Simeon II of Bulgaria

Simeon Borisov Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (born 16 June 1937) is a Bulgarian politician who was the last Tsar of the Tsardom of Bulgaria as Simeon II (1943–1946) and served as prime minister of the Republic of Bulgaria as Simeon Sakskoburggotski (2001–2005).

Bulgaria joined the Axis Powers in 1941 during World War II, when Simeon was heir apparent to the throne. After the death of his father Boris III, Simeon became Tsar of Bulgaria in 1943. Since he was a minor, a regency council led by his uncle Kiril, Prince of Preslav, General Nikola Mihov and prime minister, Bogdan Filov ran the country on his behalf. Bulgaria lost the war to the Allied Powers and was occupied by the Soviet Union. Simeon was forced into exile in 1946 when the monarchy was abolished by referendum. Simeon lived in Egypt until Francoist Spain granted him asylum in 1951. The Soviet-installed People's Republic of Bulgaria would last until the fall of Communism in Bulgaria in 1990.

In 1996, Simeon returned to Bulgaria and founded the National Movement for Stability and Progress party (NDSV; the acronym can also be read to mean the National Movement Simeon II party). Simeon became Bulgarian prime minister after the NDSV won an absolute majority in the 2001 election. During his term in office, Bulgaria joined the United States' invasion of Iraq in 2003 and joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 2004. Simeon's party finished second in the 2005 election, and he led the party into a coalition government with the Bulgarian Socialist Party. The NDSV lost all of its seats in the 2009 election. Simeon retired from politics after this defeat.

As of 2026, Simeon and the 14th Dalai Lama are the only two people alive who were heads of state during World War II; both were symbolic monarchs in regent-led governments.

Royal history

Simeon was born to Boris III of Bulgaria and Giovanna of Italy. Following his birth, Boris III sent an air force officer to the Jordan River to obtain water for Simeon's baptism in the Orthodox faith. He succeeded to the throne on 28 August 1943 upon the death of his father, who had just returned to Bulgaria from a meeting with Adolf Hitler. Since Simeon was only six years old, his uncle Prince Kiril, Prime Minister Bogdan Filov, and Lt. General Nikola Mihov of the Bulgarian Army were appointed regents.

Under his father, Bulgaria joined the Axis powers in World War II but managed to preserve diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. Still, on 5 September 1944 Stalin declared war on Bulgaria and three days later, the Red Army entered the country without encountering resistance. On the next day, 9 September 1944, Prince Kiril and the other regents were deposed by a Soviet-backed coup and arrested. The three regents, all members of the last three governments, Parliament deputies, heads of the army and eminent journalists were sentenced to death by the Communist dominated People's Court and executed in February 1945. This referendum actually violated the Tarnovo Constitution, which held that any change in the form of the state could only be implemented by a Grand National Assembly convened by the tsar.

On 16 September 1946, the royal family was exiled from Bulgaria while given a way to take out large amount of movable property. They first went to Alexandria, Egypt, where Simeon's grandfather Victor Emmanuel III, the former king of Italy, lived in exile. There, in 1951, Simeon studied at Victoria College (along with Crown Prince Leka of Albania). In July 1951, General Francisco Franco's dictatorship in Spain granted asylum to the family. He took part in the ship tour organized by King Paul of Greece and Queen Frederica in 1954, which became known as the "Cruise of the Kings" and was attended by over 100 royals from all over Europe.

Education and business career In Madrid, Simeon studied at the Lycée Français. On 16 June 1955, upon turning 18, in accordance with the Tarnovo Constitution, Simeon read a proclamation to the Bulgarian people, claiming that he was Tsar of Bulgaria and confirming his will to be Tsar of all Bulgarians and to follow the principles contrary to those of the communist regime then ruling Bulgaria. In 1958, he enrolled at Valley Forge Military Academy and College in the United States, where he was known as "Cadet Rylski No. 6883",

Political return In 1990, just months after the fall of communism, Simeon was issued a new Bulgarian passport. In 1996, fifty years after the abolition of the monarchy, Simeon returned to Bulgaria and was met in many places by crowds of approval. He did not, at that point, make any political announcements or moves, as he had already denied in a TV interview (1990) to have any material property claims against Bulgaria.

In 2001, Simeon, who had by this time taken the name Simeon Borisov Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, announced he would return to Bulgaria to form a new political party, the National Movement Simeon II (later renamed to NMSP), dedicated to "reforms and political integrity." Simeon promised that in 800 days the Bulgarian people would feel tangible positive effects of his government and would enjoy significantly higher standards of living.

Prime minister

NMSP won a large victory in the parliamentary elections held on 17 June 2001, capturing 120 of the 240 seats in Parliament and defeating the two main pre-existing political parties. Simeon was sworn in as Prime Minister of Bulgaria on 24 July, forming a coalition with the ethnic Turkish-led party, Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). He gave ministerial positions in his government mainly to technocrats and Western-educated economic specialists. During his time in power, he received the Path to Peace Award from the Path to Peace Foundation in 2002. Bulgaria next joined NATO and joined the U.S.-led coalition against Iraq.

Subsequent political career In the 2005 elections, Simeon's party ranked second and participated in the grand coalition government led by the Bulgarian Socialist Party and including the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. Simeon was given the unofficial ceremonial post of Chairman of the Coalition Council. In the 2009 elections, the party got just 3.01% of the votes and no parliamentary seats. Shortly after, on 6 July, Simeon also resigned as NMSP leader.

Views on restoration of the Bulgarian monarchy Simeon used the title "Tsar of the Bulgarians" in his political statements during his exile. Since returning to Bulgaria, he consistently avoided revealing his views on the restoration of the Bulgarian monarchy, notwithstanding the original name of his party. Upon taking office as Prime Minister, Simeon swore to uphold the republican constitution. Otherwise he has not renounced the family's claim to any restoration of the Bulgarian monarchy.

Autobiography Simeon wrote an autobiography in French under the title Siméon II de Bulgarie, un destin singulier that was released in Bulgaria on 28 October 2014. It was first presented at the headquarters of the UNESCO in Paris on 22 October 2014.

Titles and styles 16 June 1937 – 28 August 1943: His Royal Highness The Prince of Turnovo 28 August 1943 – 15 September 1946: His Majesty The Tsar of the Bulgarians 15 September 1946 – present: His Majesty Tsar Simeon II of the Bulgarians (title of pretense and by courtesy) 24 July 2001 – 17 August 2005: His Excellency Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

In a statement published on its website on 1 May 2015, the Bulgarian Patriarchate announced that Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha will be referred to as Tsar of Bulgaria in all public and private services held in the dioceses of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Dynastic honours House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Koháry: Knight and Grand Master of the Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Koháry: Grand Master of the Royal Order of Saint Alexander Bulgarian Ministry of Defence: Collar of the Order of Justice

Foreign state and dynastic honours Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honour Two Sicilian royal family: Knight of the Royal Order of Saint Januarius Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of the Two Sicilian Royal Sacred Military Order of Saint George Knight Grand Cordon, Special Class of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of Independence Portuguese royal family: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa Russian imperial family: Knight of the Imperial Order of Saint Andrew Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece

National awards Honorary degree of the National Guards Unit of Bulgaria Jubilee badge of honour of the Bulgarian Chitalishte community

Foreign awards Paneuropean Union integration award Honorary degree of the University of Bucharest Adoptive Son of Madrid

Arms

Patronages National patronages Patron of the National day of Bulgaria