January 13, 1933
There is great rejoicing in Bulgaria today as Queen Giovanna, the wife of King Boris III, has given birth to a daughter.
The infant princess was born at 9:30 this morning, and according to the New York Times, there is "great rejoicing throughout Bulgaria."
The princess' birth was announced at 10:30 a.m., with a twenty-one-gun salute.
As soon as the first shot was heard, school teachers, "as previously instructed, instantly suspended lessons." Schoolchildren were dismissed for a "day's holiday."
Within hours, "as if by magic," thousands of flags began to appear in windows throughout Sofia. Cheering crowds began to appear outside the palace.
Today and tomorrow have been proclaimed as national holidays. Sofia's streets will be brightly illuminated tonight in honor of the princess's birth.
Although everyone had been hoping for a male heir, the birth of a princess "postpones political difficulties" that would have arisen if Giovanna had given birth to a son.
King Boris is no longer in the position of having to fulfill his promise to Pope Pius, which was made before the Pope would allow the marriage to take place. The King had agreed to raise his children as Roman Catholics, although this would decision would have caused a "serious issue" as the eldest son of the King must be Orthodox, according to the Bulgarian constitution.
It is expected that the infant princess will be baptized and raised in the Roman Catholic faith of her mother.
The name of the infant princess has not been announced.
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