The Republic of Romania has re-established the old royal crown as a symbol in several of the state’s institutions; this went into effect from 1 January this year. The most significant change is the nation’s coat of arms. The crown will also be present on all the nation’s coins and banknotes printed from 2018. All other graphics and security features will remain unchanged on the new banknotes and coins. The coins and banknotes will gradually enter into circulation and will run in parallel with the old ones.

The changes in the shield have brought up a discussion about if the changes are correct. The Romanian royalists are not happy with the changes, but describe the move as “a partial victory.”

The monarchist organisation in Romania is not happy about the use of the crown. Tudor Vişan-Miu, leader of the Romanian royal association “Alianţa Naţională pentru Restaurarea Monarhiei” says to Royal Central that he regards this as only a partial victory. Royal Central’s Europe Correspondent Oskar Aanmoen asked Mr Vişan-Miu what he and the Romanian royalists thought about the change in the coat of arms. Mr Vişan-Miu replied:

“We, the National Alliance for the Restoration of Monarchy, supported the idea that Romania should restore the royal coat of arms entirely, as all former Communist countries did. Thus, a new law was proposed on April 26, 2016, restoring the 1923 coat of arms entirely in its middle version The Romanian Senate passed in on December 22, 2016, but the Chamber of Deputies rejected it on 19 April 2017, thus ending our hopes of restoring the former coat of arms entirely. The fact that the Steel Crown was reintroduced in our coat of arms is a partial victory, we hoped for more, but now it is too late to make any changes.”

Mr Vişan-Miu also adds: “According to the provisions of Article 3 of the coat of arms law from 1992, maintained today, all Romanians institutions, schools and embassies have to display the current Romanian coat of arms, change that some of them already made. Also, the Romanian presidency was the first to change its logo, which now includes the Steel Crown.”

The coat of arms of Romania is based on the Lesser Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Romania. Until 1 January this year, the coat of arms did not have the crown that was initially in that coat of arms used when Romania was a monarchy.

In April 2016, deputies of the Judiciary Committee endorsed a bill voted previously by the Senate that returns the crown on the head of the eagle. This law was adopted by the Chamber of Deputies on 8 June 2016 and promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis on 11 July 2016. So this did not happen as a result of His Majesty King Michael of Romania’s death in December 2016.

The Steel Crown of Romania was forged in Bucharest of the steel of a cannon captured by the Romanian Army from the Ottomans during its War of Independence. Carol I chose steel, and not gold, to symbolise the bravery of the Romanian soldiers. The Crown was used in the proclamation of Romania as a kingdom in 1881 and two coronations.

The National Alliance for the Restoration of Monarchy (Alianţa Naţională pentru Restaurarea Monarhiei), was founded in 2012 and is the primary monarchist organisation in Romania. Their leader Tudor Vişan-Miu says to Royal Central: “In most of our actions and initiatives we consult with the staff of the Royal House of Romania and the members of the Royal Family.”