Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia
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Alexander Karageorgevitch (Aleksandar Karađorđević / Александар Карађорђевић, born July 17, 1945) is the current pretender to the abolished throne of Serbia.[1][2]. He has retained his courtesy title of Crown Prince of Serbia.[3]
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Alexander is the only child of Peter II, the last king of Yugoslavia, who was from the Karageorgevitch dynasty, and Princess Alexandra of Greece and Denmark. He claims for himself the title King of Serbia, but that title was and remains unrecognised either by Serbia or by any country. He prefers to be known as "Crown Prince Alexander II," a title that combines his birth title with the regnal title he would use as king.[4]
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[edit] Status at birth
As with some other monarchs in their own states during World War II, King Peter II left Yugoslavia in April 1941 to establish a government-in-exile. He arrived in London in June 1941. Shortly after the occupation, two puppet governments were formed: Independent State of Croatia in the region of Croatia and Bosnia, and Nedić's Serbia, the popular name of the Serbian state under German occupation in World War II.
After the Tehran Conference, the Allies shifted support from loyalist Chetniks to communist Partisans. In June 1944, Ivan Šubašić, a royal envoy, and Josip Broz (Tito), a partisan leader, signed an agreement which was an attempt to merge the royal and communist governments.
On November 29, 1943, AVNOJ (formed by Partisans) declared themselves the sovereign government of Yugoslavia and proclaimed taking away all legal rights from the Royal government. On August 10, 1945, less than a month after Karađorđević's birth, AVNOJ named the country Democratic Federal Yugoslavia. On November 29, 1945, the country was declared a republic (communist), and changed its name to Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia.
In 1947, his family was deprived Yugoslavian citizenship and all property confiscated.
[edit] Life
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Alexander was born at Claridge's Hotel in Brook Street, London. The British Government temporarily ceded sovereignty over the suite in which the birth occurred to Yugoslavia so that the prince would be born in Yugoslav territory.
His godparents were King George VI and Princess Elizabeth, now Queen Elizabeth II. He was the only child of King Peter II and Queen Alexandra, and the only grandchild of Aspasia Manos.
His parents were relatively unable to take care of him, due to their various health problems. Alexander ended up being raised by his maternal grandmother, the Greek Princess Aspasia. He was educated at Institut Le Rosey, Culver Military Academy, Gordonstoun, Millfield and Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot.
Alexander is the only grandchild of Aspasia Manos, wife of King Alexander I of the Hellenes, and therefore the only living royal, apart from his three sons, who has their ancestry: from a monarchical perspective, mostly reigning princes of Moldavia and Wallachia, as well as their families. Through his maternal grandmother, Alexander is also a relative of Ileana, the current Duchess of Chartres.
On July 1, 1972 at Villamanrique de la Condesa, near Seville, Spain, he married Princess Maria da Gloria of Orléans Braganza. They had three sons, Hereditary Prince Peter and fraternal twins Philip and Alexander. By marrying a Roman Catholic, Alexander lost his place in line of succession to the British Throne, which he had held as a descendant of Queen Victoria through her second son Alfred. He is also descended from Queen Victoria's eldest daughter Victoria.
The couple divorced in 1985. Crown Prince Alexander married a Greek commoner, Katherine Clairy Batis, the daughter of Robert Batis and his wife, Anna Dosti, legally on September 20, 1985, and religiously the following day, at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, Notting Hill, London.
Alexander first came to Yugoslavia in 1991. He moved to Yugoslavia after Slobodan Milošević was deposed in 2000. In March 2001 Yugoslavian citizenship was restored to him by the government and property seized from his family, including royal palaces, were returned.
He currently lives in Kralevski Dvor/Royal Palace in Dedinje, an exclusive area of Belgrade. Kralevski Dvor, which was completed in 1929, is one of two royal residences on the property; the other is Beli Dvor, completed in 1936.
Alexander would be in line to the British throne had he not married a Catholic as his first wife. As it is, his sons are in line, currently in 91st, 92nd and 93rd place, though they profess the Eastern Orthodox faith as members of the Serbian royal house.
His ancestry amongst medieval monarchs of the Balkans is presented at Nemanjic pedigree of the Royal House of Yugoslavia.
[edit] Aspirations to constitutional monarchy
Alexander is a proponent of establishing constitutional monarchy in Serbia within its current borders and sees himself as the rightful king. He believes that monarchy would give Serbia "stability, continuity and unity".[5]
Some of the political parties and organizations which support monarchy in Serbia are the Serbian Renewal Movement and the Christian Democratic Party of Serbiaand the Serbian Orthodox Church http://www.royalfamily.org/statements/state-det/state-705.htm and http://www.royalfamily.org/press/press-det/stampa-724.htm. The assassinated former Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić could often be seen in the company of the prince and his family, supporting their campaigns and projects, although his Democratic Party never publicly embraced monarchy. It seems that no party is ready to energetically push the issue of monarchy either because of other grave problems in the country or from fear or further fragmenting the already fragmented and unpredictable Serbian electorate.
Crown Prince Alexander has vowed to stay out of politics and has so far fulfilled this promise, sticking mainly to the royal couple's humanitarian work.
The crown prince however has increasingly participated in public functions alongside the leaders of Serbia, the former Yugoslav republics and members of the diplomatic corps. On May 11, 2006 he hosted a reception at the Royal Palace for delegates attending a summit on Serbia and Montenegro. The reception was attended by the Governor of the National Bank of Serbia, as well as ambassadors and diplomats from Slovenia, Poland, Brazil, Japan, United States and Austria. He later delivered a key-note speech in front of prime ministers Vojislav Koštunica and Milo Đukanović. In the speech he spoke of prospective Serbian membership of the European Union. He told delegates:
"In addition, we in Serbia and Montenegro must take into account that whatever form we take within the European Union, we have only but one choice and that is to work for the common good of all member nations. It is also central to take into account that stability in our region will be enhanced when Serbia is fully at peace with itself."[6]
Following the dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro following Montenegro's independence referendum on May 21, 2006, reinstitution of the Serbian monarchy may again become an issue in daily political debate. A monarchist proposal for the new Serbian constitution has been published alongside other proposals, but the document approved in October 2006 is a republican one.
The crown prince raised the issue of a royal restoration in the immediate aftermath of the vote. In a press release issued on the 24 May 2006 he stated: "It has been officially confirmed that the people of Montenegro voted for independence. I am sad, but I wish our Montenegrin brothers peace, democracy and happiness. The people of Montenegro are our brothers and sisters no matter what if we live in one or in two countries, that is how it was and that is how it will be forever.
...I strongly believe in a Constitutional Parliamentary Kingdom of Serbia. Again, we need to be proud, a strong Serbia that is at peace with itself and with its neighbors. We were a proud, respected and happy country in the days of my great grandfather King Peter I. So, we can do it! Only if we have a form of governance close to the Serbian soul: the Kingdom of Serbia.
...Simply, the King is above daily politics, he is the guardian of national unity, political stability and continuity of the state. In Constitutional Parliamentary Monarchies the King is the protector of public interest: there is no personal or party interest. What is most important is the interest of Serbia.
...I am ready to meet all our politicians; we have to work together for the common good of Serbia, and to be friends in the name of the future of our country. I appeal for the end of the continuous wrangling, division and arguments. I appeal for mature democratic debate in the interest of Serbia. Serbia must have clear and realistic objectives."[7]
[edit] Returing Peter II to Serbia
On March 4, 2007 Crown Prince Alexander annonced plans to return the body of his father back to his homeland in Serbia. He has not yet set a date for returning his father to Serbia. The plan has caused controversy among Serbian-Americans since Peter II personally chose St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery as his final resting place. [8]
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ The name Kingdom of Yugoslavia was adopted in 1929.
- ^ Montenegro, one of the remaining member states of the Yugoslav Federation voted in May 2006 to leave Yugoslavia and become an .
- ^ The title Crown Prince is a courtesy title, not a constitutional office, in a former monarchy that has now become a republic. The last holder of a monarchical title traditionally continues to hold that title as a courtesy title for their lifetime. It dies with them and cannot be inherited by a successor unless the monarchy is restored. Alexander was born while his father was still King of Yugoslavia, making him Yugoslavia's last crown prince unless the monarchy is restored.
- ^ Alexander's website.
- ^ Royalfamily.org press release.
- ^ Press release by Alexander's chancellery.
- ^ Press release. 24 May 2006.
- ^ King's body in U.S. may head to homeland
[edit] See also
- Monarchs of Serbia
- Monarchy
- House of Karađorđević
- Karađorđe Petrović
- History of the Balkans
- History of Europe
- Wars of Yugoslav succession
- Yugoslavia
- Serbia
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| House of Karageorgevitch Born: 17 July 1945 |
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| Preceded by Peter II |
* NOT REIGNING * King of Serbia (1970-) * Reason for Succession Failure: * Kingdom abolished by communists in 1945 |
Incumbent Designated heir: Peter, Hereditary Prince of Serbia |
