Queen Mother Ioanna; Mother of Bulgarian King

Bulgaria’s Queen Mother Ioanna, 92, whose son is the exiled King Simeon II. Born Giovanna of Savoy, Ioanna was the daughter of Italy’s former King Vittorio Emanuele. She married Bulgaria’s king, Boris Cobourg-Gotha III, on Oct. 4, 1930. He died in 1943, shortly after yielding to Adolf Hitler’s pressure to ally Bulgaria with Nazi Germany in World War II. After Boris’ death, their eldest son, Simeon, acceded to the throne at the age of 6. He reigned under regencies until 1946, when the monarchy was abolished in a referendum called by the communists installed by the Soviet army. The royal family was then forced into exile. Post-communist governments since 1989 have permitted members of the royal family to visit Bulgaria and have restored its property, which was nationalized under the communists. On Saturday in Estoril, Portugal.