents who had converted to Christianity. Magda Lupescu had formerly been the wife of Army officer Ion Tâmpeanu. The [[National Liberal Party (Romania, 1875)|National Liberal Party]], which dominated Romania's politics, made much of Carol's relationship with Lupescu argue that he was unqualified to be king. One of the leading figures of the National Liberals was Prince [[Barbu Știrbey]] – who was also Queen Marie's lover, and Carol had a strong dislike of Știrbey, who had humiliated his father via his indiscreetly disguised relationship with Marie, and hence of the National Liberals.{{sfn|Herman|2009|p=266}} Knowing that Carol was ill-disposed towards them, the National Liberals waged a sustained campaign to keep him from the throne.{{sfn|Bucur|2007|pp=96–97}} The campaign waged by the National Liberals had less to do with disgust with Carol's relationship with Madame Lupescu than with an effort to remove a potential "loose cannon", as Carol made it clear when he succeeded to the throne that he would not be content to let the National Liberals dominate politics in the way that the previous Hohenzollern kings had.{{sfn|Bucur|2007|pp=96–97}}

As a result of the scandal, Carol renounced his right to the throne on December 28, 1925, in favor of his son by Crown Princess Helen, [[Michael of Romania|Michael I]] (Mihai), who became king in July 1927 upon the death of his paternal grandfather, [[Ferdinand I of Romania|King Ferdinand I]]. Helen divorced Carol in 1928. After renouncing his right to the throne, Carol moved to Paris, where he lived openly in a common-law relationship with Madame Lupescu.{{sfn|Bucur|2007|p=97}} The National Liberal Party was largely a vehicle for the powerful Brătianu family to exercise power and, after the National Liberal prime minister [[Ion I. C. Brătianu]] died in 1927, the Brătianu's were unable to agree upon a successor, causing the fortunes of the National Liberals to go into decline.{{sfn|Bucur|2007|p=98}} In the 1928 elections, the National Peasant Party under [[Iuliu Maniu]] won a resounding victory, taking 78% of the vote.{{sfn|Bucur|2007|p=98}} As Prince [[Prince Nicholas of Romania|Nicolae]], the chief of the Regency Council that governed for King Michael, was known to be friendly with the National Liberals, the new prime minister was determined to dispose of the regency council by bringing back Carol.{{sfn|Bucur|2007|p=98}}