His Majesty King Mihai I of Romania together with the Royal Family came back officially to the Peles Castle yesterday, after an adsence of 60 years and after more than a year since the Romanian government had returned him his property. "The castle is a symbol of our country's independence and power", the King said in his speech. His Majesty added that the castle gates would stay open to Romanians "for eternity". The King returned to his royal estate in Sinaia on a symbolical day: June 5, the Holy Ascension of Christ for Christians and Heroes' Day for Romanians. Although closed to visitors, Peles Castle welcomed the King's admirers in the garden by the main entrance. His Majesty greeted the public there from the balcony. He was given an enthusiastic welcome by a few hundred people who sang and cheered on and on. "In the day celebrating the Holy Ascension of Christ and the day of all heroes, Romania is subject to historical identity reparation. Let us hope that my final return to Peles and to Sinaia, the historical seat of the royal family, will be the beginning of full respect for private property, dignity, democracy, liberties and institutions of the Romanian society." This is how His Majesty argued in his speech. He went on: "From now on they will not find here just chambers full of precious objects, but also true people, a family who bestows meaning on the nation and marks the state of Romania." The private lunch in the castle yesterday was attended by guests such as ex foreign minister Adrian Cioroianu, the president of the Romanian Academy Ionel Haiduc, academician Dan Berindei, ambassadors, the mayor of Sinaia and the prefect of Brasov. Then the King went to the City Hall of Sinaia to hand in the key to the town symbolically. And he got his birth certificate, reached in the City Hall archives by mayor Vlad Oprea. The Royal Family decided to keep Peles Castle a museum. One wing of Pelisor Castle is to continue as a museum as well, whereas another one is to serve as family residence. (R.I.P.)