Elisabeth Palace, Bucharest
10th of May 2006

      The brave men and women who established The United States of America had the unique historical opportunity to build a country and a nation from the ground up. They had in their blood the experiences—good or bad—of their ancestors from all around the world and they came to this land crossing the oceans to fulfill their hopes and dreams. Any woman or man who stepped onto this land accomplished by doing so their own "Declaration of Independence" and each of them who built a house wrote their own "Constitution".

      In 1914, when the construction of this house began, Sam Hill said he expected "this house to be here for a thousand years after I am gone". Three women convinced him later to make this house last for another thousand years not only as a building but also as a symbol. So this house became "Maryhill Museum of Art". One of those three women was my grandmother, Queen Marie of Romania.

      This year is an important one for the Royal Family of Romania, as we celebrate 140 years since the Romanian dynasty was founded under King Carol 1, 125 years since my country became a Kingdom and a state under the name of Romania. 2006 is also important for the connection between my family and Maryhill, as 80 years have passed since the museum was dedicated to my grandmother.

      For the tens and hundreds of years to come, may the museum preserve the heritage and vision of its founders!

King Michael of Romania