On 5 December 2017, Michael I, King of Romania from 1927 to 1930 and 1940 to 1947, died at his private residence in Switzerland at the age of 96, in the presence of his youngest daughter Princess Maria.

[1][2][3] On 13 December at 11:00 am, King Michael I's coffin, draped by his Royal Standard, was brought back to Romania, arriving at the Otopeni Airport in Bucharest from Lausanne, via Payerne Air Base, escorted by his second daughter, Princess Elena with her husband Alexander Nixon, fourth daughter Princess Sophie and also members of the Royal Household, were transported by the Romanian Air Force's Alenia C-27J Spartan Military Plane, which was flanked by four Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Military Combat Jets.

[6] Michael was buried on 16 December with full state honours in the Mausoleum of the Royal Family, on the grounds of the Curtea de Argeș Cathedral together his wife, Queen Anne, who died in 2016.

[8] Important Romanian politicians, including President Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Mihai Tudose, former President Ion Iliescu, as well as Liviu Dragnea, Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu, Gabriela Firea, Victor Ponta, Ludovic Orban, Dacian Cioloș, Adrian Năstase, Vasile Dîncu and Victor Ciorbea, participated in the funeral or expressed their condolences.

[18] Candu also proposed for 16 December to be declared a day of national mourning in Moldova, but President Igor Dodon refused, arguing that "King Michael led another state", but expressed his condolences.