Another Prince President?

From the royal palace in Bucharest, HRH Prince Radu Duda, son-in-law of HM King Michael I, announced that he will be running for President of Romania this fall as an independent candidate. The King's daughter, HRH Crown Princess Margarita, was standing beside her husband when he made the announcement but one has to wonder what the King thinks about this. Considering the history of Prince Radu this is not that shocking of a development, except perhaps that it might be surprising for him to think he has the slightest chance of winning. Is it a publicity stunt? If so, it is a poor one. Although King Michael is well respected in Romania and has been given official recognition by the government as a former head-of-state, fewer than 20% of Romanians say they would be in favor of a restoration of the monarchy (which means 80%+ need to have their minds changed). Especially when Czar Simeon II of Bulgaria was in the news for running for Prime Minister some asked King Michael if he had any such plans. The King, unlike his fellow child-monarch in Bulgaria, said he had no desire to enter politics though if the Romanian public asked him to resume his throne he would be more than happy to do so.

It is unfortunate that the Romanian Royal Family has been the subject of so many controversies and public squabbles and so on. King Michael has been, from first to last, an exemplary monarch and a true example of royal leadership. However, as I have stated before, I cannot share any hope that IF Prince Radu wins the election (God knows how) it would somehow better the chances of a restoration of the monarchy. It certainly did not happen in Bulgaria and the only example that comes to mind of a president becoming a monarch is the rather unique case of Emperor Napoleon III. I cannot shake the feeling that any royal (and I use the term kindly with Radu Duda) is lowering their dignity by involvement in politics. That is not to say I want the monarchs out of government; I wish they had more power in government, but I don't like them involving themselves in the political fray. It makes me long for the days when monarchs would have considered such things as plucking a crown from the gutter.