site.btaAugust 28, 1943: King Boris III Dies, Underage Son Proclaimed King Simeon II

On August 28, 1943, King Boris III, aged 49, passed away. Following Article 34 of the Tarnovo Constitution, on the same day his underage son, Prince Simeon of Tarnovo, was proclaimed Bulgarian King under the name Simeon II. 

Boris was the son of King Ferdinand I and Princess Maria Luisa. He ascended the throne under the name Boris III after his father’s abdication on October 3, 1918. 

Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, born on June 16, 1937, was the last Tsar of Bulgaria, ruling as Simeon II from 1943 until the monarchy was abolished in 1946. After being forced into exile, he returned to Bulgaria in 1996 following the fall of communism. He founded the National Movement for Stability and Progress party and served as Bulgaria’s prime minister from 2001 to 2005 after winning the 2001 elections. 

BTA’s news bulletins from the time report the following: 

Sofia, August 26, 1943—His Majesty the King has been seriously ill for three days. His treatment has been entrusted to the best medical specialists. 

Sofia, August 27, 1943—Regarding the King’s health: 

Royal Palace in Sofia, August 27, 4:00 p.m. 

His Majesty the King fell suddenly ill a few days ago. The illness, which from the very beginning was very severe and caused fluctuations in the condition of the Royal Patient, was established in time and with certainty by the medical council. The improvement observed today gives hope that if no further complications arise, the danger may for now be considered averted. 
Court Physician to H.M. the King 
Dr. St. Daskalov. 

Sofia, August 28, 1943—Proclamation to the Bulgarian People 

Bulgarians, King Boris III, our beloved King-Unifier, after a short and painful illness, today, August 28, 1943, at 4:22 p.m., passed away in the Royal Palace in Sofia, surrounded by the royal family. 
 
Fathomless is the loss for Bulgaria. Fathomless is the grief of the entire Bulgarian nation. Fathomless, too, is its gratitude toward its beloved, unforgettable, and great King-Unifier. We, Bulgarians, all have the sacred duty to unwaveringly follow his legacy – to remain united and cohesive, and to work devotedly for the progress and prosperity of a united Bulgaria. 

May His memory be eternal! 

With another proclamation, Crown Prince Simeon was enthroned King of Bulgaria: 

Sofia, August 28, 1943—Proclamation to the Bulgarian People 

Bulgarians, today, August 28, 1943, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Simeon, Prince of Tarnovo, the favourite and the hope of the Bulgarian people, in accordance with Article 34 of the Constitution, ascended the throne under the name Simeon II, King of the Bulgarians. 

Due to King Simeon II being underage and following Article 151 of the Constitution, the Council of Ministers assumes the governance of the Kingdom until the Regency provided for in the Constitution is established. 

In this fateful moment for our country, we urge all Bulgarians to unite even more firmly around the throne of His Majesty King Simeon II, so that with faith in the bright future of our nation and with trust in God, they may continue the noble work of Bulgaria. 

Multiple articles and commentaries in European media about Boris’s death and the political future of Bulgaria were published in the news bulletins of BTA’s Service Review of the Foreign Press:  

"Bulgaria in Mourning," reads the headline of Swiss Journal de Geneve from 30 August. 

The September 2 issue of the French newspaper Liberte of 1 September published an article titled "From Tsar Boris III to Simeon II". The Neue Munchener Zeitung of 30 August appeared with the headline “The Death of Boris III – Tsar of Bulgaria.” The newspaper Der Bund published an article titled "Bulgaria – A Ship without a Helmsman in the Storm". 

In a piece from August 30, titled "The Death of Tsar Boris," the newspaper Tribune de Geneve wrote, among other things: 
 
“Rumour had it that Tsar Boris had become victim of an assassination. The Bulgarian Telegraph Agency [Bulgarian News Agency] emphatically denied this and finally decided to state the illness from which the ruler had died. To many, it seems strange that this detail was delayed for so long.” 

Bulgaria’s Political Situation After Boris III 

La Republique (30 August 1943) questioned Bulgaria’s political future in an article headlined “What Will Be Bulgaria’s Political Situation?”: 

“What will happen now? Will the disappearance of King Boris give rise to extreme political tendencies? Or, as Prime Minister Mr. Filov has stated, will the government continue its policy along the path outlined by the King, with the people calmly following it? And if extreme actions do arise, will the government manage to quell them with the same prudent discipline as the King and restore order to the country? (...) 
Let us sincerely hope that the Council of Ministers and the Regency preserve authority and prevent any disturbances that may arise in the country.” 

The Swiss newspaper Tribune de Geneve, in a Berlin dispatch for August 30 titled “Germany and the Death of Tsar Boris,” wrote: 

“Bulgarian circles in Berlin acknowledge that it was solely the ruler’s actions that enabled the country to remain outside the conflict. And German diplomatic circles know this as well. With his death, the question arises whether Bulgaria’s foreign policy will undergo changes.” 

Turkish newspaper Tasviri Efkar (30 August 1943), reflected on Boris’s decision to ally with Nazi Germany in WW2 to realise Bulgaria’s aspirations to gain more territories: 

“Driven by King Boris’s policy, Bulgaria followed the Axis with the aim of expanding at the expense of Romania, Yugoslavia, and Greece. And, as Mr. Filov [then Prime Minister of Bulgaria] admits that, thanks to this policy, Greater Bulgaria was created, and Bulgarian demands were fulfilled. 

But at this moment, when the entire world groans under the cruelty of war, we should not be too quick with the word ‘fulfilled.’ (...) Yet, if his dreams are not realized, if the Axis collapses, or if Bulgaria is subjected to conditions even harsher than those of Neuilly, he will not witness the results of the policy he pursued. 
The near future will bring judgment on the ruler of our friend Bulgaria, who, until the moment of his death, lost nothing of his worth.”