The Plovdiv district “Stolipinovo” in Bulgaria, is once more able to welcome the English inheritor to the throne, however this time as a king. “If I had identified what the protocol process was, I might have despatched a letter of condolence for the lack of Queen Elizabeth,” mentioned Asen Karagyozov to Elitza Kandeva for marica.bg.

In the meanwhile, he manages the Basis for Regional Growth “Roma”, which in November 1998 hosted the go to to the hamlet through the go to of Prince Charles to Plovdiv. His father – the chairman of the group and Roma chief Anton Karagyozov, died final summer time from Kovid.

Let the coronation and the mourning in Buckingham move, and if the royal household needs, allow them to come to go to us once more, mentioned Asen Karagyozov. There’s a lot to speak about and about new tasks of the group, and concerning the issues within the neighborhood, and even in the entire world.

Along with essentially the most distinguished visitor, “Stolipinovo” additionally briefly had its personal Princess Diana. However only some years. Right now, the younger girl, born firstly of the brand new century, is already known as Eugenia and is anticipating her third baby in a month, and he or she was rechristened after her dad and mom Zhivka and Valcho severely offended Prince Charles.

The tragic story of the Roma Cinderella, who by no means grew to become a queen, didn’t finish with a marriage as in fairy tales, however started with a marriage. Through the go to of the present King of England – then Prince Charles, in November 1998 in Plovdiv, this system took him to Stolipinovo. And with a purpose to see up shut how individuals stay there and how much customs the locals have, the crown prince attended a Roma wedding ceremony.

After all of the media protection, the royal particular person left alive and properly. How does he know what the sequel shall be? A yr later, Valcho wrote a letter to Charles with the assistance of essentially the most learn members of the “Roma” basis, headed by its chairman on the time, Anton Karagyozov.

Expensive Prince Charles, my title is Valcho Atanasov. You in all probability don’t bear in mind me due to your many dates world wide. I stay within the poorest neighborhood of Plovdiv – Stolipinovo.

On November 7, 1998, you attended my wedding ceremony, which coincided along with your go to to Bulgaria. After that, a daughter was born to me, whom I named after your eternally deceased Diana,” he learn within the workplace for the official correspondence of the royal household. And a photograph of the Stolypinov toddler princess additionally fell out of the envelope.

“She has the identical eyes because the deceased’s,” her father boasted.

Valcho took the deal with from the “web”. The native Roma basis helped him discover the phrases. The daddy defined that he lives in a dilapidated council home with out sewerage and lighting. And made a fervent request:

Assist me, I shall be very grateful to you for the remainder of my life, in any other case we’re doomed.

At the moment, the entire neighborhood laughed at his need to correspond with the prince. “He was going that will help you, however he didn’t give something,” the neighbors teased Valcho. “Charles shouldn’t be your Soviet comrade”, the Bulgarians used to inform him.

Solely a month later, nevertheless, a response from England arrived within the ghetto. “The Prince thanked me very a lot for receiving an image of Diana. He regrets that he can’t assist, as a result of he gave assist all around the world, however solely to foundations, Valcho mentioned then. Thus, the hopes of his family to get an residence for Diana collapsed. And he stayed in a municipal residence on the eighth flooring of Kraina Road in a block the place there isn’t a elevator, all of the home windows on the staircase are damaged, and nobody remembers that there was ever any lighting in any respect.

Diana took her first steps in a 3 by 4 meter room – the one one which may very well be lived in. The remaining are with out wallpaper, with torn out contacts.

As a result of the water doesn’t rise larger than the fifth flooring, they went there to wash. And to scrub the newborn’s garments, the then 23-year-old mom Zhivka packed up a basket and went to her mom’s home within the neighboring block, from the place she returned with a full basin.

Valcho was a safety guard on the native department of “Social Help” for a while. Nonetheless, he left and is best identified within the neighborhood as a taxi driver.

I solely want 300 marks for a brand new Tico and to repair my life,

had lengthy hoped for some translation from Buckingham. And as he nonetheless didn’t come, he once more sat down to put in writing a letter, however this time on to Mrs. Holloway, whose signature sat subsequent to Charles’s preliminary within the first reply from England. “She’s a girl, she’ll be extra moved,” learn the daddy. “I’m touched and fascinated by the humanity of His Excellency Prince Charles. However my pleasure is darkened by Diana’s state of well being,” wrote essentially the most literate within the neighborhood in unison. They usually waited once more for a solution.

Then the “Roma” Basis despatched a congratulatory letter for the marriage of Prince Charles and Camilla.

“We anticipated him to offer us an residence or some quantity, to remain endlessly,” says Valcho regretfully. And having acquired solely sort phrases as an alternative of assist, he determined as soon as and for all to attract the road on relations with the royal household. So the Stolypinov Diana grew to become Evgenia.

Valcho nonetheless lives in block 4006 in “Stolipinovo” and already drives a taxi legally, however at this time he didn’t match within the “parking zone” on the finish of “Landos” road. Locals declare his household is overseas. Evgenia is already 23 years outdated and married, and her youthful brother is a 17-year-old teenager.

“It’s right here, discover a good man who works in commerce,” Valcho instructed “Maritsa”. She has two youngsters, ages 1 and 5, and is at present pregnant together with her third baby. It will likely be a woman, they’re anticipating him to be born subsequent month.

And Valcho not expects something from King Charles and earns his personal cash together with his labor.

Supply: marica.bg.

Photograph: Diana of Stolipinovo together with her dad and mom in December 2000 when the household exchanged letters with Buckingham Palace. / creator: Atanas Kanev