Paul Lambrino, an heir to the Romanian royal family, has refused extradition to his home country after being arrested in France last year. Lambrino was convicted on appeal for influence peddling, money laundering, and bribery in December 2020. He was accused of working with a criminal gang between 2006 and 2013 to recover properties which he claimed as heir to the Romanian royal family, including the Snagov forest and the Baneasa farm. A total of 18 people were convicted in the same case, with prosecutors estimating that Lambrino had no right to the properties.

Lambrino was arrested in France in June 2022 after fleeing his country following the sentence. In early October, he refused to be handed over to Romanian authorities, claiming that he is considered the heir of his grandfather. His father, Carol Mircea Grigore, fought hard to be recognised as the legitimate heir to Carol II, king of Romania from 1930 until his abdication in 1940 in favour of his younger son Michel I. Lambrino’s father was considered illegitimate.

The entire Romanian royal family was driven out of the country in 1947 when the country was taken over by the communists and their properties were confiscated. Lambrino, who has French, British, and Romanian nationalities, moved back to Romania in the 1990s but was never recognised as part of the royal family by his uncle Michel, who died in 2017.
Lambrino claims that he is being legally persecuted because of his claim to his family’s inheritance. His lawyer, Laurent Pasquet-Marinacce, said it is impossible to abstract themselves from the case due to its political implications.

Parts of the Romanian royal family, having endured exile during communist rule, have made attempts to reengage in Romanian politics. While largely symbolic due to Romania’s republic status, they advocate for national unity, cultural heritage, and charitable causes, seeking a role in public life. Some of them even believe that a constitutional monarchy could be created instead of the republic.