The last ruler of the Principality of Moldavia, Grigore Alexandru Ghyka, has finally returned home, 170 years after his death.

Ceremonie Grigore Alexandru Ghyka (Foto: presidency.ro)

Vlad Palcu,
21.12.2025, 14:00

Today’s Sunday Show features a special interview with Mihai Ghyka, great-grandson of Grigore Alexandru Ghyka V, the last ruler of Moldavia. The conversation highlights the repatriation of the prince’s remains, more than 170 years after his exile in France.

Mihai Ghyka recalls how the initiative began, the support received from Romanian and French authorities, and the crucial role of the Gendarmerie, an institution founded by his ancestor. The interview revisits Grigore Ghyka’s bold reforms—from abolishing censorship and the death penalty to introducing compulsory education and freeing the last enslaved Roma. Listeners will also discover the cultural and spiritual legacy he left behind, as well as the emotion of the ceremonies that welcomed his coffin to Iași.

A tribute to memory, patriotism and the values that shaped modern Romania.