Peter II of Yugoslavia
| Peter II | |
|---|---|
 Peter in January 1944 | |
| King of Yugoslavia | |
| Reign | 9 October 1934 – 29 November 1945 |
| Predecessor | Alexander I |
| Successor | Monarchy abolished |
| Regent | Paul (1934–41) |
| Spouse | Alexandra of Greece |
| Issue | Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia |
| House | House of Karađorđević |
| Father | Alexander I of Yugoslavia |
| Mother | Maria of Romania |
| Born |
6 September 1923 Belgrade, Yugoslavia |
| Died |
3 November 1970 (aged 47) Denver, Colorado, US |
| Burial | Libertyville, Illinois, US (on 22 January 2013 moved to Belgrade, Serbia, before reburial in St. George's Church in Oplenac nearby Topola on 26 May 2013) |
| Religion | Eastern Orthodox |
| Monarchical styles of Peter II of Yugoslavia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | His Majesty |
| Spoken style | Your Majesty |
| Alternative style | Sir |
Peter II of Yugoslavia, also known as Peter II Karađorđević (Serbo-Croatian: Petar II Karađorđević, Serbian Cyrillic: Петар II Карађорђевић; 6 September 1923 – 3 November 1970), was the third and last King of Yugoslavia and the last reigning member of the Karađorđević dynasty, founded early in the 19th century. Peter II was the eldest son of King Alexander I and Queen Maria (born Princess of Romania); his godfather was George V of the United Kingdom.
Early life
His education commenced at the Royal Palace. He then attended Sandroyd School in Wiltshire, England. When he was 11 years old, Peter succeeded to the Yugoslav throne in 1934 upon the assassination of his father King Alexander I in Marseille during a state visit to France. Because of the King's young age, a regency was established, headed by his father's cousin Prince Paul of Yugoslavia.
World War II
Although Peter II and his advisers opposed Nazi Germany, Regent Prince Paul declared that the Kingdom of Yugoslavia would join the Tripartite Pact on 25 March 1941. Two days later, King Peter, at age 17, was proclaimed of age, and participated in a British-supported coup d'état opposing the Tripartite Pact.[1]
Postponing Operation Barbarossa, Germany simultaneously attacked Yugoslavia and Greece. Within a week, Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary and Italy invaded Yugoslavia and the government was forced to surrender on 17 April. Yugoslavia was divided to satisfy Italian, Bulgarian, Hungarian and German demands.
Peter left the country with the Yugoslav government following the Axis invasion;[2] initially the King went with his government to Greece, then to Jerusalem in the British Mandate of Palestine, and to Cairo. He went to the United Kingdom in June 1941, where he joined numerous other governments in exile from Nazi-occupied Europe.[3] The King completed his education at Cambridge University and joined the Royal Air Force.
Marriage
Peter married Princess Alexandra of Greece and Denmark, in London on 20 March 1944. They had one son, Alexander, born on 17 July 1945.
Deposition and exile
Peter was deposed by Yugoslavia's Communist Constituent Assembly on 29 November 1945. After the war, he settled in the United States. After many years of suffering from cirrhosis of the liver,[4] he died in Denver, Colorado, on 3 November 1970, after a failed liver transplant.
Peter was interred at the Saint Sava Monastery Church at Libertyville, Illinois, the only European monarch ever buried on American soil.
Return of remains and state funeral
On 4 March 2007, former Crown Prince Alexander announced plans to have his father's remains repatriated to Serbia. The plan upset some Serbian-Americans. Peter II had chosen St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery as his interim resting place because of the extenuating circumstances that afflicted his homeland.[5] After talks with the Serbian government, the move was confirmed in January 2013 with the burial place being the Royal Family Mausoleum in Oplenac.[1]
On 22 January 2013, Peter's remains were returned to Belgrade, Serbia.[6] He lay in state in the Royal Chapel in Dedinje before being buried in the Royal Family Mausoleum at Oplenac on 26 May 2013 along with his wife, Queen Alexandra. His mother, Queen Marie, and his brother, Prince Andrej, lie nearby. The Serbian Royal Regalia were placed over Peter's coffin. Present at the return ceremony were the Prime Minister Ivica Dačić, Peter's son Alexander with his family, and Patriarch Irinej of Serbia.[3][7] The latter openly advocated for the restoration of the Serbian monarchy.[8]
Gallery
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Royal Standard of the King of Yugoslavia
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Bernard Montgomery (left), King Peter II (center), and Winston Churchill (right) in July 1941
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King Peter II of Yugoslavia in uniform of Field Marshal 1966
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Saint Sava Orthodox Monastery Church, Libertyville, Illinois, where Peter II was buried for over four decades, before his remains were repatriated to Serbia
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Former grave of Peter II at the Saint Sava Monastery Church at Libertyville, Illinois, 1987
Titles, styles, honours and arms
Titles and styles
- 6 September 1923 – 9 October 1934: His Royal Highness Crown Prince Peter of Yugoslavia
- 9 October 1934 – 29 November 1945: His Majesty King Peter II of Yugoslavia
Honours
| Kingdom of Yugoslavia | |
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Order of St. Prince Lazar, Collar |
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Order of the Karađorđe's Star, Grand Master |
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Order of the Karađorđe's Star with Swords, Grand Master |
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Order of the White Eagle, Grand Master |
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Order of the White Eagle with Swords, Grand Master |
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Order of the Yugoslav Crown, Grand Master |
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Order of St. Sava, Grand Master |
| International and Foreign Awards | |
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Order of the Most Holy Annunciation (House of Savoy) |
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Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (House of Savoy) |
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Order of the Crown of Italy (House of Savoy) |
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Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) |
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Venerable Order of Saint John (United Kingdom) |
Ancestry
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Bibliography
- Petar. A King's Heritage; The Memoirs of King Peter II of Yugoslavia. London: Cassell, 1955.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "HM King Peter II Returns Home after 72 Years". Balkans.com Business News (Balkans.com). 20 January 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ↑ Yugoslavia's exiled Queen returns home at long last
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Remains of last Yugoslav king Peter II Karadjordjevic returned from US to Serbia". The Washington Post (washingtonpost.com). Associated Press. 22 January 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ↑ Overy, Richard (2010). The Second World War: The Complete Illustrated History. Carlton Books. ISBN 978-1-84732-451-1.
- ↑ Tarm, Michael (4 March 2007). "King's body in U.S. may head to homeland". The Boston Globe (boston.com). Associated Press. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ↑ "King Peter II Now in Royal Palace Chapel". Royal Family of Serbia.
- ↑ "The remains of King Peter II in Belgrade (Посмртни остаци краља Петра II у Београду)". Radio Television of Serbia (in Serbian) (rtv.rs). Tanjug. 22 January 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ↑ Serbian Patriarch Irinej states that Serbia needs emperor or king, or some form of parliamentary monarchy. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Peter II of Yugoslavia. |
| Peter II of Yugoslavia House of Karađorđević Born: 6 September 1923 Died: 3 November 1970 | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Aleksandar I |
King of Yugoslavia 9 October 1934 – 29 November 1945 |
Monarchy abolished |
| Titles in pretence | ||
| Loss of title |
— TITULAR — King of Yugoslavia 29 November 1945 – 3 November 1970 |
Succeeded by Crown Prince Alexander |
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