Queen Marie of Romania spoke to the Associated Press concerning the morganatic marriage of her son, Carol, and other matters. The interview was conducted in Bucharest on April 1.
The Queen blamed German agents for arranging her son, Crown Prince Carol's marriage to Romanian commoner Zizi Lambrino. "It was German agents who maneuvered and brought the marriage of my son Carol."
She requested the meeting with the Associated Press correspondent to counter the "many untrue reports" of the actions of herself and King Ferdinand, who "were abroad at the time, and who, she declared, had been pictured as tearing asunder a loving couple."
"I am convinced that this was not a case of true love," said Queen Marie. "I have never seen the girl, but she succeeded in capturing the affection of Carol. She is intelligent and ambitious. She saw her chance to obtain a great advantage, and she took it.
"However, it was against the public policy of the country to have a member of the royal family intermarry locally and thus become mixed in party intrigues. It was against this that the country sought a foreign king.
"I begged my son to consider these facts and he promised to forego his personal wishes for the benefit of the country. Nevertheless, the marriage took place at Odessa, aided by the Germans, Later it was annulled as illegal, under both the laws of Roumania and of old Russia, as no banns were published.
"Later Carol joined his regiment, which he was compelled to do under military discipline, and went to Budapest with our army. Associated with patriotic Roumanians, he saw his duty and realized how foolish he had been to lose his country for a girl. Lately, he has accepted a mission to Japan, where he will stay for six months. Should the girl marry another person, the affair will be ended."
Queen Marie aspires to be the "mother of the country rather than a royal personage." She is considered "a tireless worker" for the interests of the Romanian people. She is always "cheerful and brave," even during the "darkest hour of their history."
"My English blood kept up my courage when we retired to Jassy. There I opposed the peace which we finally were compelled to make. I was for sticking it out to the bitter end. Before I had to leave our capital I suffered the terrible grief of losing my youngest child. We had many dark hours in Jassy, cut off from our allies. With the bolsheviki operating in Russia, we felt like shipwrecked persons on a desert island."
Queen Marie remains very practical. "That is why I am interested in the reconstruction of Roumania. I am sure that anyone who invests money here will get a return with a handsome profit. We have several loans offered to us and we would accept them if the conditions were reasonable and we could adopt methods of payment, such as our oil and timber. Our pockets are empty now because the national treasury is deposited in Russia, as well as the crown jewels.
"Roumania may treat with the bolsheviki, following the example of our allies, but it will be impossible for me to feel kindly toward those who murdered members of my mother's family and Emperor Nicholas. Why did not Emperor William stipulate in the Brest-Litovsk treaty for the safety of the czar?
"I have many friends in America. An American visit will open for me a new horizon, and I shall be able to gauge the women's movement. This war has advanced the power of women. She can never go back. I say this without being an ardent or violent feminist. I never wish to vote myself, but I have sympathized with those who think that they can be useful to their country in that way."
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