On 6 September 1940, King Carol II of Romania abdicates in favour of his son, Michael. Carol would leave the country the following day and live in exile for the rest of his life.
For most of the Second World War, King Michael I would only have a ceremonial role, real power being held by the general Ion Antonescu, who established a military dictatorship and alliegned Romania with Nazi Germany.
Antonescu's dictatorship would end as a result of the coup of 23 August 1944.