Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, alongside Prince Radu, received on Wednesday at Elisabeta Palace a delegation of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR) led by its president Mihai Covaliu, who presented the Olympic Excellence Order to the Romanian Royal House on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of its founding.

'The awarding of this Olympic excellence distinction is a tribute to the Royal House and we are proud of the Royal House's High Patronage for its essential role in promoting and strengthening national spirit, respect and excellence. The Romanian Royal House is a model for the entire Romanian society through decency, balance and a high standard of representing Romania abroad. Through the strength it has shown over time in challenging moments, the Monarchy is a benchmark of stability, decency and excellence that transcends eras,' COSR president Mihai Covaliu said after presenting the distinction in the Kings' Hall.

He underlined that for the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee and for all Romanian athletes, this strength, elegance and national spirit promoted by the Royal House transcend the challenges of the times and serve as a source of inspiration.

'As a nation, we have the moral duty to strengthen faith in Romania, reaffirm Romanian values and inspire. Through everything we do, we have the responsibility to honour the memory of our predecessors and carry their dream forward, looking towards the future and towards our children, who live in today's Romania and must know the sacrifices of those who came before them. They carry the duty to continue this legacy for a future we firmly believe in here, in our country, beyond a present that is merely a period of transformation and evolution,' Covaliu said.

The COSR president thanked the Royal House 'for its unconditional support, for the immense support coming from the heart'.

'We know this support comes from the heart and for this allow us to thank you and bow respectfully before you,' Mihai Covaliu added.

In his welcoming address, Prince Radu highlighted the indissoluble bond between the Romanian Royal House and Romanian Olympism.

'Her Majesty and I are very happy that we can spend this afternoon together close to the May 10 celebration, which this year brought us a beautiful anniversary, I would dare say a shared one. Because the 160 years of the Royal House do not overlap exactly with the age of Romanian Olympism, institutionally recognised somewhat later, but such recognition could not have happened had your ancestors and ours not come together in the final decades of the 19th century, in the 1800s, to lay the foundations of so many sports that are today our pride and the pride of contemporary society,' Prince Radu said.

He underlined the role of the 1866 Constitution, 'on which we still rely today', in building modern Romania.

'So it can be said that our 160th anniversary is not only an anniversary of the Crown. It is an anniversary of the entire nation, which was born as modern history in that year, when King Carol I and the Romanian Parliament adopted in July a Constitution on which we still rely today. It is said that the fundamental law of 1866, promulgated in July, formed the basis of Romania's successive constitutions, including the current one to a proportion of at least 70%. This only shows that the vision of those people from the middle of the 19th century was not only extraordinary, but also durable. It is on that foundation that we stand today as members of the European Union and NATO and as proud members of all international organisations, such as the global Olympic movement,' the Prince stated.

Recalling that all generations of the Royal Family had over the years had 'the joy of standing beside' Romanian Olympians, Prince Radu referred to King Michael as 'the finest example'.

'And perhaps the finest example is your former patron, King Michael, who was granted by God such a long life that it encompassed so many faces of 20th century Romania. The interwar period, when your predecessors brought Romania its first medals; the Cold War years, when the King stood before a closed door for 50 years without losing either his smile or his hope; and this effervescent post-1990 era, when the first Romanian athletes travelled to Versoix, when they were not really allowed to do so, to see him and tell him they had not forgotten him; and of course our years, when he stood by your side with such joy on every occasion, closely followed by Her Majesty, the Custodian of the Romanian Crown, who carries his torch forward in this beautiful bond with our family, the family of Romanian Olympism,' Prince Radu said.

The Olympic Excellence Order is an honorary distinction established in 2020 by the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee at the proposal of president Mihai Covaliu.

The distinction rewards individuals, institutions or organisations that have made major contributions and shown outstanding merit in supporting and promoting the Olympic Movement.

Among the personalities and institutions honoured over time are former athlete Ilie Floroiu (the first laureate, in 2022), the Romanian Boxing Federation (on its centenary in 2026), Valeria Racila van Groningen, Marius Urzica, coach Artur Hoffmann, Ovidiu Garbacea and Filip Stoica. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Popescu; EN - writing by: Simona Iacob)