Fallon and George of Serbia have religious wedding

Belgrade, July 15, 2017 – His Royal Highness Prince Djordje Karadjordjevic and Miss Fallon Rayman were joined in holy matrimony at St. George's Church in Oplenac. This was followed by a reception at the White Palace. The wedding was officiated by His Grace Bishop Jovan of Sumadija.

The wedding of Prince Djordje Karadjordjevic, the son of TRH Prince Tomislav and Princess Linda, and Fallon Rayman, was attended by over 300 guests, among them the hosts, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine, the children of Their Royal Highnesses Hereditary Prince Petar, Prince Philip, Alison and David, HRH Princess Linda, Prince Mihailo and Princess Ljubica, Miss Danica Marinkovic, Mrs. Betty Roumeliotis, the sister of Crown Princess Katherine, Mrs. Elizabeth Rayman, the mother of Princess Fallon, Mr. Shannan Rayman and Ms. Keri Rayman, the brother and sister of Princess Fallon, HE Mrs Maja Gojkovic, Speaker of the Parliament of Serbia, Mr Vuk Jeremic, president of CISRD, as well as many other guests from Serbia and abroad, representatives of royal families, the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Diplomatic Corps and public life of Serbia.

At the reception in the White Palace, Crown Prince Alexander wished the newlyweds a happy marriage:

“Thank you for being with us today, on this big day when we celebrate the marriage of Fallon and George. They have vowed today to live together, with love, harmony and respect. With great joy our family welcomes Princess Fallon. Dear newlyweds, show your love to one another every day! Today, we are here to celebrate your life together, which should be filled with love and happiness. We wish Fallon and George good health and happiness! To the bride and groom!”, said Crown Prince Alexander.

Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine, as well as the young couple, thank everyone who helped organize the wedding.

all photos courtesy of HRH Crown Prince Alexander

Leaving on a jet plane!

About to leave for vacation .. bags are packed.  Need to change litter box.
I am not going to England this year, apart from a layover at Heathrow. Shopping time.

 I hope to update my readers after I reach my destination. I am providing a rather large clue to where I am heading to later today.

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A royal wedding in Hannover

A bit of transparency here ... my maiden name is Eilers - and the Eilers family comes from Hannover  ...so I am a Hanoverian, and rather partial to the Hanover Royal Family.

The monarchy may have ended in 1866 when King Georg V was forced into exile after siding with Austria in the Austro-Prussian war.  Bismarck exacted revenge by absorbing Hanover into Prussia.  King Georg and his family had property in Gmunden, Austria, where the family lived in exile.

It was in 1714 when Georg, Elector of Hanover succeeded his kinswoman, Queen Anne, as King George I of Great Britain.   From 1714-1837,  Great Britain (from 1801, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland) and Hanover were ruled, separately, by the same sovereign:  George I, George II, George III, George IV and William IV.  When William IV died on June 20, 1837,  his niece, Victoria, as first in line, succeeded to the British throne.  Hanover's succession was based on Salic law (males only), which meant that the throne passed to the first eligible make,  Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale,  who was King William IV's brother, and second in line to the British throne.

Uncle Cumberland was the first to offer obedience to his niece, Victoria, but did not remain long in England.  He left for Hanover only a week or so after William's death.  He returned once to England, in 1843, for the marriage of his niece, Princess Augusta of Cambridge, to his wife's nephew, the Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.  He had planned to attend the baptism of Victoria's daughter, Princess Alice, as he was one of the infant princess' godparents, but he arrived too late to attend that ceremony.  Bad weather.

The new King Ernst August I died in 1851, and was succeeded by his only son, King Georg V, who died in Paris France in 1878.   King Georg's only son, Ernst August, succeeded to his father's de jure as well as to his British peerages.  Ernst August chose to be styled as the Duke of Cumberland.  He married Princess Thyra of Denmark, the younger sister of Queen Alexandra

The Duke of Cumberland died in 1923.  He was succeeded by his third, but only surviving son, Prince Ernst August. as head of the family.   In 1917, the Titles Deprivation Act stripped the British peerages from Ernst August.  According to the act,  neither he nor his son could reapply for the restoration of the titles as they both fought against Britain.  The present head of the house can apply to Parliament for restoration, but will not.  

The new head of the house had also reigned as Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg from 1913 until 1918.  He married Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia, the only daughter of Kaiser Wilhelm II.  This was a love match that largely healed the breach between the Houses of Hanover and Prussia.

Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, who attended today's wedding with his wife, Princess Sophie, laughed about the family history.  The events in 1866 are "not forgotten, but we have forgiven each other."

The bridegroom, Prince Ernst August Andreas Philipp Constantine Maximilian Rolf Stephan Ludwig Rudolph, is a great grandson of Prince Ernst August and Princess Viktoria Luise.   Their eldest son, Prince Ernst August, married Princess Ortrud of Schleswig-Holstein in 1951.   Ernst August's father, Prince Ernst August (1954) is the current head of the family, but has turned over some functions of the family estate and businesses to his heir.

The religious wedding (Lutheran) took place earlier today at the Marienkirche in Hannover.   The bride wore a gown designed by a friend, Lebanese designer Sandra Mansour.   She was attended by a dozen young children.  The groom's half-sister, Princess Alexandra, was a bridesmaid.

The bride's brother, Anton, read 1st Corinthians in Russian, and Alexandra read the same text in English. 

The wedding reception was held at Schloss Marienburg, the family's castle outside Hannover.

Yes, Hannover has not been a monarchy since 1866, but the importance and interest  in the Welfen dynasty remains.  One Social Democrat politician said today about the wedding: "We are reminded of an important part of our history on this occasion."

http://www.haz.de/Hannover/Aus-der-Stadt/Uebersicht/Welfenhochzeit-Prinz-Ernst-August-und-Ekaterina-von-Hannover-heiraten-in-der-Marktkirche

More than 600 guests attended the wedding.   No reigning sovereigns.  King Felipe V of Spain is one of Prince Ernst August's godparents.   The bridegroom's father did not attend the wedding, nor has he given his approval to the marriage.

Bernd Althusmann
Aglae Prinzessin von Baden
Berthold Prinz von Baden
Bernhard Prinz von Baden
Friedrich Prinz von Baden
Karl-Wilhelm Prinz von Baden
Leopold Prinz von Baden
Michael Prinz von Baden
Max Markgraf von Baden
Stephanie Prinzessin von Baden
Christina Prinzssin von Baden
Valerie Markgräfin von Baden
Sophie Prinzessin von Baden
Caspar Graf von Bismarck-Schönhausen
Nikolai Graf von Bismarck-Schönhausen
Sascha Graf von Bismarck-Schönhausen
Tassilo Graf von Bismarck-Schönhausen
Leopold Graf von Bismarck-Schönhausen
Charlotte Casiraghi
Pierre Casiraghi
Andrea Casiraghi
Beatrice Casiraghi
Tatiana Casiraghi
Klaus Dräger
Gunther Dunkel
Christian Dürr
Georg Festetics
Alex Flick
Donatella Flick
Friedrich Christian Flick
Moritz Flick
Michael Fürst
Christian Prinz zu Fürstenberg
Jeanette zu Fürstenberg
Milana Prinzessin zu Fürstenberg
Paraja Rodriguez Gabriel
Scott Gioconda
Olympia Prinzessin von Griechenland
Constantin Prinz von Griechenland
Pavlos Prinz von Griechenland
Marie-Chantal Prinzessin von Griechenland
Chantal Prinzessin von Hannover
Olga Prinzessin von Hannover
Julius Prinz von Hannover
Alexandra Prinzessin von Hannover
Albert Prinz von Hannover
Georg Prinz von Hannover
Heinrich Prinz von Hannover
Christian Prinz von Hannover
Otto Prinz von Hannover
Victoria von Hannover
Thyra von Hannover
Reiner Haseloff
Mafalda Prinzessin von Hessen
Michael Graf von Hochberg
Marie Gräfin von Hochberg
Gert Hoffmann
Hendrik Hoppenstedt
Christian von Humboldt-Dachroeden  (Christian is the groom's half uncle.  He is the natural son of the late Prince Ernst August of Hanover and Baroness Maria Anna von Humboldt-Dachroeden)
http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2010/12/if-circumstances-had-been-different.html
Marie von  Humboldt-Dachroeden
Ferdinand Humboldt
Matthias Jabs
Martin Kind
Volker Kluwe
Alexandra Fürstin zu Leiningen
Andreas Fürst zu Leiningen
Isabelle Prinzessin zu Leiningen
Olga Prinzessin zu Leiningen
Hermann Prinz zu Leiningen
Ferdinand Prinz zu Leiningen
Olaf Lies
Igor Malyshev
Anton Malyshev
Svetlana Malysheva
Ralf Meister
Johanne Modder
Alessandra de Osma
Georg Friederich Prinz von Preußen
Sophie Prinzessin von Preußen
Viktoria Prinzessin von Preußen
Anja Piel
Dirk Roßmann
Raoul Roßmann
Frederik Sachs
Philipp Sachs
Rolf Sachs
Roya Sachs
Hubertus Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha
Kelly Prinzessin von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha
Prof. Dr. Madjid Samii
Casimir Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn
Alexander Fürst zu Schaumburg-Lippe
Rudolf Schenker
Herbert Schmalstieg
Maya Gräfin von Schonburg-Glauchau
Stefan Schostok
Anezka Souckova
Gerhard Schröder
Lord Edward Spencer-Churchill
Albert Prinz von Thurn und Taxis
Elisabeth Prinzessin von Thurn und Taxis
Stephan Weil
Fritz Graf von Westenholz
Caroline Freifrau von Westenholz
Christian Wulff

Hereditary Prince Ernst August ties the knot

Hereditary Prince Ernst August of Hanover  married his long time girlfriend, Russian-born fashion designer Ekaterina Malysheva in a civil ceremony today.

The marriage was conducted in English by Hanover's mayor Stefan Schostok, as the bride is not fluent in German.  Her husband attended British schools and lived with his parents at Hurlingham Lodge near Fulham in London.

http://www.pinkwaterselect.com/properties/property/hurlingham-lodge

Ernst August and his younger brother, Christian, were baptized at the chapel at Schloss Marienburg, according to the rites of the Lutheran Church.    They were confirmed in late June 1997 at St. Andrew's Church (Church of England) on Ham Common in Richmond.

Ekaterina, who was baptized in the Russian Orthodox Church, has become a member of the Lutheran church.

The witnesses for the couple were Prince Christian of Hannover, 32, Dina Amer, a friend of the bride, and Julio Santo Domingo, a friend of the bride and groom.  Billionaire Santo Domingo is the brother of Tatiana Casiraghi, who is married to Prince Ernst August's stepbrother, Andrea, eldest son of Princess Caroline of Monaco.

Ernst August's younger half-sister, Princess Alexandra of Hanover also attended the ceremony, as well as his three step siblings, Andrea, Charlotte and Pierre Casiraghi.

The new Hereditary Princess wore a cream-colored cocktail length dress designed by a friend of the bride, Lebanese designer Sandra Mansour, who has also designed the bride's gown for the religious ceremony.

After the civil ceremony, which is the legal wedding in Germany, the couple and their guests traveled to Herrenhausen for a reception at the Fürstenhaus, a family-owned property, which has served as a private residence for the young Prince Ernst August for the last few years.

Not surprisingly, the groom's father, Prince Ernst August, did not attend the ceremony.  He is not expected to attend the church service on Saturday.


http://www.haz.de/Hannover/Fotostrecken-Hannover/Standesamtliche-Trauung-von-Prinz-Ernst-August-und-Ekaterina-Malysheva#n24332530-p33

Thank you from William

From the Duke of Cambridge  - after turning the big 35!

Family Feud: Ernst August vs Ernst August

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In the last few days I have been asked about the cause of the feud between Prince Ernst August of Hanover and his elder son, Prince Ernst August, whose civil marriage to Ekaterina Malysheva takes place tomorrow.

I decided to research to find other, earlier references to the dispute, as I expected it was not new.  This assumption turned out to be right.  The issue has been simmering for sometime, and was reported on by the Hannoverische Allgemeine Zeitung (HAZ) in January.

In 2012,  the elder Prince Ernst August was removed as head of the Herzog von Cumberland foundation, which is based in Liechtenstein.  The board of directors named his elder son as his successor.  The change was largely due to Prince Ernst August's medical issues.

The foundation controls property in Grünau (Almtal) in Upper Austria, which is worth several hundred million euros.

http://www.wildparkgruenau.at/

In 2004,  Daddy transferred his German property, including Schloss Marienburg, to his elder son.  This was done largely for tax purposes.  But he retained control over the Austrian estates.  The management team included the elder Ernst August and a management team in Liechtenstein.    Two members of the management team, apparently working with the younger Ernst August,  removed Ernst August.    His removal was based on the "fact" that he could not work.

Fast forward to this past week, when Daddy made his statement.  The Liechtenstein-based team may be in the process of a private arbitration between father and son.   Expect a long-drawn out process.

Ernst August has stated that he has not given his consent for his son's marriage.  No, the marriage will not be canceled.    This lack of consent could mean a non-dynastic marriage, and Ernst August's male descendants will have no rights of inheritance.

The relationship between father and son have been strained for some years.  The senior Ernst August had a difficult relationship with his very strict father, Ernst August.

The senior Ernst August is not concerned that Ekaterina is a commoner.

In January,  the younger Ernst August said he did not want to be drawn into media reports, which triggered an "unsightly conflict within my family."  He told a Haz reporter in January:  "The accusations will have to be clarified within the family and in the appropriate ways."

http://www.haz.de/Hannover/Aus-der-Stadt/Uebersicht/Krach-bei-den-Welfen-zwischen-Vater-und-Sohn-um-Herzog-von-Cumberland-Stiftung#Galerie

Daddy does not approve of Ernst August jr.'s marriage

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Prince Ernst August of Hannover, 63, is not happy about his son, Ernst August, Jr.'s marriage to Russian-born fashion designer Ekaterina Malysheva.  The civil marriage takes place on Thursday  which will be followed by the religious service, a Lutheran wedding, on Saturday.

Ernst August, who is separated from his second wife, Princess Caroline of Monaco, says he opposes the marriage for financial reasons.

"The decision was not easy for me as it concerns my son.  But I am forced to do so in order to preserve the interests of the House of Hannover and property, including cultural property, which has been the family for centuries."

Prince Ernst August made the statement to the Handelsblatt, a daily German financial newspaper.

Speaking through his lawyers,  Prince Ernst August has asked for the return of gifts, presumably property and forest land in Lower Saxony, that he gave to his elder son in 2004 and 2006, respectively.

He has not given his approval to his son's marriage.  "I continue to hope that my son will eventually think of the best interests of our family and will yield.  I am ready for discussion and reconciliation."

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 Presumably for tax reasons,  Prince Ernst August turned over the family business to his elder son a decade ago.   The elder prince has suffered through numerous serious illnesses, most certainly due to a fondness for alcohol.   Until last weekend, when he attended the wedding of his nephew, Prince Hermann zu Leiningen,  Prince Ernst August has rarely been in public since before he separated from Princess Caroline.    He split from his Romanian beauty queen girlfriend nearly two years ago.


http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2015/10/ernst-august-has-split-from-girlfriend.html

He also has spent time in hospitals, largely due to medical issues, allegedly brought on by substance abuse.

I doubt Daddy will be attending his son's marriage.  He has plenty of time to not approve.  Did he recently wake up from a coma?

Unfortunately, the original Handelsblatt article is available only to subscribers.  I hope to obtain a copy of the article.


http://www.stern.de/lifestyle/ernst-august-vater-gegen-sohn--familienfehde-bei-den-welfen-7523674.html

the wedding of Prince Hermann & Princess Isabelle of Leiningen

The religious wedding of Prince Hermann and Princess Isabelle of Leiningen took place on July 1 at at Marienkirche at Grossgmain, near Salzburg.  The reception was held at Schloss Glanegg.


Prince Hermann is the youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Leiningen.     The groom's maternal uncle, the Prince of Hannover, attended the wedding with other guests.

http://www.bunte.de/royals/royals-weltweit/deutscher-adel/hermann-prinz-zu-leiningen-hochzeit-wie-im-maerchen-doch-die-groesste-ueberraschung-waren-diese.html

http://www.brauerphotos.de/?13816914071722443670&EVENT=WEBSHOP_SEARCH&SEARCHMODE=OFFER&OFFER=00044579%7C%7CHochzeit+Prinz+Hermann+zu+Leiningen+und+Isabelle+Heubach+in+Gro%C3%9Fgmain+und+anschliessende+Hochzeitsfeier+auf+Schloss+Glanegg%2C+%C3%96sterreich+am+01.07.2017

Expect a grand turnout for the wedding of Hermann's first cousin, Hereditary Prince Ernst August of Hannover, who will marry his Russian-born fiancee, Ekaterina Malysheva, which takes place next week in Hannover.

The wedding of Princess Sophie of Löwenstein-Werthein-Freudenberg & Count Constantin Fugger von Babenhausen

all three photos @ Ulrike Bartsch

Princess Sophie of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg married Count Constantin Fugger on Babenhausen were married at Wertheim on June24.  

Thanks to Ulrike for allowing me to publish the photos.

Lord Brabourne engaged to Emma Chaing

The news broke earlier today that Lord Brabourne, the only son and heir to the new Earl and Countess of Mountbatten is engaged to Emma Peggy Chaing, who uses the name Emma Stayhear.

The couple have been engaged since August 2016, and have been together for several years.    The announcement has not been made by Nicholas' family.

Miss Chaing, whose professional name is Emma Stayhear, is an alternative musician (for want of a better term) and sings Hip Hop with Nicholas Knatchbull, who is known  as Fivedimensional Nick.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4656226/Is-couple-Earl-Countess-Mountbatten.html

https://soundcloud.com/paranoidangel

http://5dn.deviantart.com/

Miss Chaing was born in Surrey in July 1988. She is the daughter of Benjamin Ka Ping Chaing and Maria Yee Sui Lui.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-chaing-6163b211/?ppe=1

Emma's father, Ben, is the managing director of Cathay Investments, Ltd.

https://relationshipscience.com/ben-chaing-p130680252

https://companycheck.co.uk/director/904462071/MR-BENJAMIN-KA-PING-CHAING/summary

This is the third engagement for Lord Brabourne.  He was previously engaged to  Zeaphena Bradley and Raz Tedros, respectively.

Countess Mountbatten of Burma's funeral today attended by Queen and other royals.

The Countess Mountbatten of Burma's funeral was held today at St. Paul's Knightsbridge, London. The guests included the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh (first cousin), the Prince of Wales (godson), the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and Sir Timothy Laurence, the Countess of Wessex, the Duchess of Gloucester,  the Duke of Kent, with two of his children, Lord St. Andrews (with his son Lord Doownpatrick), Lady Helen Taylor (with her husband, Timothy Taylor), Prince Michael of Kent, Princess Alexandra, Lady Sarah Chatto Lady Pamela Hicks (sister) and India Hicks (niece), Lord Ivar Mountbatten, whose father David, the 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven, was the late Countess' first cousin, and the Duchess of Abercorn, whose mother was Georgina Wernher, daughter of Lady Zia Werhner, whose sister, Nada was married to George, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven.  Gina was a childhood friend of Lady Mountbatten and the Queen.  She was a first cousin to David, 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven.


Lady Mountbatten's six surviving children and grandchildren, including the Hon. Nicholas Knatchbull, only son of Lord and Lady Brabourne,  He remained in the background.

The Queen, Princess Alexandra and Lady Pamela Hicks were bridesmaids at the Countess' wedding on October 26, 1946 to Lord Brabourne,   The other bridesmaid was the late Princess Margaret.

The Countess died at her home in Mersham on June 13th at the age of 93.

The coffin was carried by soldiers from the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.    The late Countess was their second colonel-in-chief.

 Following the burial,  the late Countess' son, Lord Brabourne, will be styled as the 3rd Earl Mountbatten of Burma.  His wife will be the Countess Mountbatten of Burma.  The new earl is also Baron Brabourne, but the Mountbatten earldom is a higher rank.   It is has not been announced if new heir, Nicholas, will be styled as Lord Brabourne or Lord Romsey.

A reception at the Berkelely Hotel.

Lady Mountbatten was buried at Mersham in the Brabourne family plot.



https://ppcli.com/


https://ppcli.com/the-regiment/colonel-in-chief/past-colonel-chief/countess-mountbatten-burma/


The Queen was one of the Countess' childhood playmates.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/27/queen-leads-mourners-funeralof-countess-mountbatten/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_tw

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A sale on photographs

Looking to purchase professional and lovely photographs, well look no further.

HRH Princess Sophie of Romania is having a sale on her website until July 15th. All photographs in the sale are 40% off, signed, and shipping is free. Some photographs have never been seen before and are on special.

http://www.yafosphotography.com/boutique.ws?wsajx=1&idb=23637465&idpnl=cp&viewc=1&viewp=1&pgc=0&pgp=0

Hohenlohe Princes marry well

June 26, 1917

Marlene A Eilers Koenig collection

The Marquise de Fontenoy reports on several of the more prominent members of the mediatized house of Hohenlohe, which is in the news due to the engagement of Princess Franziska of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst who is engaged to marry Archduke Maximilian of Austria, the younger brother of Emperor Karl.

Princess Franziska is a younger sister of Prince Alfred of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst, who was interned at the beginning of the war in Montreal, where he was attached to the Austrian consulate there.  He was released through the "personal intervention" of the Duke of Connaught, and then joined the staff of the Austro-Hungarian embassy in Washington, D.C.

Prince and Princess Alfred

It was in Washington where Prince Alfred met and married Miss Catherine Britton.  He was transferred to San Francisco, but after the final break between the United States and Austria,  Prince Alfred and all the other Austro-Hungarian consular and embassy staff returned to Europe.

There will be no difficulties in marriage between Princess Franziska and Archduke Maximilian as there was when Prince Alfred married Miss Britton.

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The head of the House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, which is the senior of all the Hohenlohe branches, Prince Ernst, is married to Princess Alexandra of Edinburgh, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria.  

Prince Johannes and Archduchess Anna

Johannes, Prince of Hohenlohe-Bartenstein is married to Archduchess Anna of Austria. daughter of the late Archduke Ferdinando, Grand Duke of Tuscany.

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Prince Gottfried of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst, who serves as the Austro-Hungarian ambassador to Berlin, also has a Habsburg wife, Archduchess Marie Henriette, daughter of Archduke Friedrich.  He is Prince Alfred's uncle.

Gottfried

Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia, son of the late Prince Albrecht, regent of Brunswick, choose to marry a Catholic Princess, Princess Agathe of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst.  Empress Auguste Viktoria's mother was a princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg by birth.   The Empress's maternal grandmother was Queen Victoria's older half sister, Princess Feodora.

Friedrich Wilhelm and Agathe

The many members of the Hohenlohe family are "simple and unaffected people in ordinary life," but are conscious of their rank and the luster of their ancestry."

Archduke Maximilian's future father-in-law, Prince Konrad, is the former governor of Trieste, and former premier of Austria, well known for "his liberal views," and often called the "red prince."  Konrad's father, the late Prince Constantin, was a childhood friend of the late Emperor Franz Josef.

New to my collection

Queen Anne Marie and Princess Alexia

75th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VISIT OF KING PETER II TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND CANADA” EXHIBITION OPENS AT THE WHITE PALACE

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“75th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VISIT OF KING PETER II TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND CANADA” EXHIBITION OPENS AT THE WHITE PALACE

Belgrade, June 26, 2017 – The exhibition “75th anniversary of the visit of King Peter II to the United States of America and Canada” was officially opened at the White Palace in Dedinje.

The exhibition was opened by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander, and the event was attended by HRH Crown Princess Katherine, the author of the exhibition Mr. Dusan Babac, famous Serbian painter Mr Cile Marinkovic with wife, members of the Advisory Bodies of the Crown, Ambassadors of the United States of America, Australia, Chile, Bulgaria, Mexico, Croatia, other representatives of the diplomatic corps and many other prominent figures from the world of culture and art. The guests had a chance to enjoy refreshments from “Bean and Leaf” company.

"When in 1942 my father, King Peter II, at the invitation from president Roosevelt, visited the United States of America and Canada, the world was on the peak of the Second World War. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia had been occupied for more than one year. Terror, mass crimes, persecutions and suffering engulfed a great part of the planet, and the United States of America were in the initial stage of the war operations against Japan. All allied countries – Great Britain, United States of America and the Soviet Union, fully supported the Royal Yugoslav government in exile. My father spoke at the American Congress as the youngest head of state in history. He tried to secure support and aid for the Yugoslav army in fatherland under General Mihailovic’s command. The American media wrote at length and favourably about this visit. King Peter II was presented as an ally, a representative of a country that fought against the axis forces“, said Crown Prince Alexander in his address.

An interesting setting is a historic “walk” through the cities that King Peter II visited during his 1942 stay in the United States of America, then exchanged messages with the then United States President Franklin Roosevelt, acts signed, photos and numerous other important events.

“The historic visit of King Peter II to the United States of America in 1942 at the height of the Second World War has long been left to oblivion. That is why its 75th anniversary is a great opportunity for the public to recall its significance in a historical context, as an important milestone in the historical relations between our two countries. For the United States and Canada, the visit of King Peter II was very significant, and King Peter II was the youngest head of state who spoke in the United States Congress, the first foreign head of state in the Canadian Parliament, and during his visit he also met with many significant figures of political and public life of the United States of America and Canada”, said Dusan Babac, the author of the exhibition.

The exhibition will be open to the public from 27 June to 7 July, on working days, at 11:00 am or 2:00 pm.