State funeral: Day 2

Note: photos will be uploaded after I return from the dinner.

Just back from Topola for a memorial service at Openlac.  This is where the funeral will take place tomorrow.  As one of the VIP guests, I traveled by bus with a police escort.  Topola is 90 minutes away from Belgrade. 

There were people lining the highway and the road to Topola, more people as we got closer to the Royal Family's former summer resort, when Serbia was a monarchy.

Warm and Sunny.  People threw carnations and other flowers at the cortege.  Soldiers and adults and children in national dress welcomed us to Topola.

Soldiers in smart blue uniforms lined the red carpet leading to the entrance of the church.  It was a long walk up a cobbled path (thankfully, I wore flats) to the church.   The four coffins were brought into the chapel, followed by the members of the Royal Family.  The VIP guests, which included Serbian-Americans and friends of the Crown Prince and his family.

We were placed in a good area to watch the ceremony (standing).  The service lasted for about 15 minutes.   The royal family paid their respects to King Peter II, Queen Alexandra, Queen Marie, and Prince Andrej.  

Following this, the royal family and their guests gathered for a group photograph.  

Back to the bus, and a ride to a local restaurant, Aleksander,  which has walls of photos of the royal family, and a wonderful portrait of the Crown Prince, who invited me to join the head table.  Princess Linda and Princess Elizabeth were also at this table.

The members of the Royal Family who were present for this ceremony:  Crown Prince Alexander, Crown Prince Katherine, Prince Peter, Prince Alexander, Princess Linda and her sons, Prince George and Prince Michael,  Princess Katarina, Princess Lavinia and her husband, Austin Prichard Levy, and their son, Luca, Prince Vladimir and Princess Birgitta and Prince Dimitri.

Hair done, changed into cocktail dress... and 5 minutes before leaving for Palace for the dinner  ... with a police escort.