Details of Ileana's elopement revealed

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October 29, 1927

The New York Times is exclusively reporting on the details of Princess Ileana's elopement with a Roumanian naval lieutenant. Although the original reports of the elopement were denied by the palace in Bucharest, reports reaching Vienna from Warna, Bulgaria,a port on the Black Sea, confirm the elopement story.
Despite the denials, Princess Ileana "actually did attempt an elopement" with a naval lieutenant named Paius, who escaped to Warna.

Roumania demanded Paius' extradition, but Bulgaria refused because "there is nothing in conventions between the two nations compelling delivery of military deserters."

Queen Marie was responsible for breaking up her daughter's love affair with Paius, who is described as 35 years old and already married.

The story "told from Warna is that the queen mother had [Paius] removed from Bucharest and ordered to sea duty at the time of the motorboat incident when the Princess was caught in a storm and rescued by a German steamer."

The couple made a second attempt to elope to Constantinople and the pair made it as far as Warna, but Queen Marie succeeded in getting her daughter returned to Roumanian territory, where she was eventually taken to Sinaia, where Ileana is "now under surveillance."

The Prime Minister Bratiano first denied the episode, but then forced Queen Marie "to take Ileana in an open motor through the streets of Bucharest" to show the public "that no further scandal had been perpetrated by a member of the royal family."