Like his father, King Boris, King Simeon is a convinced democrat and always makes a point of stressing his support for the Bulgarian Constitution and for the participation of the people in the affairs of the country. This is in keeping with the Balkan tradition. It must be remembered that Bulgaria has no hereditary aristocracy, and before the Communist seizure of power there were no clearly defined class differences or a ruling caste, the majority of Bulgarians being peasant farmers owning their own land.
Besides Bulgarian, the King speaks the main European languages--English,
French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish as well as some Arabic.
His hobbies are reading, aviation, contemporary history and water-skiing.
He leads a simple life dedicated to his work and to the problems of his
people. No sovereign in temporary exile works more actively. His energy,
character, and organizing ability would have assured him success in any
sphere, quite independently of his background. Being in exile, and having
no financial backing, the King pursues numerous business activities which
help him to support the political ones.
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