Crown & Chronicle:

Romania’s Royal Women Reimagined

Last week, the Romanian Cultural Institute in London concluded a vibrant and eventful October with the launch of Alta Ifland’s historical novel "Two Queens and a Chronicler" at Wembley Library.

The event opened with a warm welcome by Library and Outreach Officer Mollie Aldridge, followed by Councillor Teo Benea, representing Brent Council, who spoke about the importance of bringing Romanian cultural events closer to the local community — a large and active Romanian diaspora proudly calling Brent home 🇷🇴❤️.

A captivating conversation between the author and RCI London Director Aura Woodward then unfolded, accompanied by readings from the book. Together, they explored the novel’s inspirations, the two queens’ legacy and identity negotiations in their adoptive country and a male-dominated world, and the fascinating interplay between history, imagination, and the role of the chronicler — observer or manipulator of narrative?

The evening brought together enthusiastic readers, authors, and historians who enjoyed the insightful discussion and took home signed copies of the book. We were delighted to welcome among our guests Romina Hamzeu, London-based Romanian author, and Floria Teleman, founder of Autograph Romania, a platform promoting Romanian writers in the UK.

A heartfelt thank you to the amazing author Alta Ifland ! Gratitude to the fantastic Wembley Library team, especially Georgeta Maierean, Library and Outreach Officer at Brent Libraries, for their invaluable support and collaboration in making this evening a success.