Little king has a cold

December 11, 1927

Child king Michael of Roumania "has been confined to bed for eleven days" with a severe cold, according to the Associated Press. He is a very unhappy little boy because he cannot play in the snow with his American sled, "which he loves more than his dog or his kite." Little Michael has complained that he cannot play in the snow like other little boys his age, which he would rather be doing than "wield the scepter as reigning sovereign over 17,000,000 people."

His mother, Princess Helen, has promised that there will be a visit from Santa and he will have a "big Christmas with many toys." This promise has "induced the blue-eyed tousle-haired monarch" to swallow the bitter-tasting cough medicine, "which is always followed with a lump of sugar."

Princess Helen has said she is not happy with "repeated requests from American and other foreign newspapers" for photographs and interviews with the young king. She has decided that King Michael will appear in public only on May 10, which is Roumania's National day.

"I have been obliged to decline all requests for interviews or photographs," Princess Helen said in a statement. "It seems to be that it is not keeping with the dignity or position as King to allow Mihai (Michael) to be advertised to the world as a curiosity by newspaper articles and photographs."

Helen "described as pure fiction recent quoted interviews" with her son.