Off to Grandfather's

The vote had been counted. Score: for a republic, 4,103,000; for the King, 179,275. Promptly the National Assembly had proclaimed the People's Republic. There was nothing left for Bulgaria's nine-year-old Simeon II to do but join his grandfather, Italy's ex-King Victor Emmanuel, in Egypt. This week, Simeon and his mother packed for exile.

The Government had promised the royal refugees pocket money in exchange for the royal real estate (several palaces, a zoo, a museum of natural sciences). But Bulgarians cannot transfer foreign currency without specific Allied authorization. It was up to the Russians.

Also up to the Russians were the future fortunes of the only reigning king left behind the iron curtain. In Rumania, where in pre-election arguments Communists recently scored political points by beating up leading liberals, King Mihai I still perched on his throne. Last week the Russians were still giving him cigaret money, sometimes even gave him a light (see cut).

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