All Are Equal In The Eyes Of The Law: Princess Marie Of Romania Arrested In New Mexico In 2009

Screenshot from MUGSHOTS.COM / Photos shown are (c) MUGSHOTS.COM

On 12 January 2009, HRH Princess Marie of Romania was booked in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, on the charge of "failure to appear." In the typical terse terms of a police report, it was noted that Marie was 5'8" and 162 lbs with blonde hair and hazel eyes. Although divorced from her husband since 2003, she was booked under the name "Marie Mystkowski." The princess was released the same day on a $200.00 bond.

Marie had moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2004 in order to began what she described as her "wapeni," which is a Native American word meaning "renewal." The princess and her husband Kazimierz Mystkowski, a Polish-born investment technology specialist, had divorced in 2003 after a long separation. During their brief marriage, which took place in 1995 and was attended by the bride's parents King Michael and Queen Anne, the couple lived in New York.

After relocating to New Mexico, Marie, known en famille as Mia, was the defendant in several lawsuits, one of which resulted in her arrest.

In July 2005, the princess was sued by her landlord, a Donald Yates. During this court case, her name was given as "Mia Mystkowski." In October 2005, the court ruled in the landlord's favour, and ordered Marie to pay him $1,732.00. The case was administratively closed by the New Mexico judicial system in October 2019.

In May 2008, GE Money Bank filed suit against the princess, under the name Marie Mystkowski, for "debt and money due." Several months later, a writ of garnishment was issued by the court, forcing Marie to repay what she owed.

The next legal dispute in which the princess became entangled involved her HOA, the Sierra Madre Homeowners Association. On 5 December 2008, the homeowner's association filed a general civil complaint against "Marie de Roumanie"; this was followed the next day by a civil summons being issued to the princess. As she apparently ignored the summons, Marie was arrested - likely by turning herself in - and released in January 2009. Due to a lack of prosecution on the HOA's behalf, the case against Marie was administratively closed in October 2015.

The final legal saga that Princess Marie of Romania weathered was a foreclosure action brought against her by BAC Home Loans Servicing. The princess had borrowed money to purchase a piece of land and subsequently became delinquent in her payments. In this lawsuit, which was filed in July 2009, Marie was joined as a co-defendant by the Sierra Madre Homeowners Association (the HOA that had sued her the year before), the GE Money Bank (a questionable financial institution that had also sued Marie the year before), the Taxation and Revenue Department of the State of New Mexico, and, oddly, "the Unknown Spouse of Marie Mystkowski" (who was dropped from the suit when it became known that Marie was divorced). In 2010, the courts ordered that the land (4557 Camino San Juan, Santa Fe, New Mexico) which Marie had purchased be foreclosed upon and sold at public auction.

After these quandaries, the princess moved from Santa Fe to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Marie resided there until 2015, when she was called to Romania to take up duties on behalf of the royal family, which is now headed by her godmother and eldest sister, Margarita. In late 2019, the princess is believed to have made the decision to withdraw from her role, and she has not appeared in a public capacity since that time.

Princess Marie of Romania is currently sixth in line to the succession of the headship of the royal house, per the continuously amended 2007 Fundamental Rules. The princess still serves on the Management Board of the Princess Margarita of Romania Foundation (Fundatia Regala Margareta a Romaniei).

Sources:
MUGSHOTS.COM - Marie Mystkowski
DONALD N YATES, Plaintiff(s) v. MIA MYSTKOWSKI, Defendant(s)
GE MONEY BANK V MYSTKOWSKI
TIERRA MADRE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff(s) v. MIA DE ROUMANIE, Defendant(s)
BAC HOME LOANS V MARIE MYSTKOW
Familia Regala - ASR Principesa Maria
Fundatia Regala Margareta a Romaniei - Our Team