Celebration of Princess Marie of Edinburgh,

Queen of Romania (1875-1938)

EXHIBITION | TALK | THEATRE

EDINBURGH 2-4 JULY, 2025

We were thrilled to launch our 👑 QueenMarie150 programme in Scotland.

We proudly opened Her Royal Highness Princess Sophie of Romania’s photography exhibition, “Of Stone and Steel: A Voyage into the World of Urbex”, at the French Institute. Distinguished photographic artist and great-granddaughter of Queen Marie, Princess Sophie, honoured us with her presence for a memorable evening in front of a warm and welcoming audience. Among our attendees, we were pleased to welcome Stéphane Pailler, Consul of France in Scotland, and Amy McNeese-Mechan, City Councillor for the Leith Walk Ward.

The exciting series of events in the Scottish capital continued with Dr. Shona Kallestrup’s talk at the National Library of Scotland.

Hosted by the National Library of Scotland, the evening welcomed Dr. Shona Kallestrup, professor of art history at the University of St Andrews, who gave a fascinating talk on Romania’s Writer-Queen. A refined connoisseur and great friend of Romania, Dr. Kallestrup drew from Queen Marie’s books held in the National Library’s collection.

The evening was opened by RCI London Director Aura Woodward and included a heartfelt keynote address from Her Royal Highness Princess Sophie of Romania, the great-granddaughter of Queen Marie.

Queen Marie (1875–1938), born a British princess and later Queen of Romania, was a diplomatic powerhouse during WWI and the Paris Peace Conference. Celebrated as the Mother of all the Romanians, she was also internationally renowned for her literary talent and mastery of public image.

At the French Institute in Edinburgh, we concluded our series marking 150 years since the birth of Queen Marie of Romania with a captivating reading performance that brought history to life.

👑 Staged in partnership with the Consulate General of Romania in Edinburgh/ Consulatul General al României la Edinburgh, this third and final event in our Scotland programme paid homage to Queen Marie through the words of her wartime diaries - intimate, powerful reflections written during the darkest days of WWI. These pages reveal not only the queen’s pain and courage but also her fierce devotion to Romania’s cause and her key role in shaping United Romania.

Brilliantly performed by London-based Romanian actress Bianca Topor, directed by Ema Nicola from a dramatisation by Cristian Luchian and Anca Doczi, the evening offered a striking character study of a passionate monarch tested by war and redeemed through resilience.

Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Queen Marie of Romania’s birth, organised by the Romanian Cultural Institute in London in partnership with the Consulate General of Romania in Edinburgh

Photography Bryan Robertson