Romania, Moldova in Mourning for Anne of Romania

Romanians and Moldovans observed a national day of mourning Saturday amid funeral rites for Anne of Romania, the wife of Michael, the last king of Romania.

Church bells rang around Bucharest, the Romanian capital, and hundreds turned out as Orthodox and Catholic priests held services at the city's Royal Palace. Anne's body then began its journey to the central Romanian town of Curtea de Arges, where members of the royal family are buried.

A male Orthodox choir sang in a park outside the church in Curtea de Arges ahead of the funeral, which will be a private service.

Anne died at 92 in Switzerland and her body has lain in state this week in Romania.

Anne first visited the country when she was nearly 70 and did not speak the language. Yet many here respect her for her 68-year marriage to Michael, whom she wed months after the communists forced him to abdicate in 1947.

Four of the couple's five daughters were present for funeral. Princess Irina, who was stripped of her royal title in 2013 after she was arrested with her husband for running an illegal cockfighting ring in the U.S., will not attend her mother's funeral.

Michael, 94, has cancer and is living in Switzerland. He will also not attend the funeral on the advice of doctors.