British general in Iran controversy is a Romanian prince

Chris Ghika, the British major general who was rebuked by the Pentagon for saying there was “no increased threat” from Iran, is a descendant of Romanian royalty who took part in the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Ghika, 47, a Northern Ireland, Balkans, Sierra Leone, Iraq, and Afghanistan veteran, is the son of the late Brigadier Prince John Ghika, an Irish Guards officer who traced his royal title back to 1658, when the Ghika dynasty ruled over Moldavia and later Wallachia. The family lost its ruling status in 1859 when the two principalities were joined, but the title and lands remained intact.