VESTI, Australian edition, November 7, 2005

written by R.Loncar 

IN THE EVE OF THE ROYAL VISIT TO AUSTRALIA (3) 

The crown opens door everywhere 

• Karadordje’s descendant is using all his contacts in the aristocratic, diplomatic, financial and business circles just to help his country and its people

The Crown Prince with his wife and children

HRH Crown Prince Alexander II Karadjordjevic and his wife HRH Crown Princess Katherine Karadjordjevic are arriving today in Australia to visit the Serbian community. Their Royal Highnesses will do their best to promote their homeland, its potentials and needs not only among Serbs, but among Australian officials in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney as well. The royal couple does this constantly during all their visits abroad as well when having high international guests at their home, The Royal Palace in Dedinje.

One should feel honoured to serve the nation 

One should feel honoured to serve the nation, says HRH Crown Prince. “From Karadjordje on there is a constant effort to serve this nation and this country.  My family and I consider that as the highest responsibility”. This obligation is very seriously fulfilled by Karadordje’s descendant, who is using all his contacts in the aristocratic, diplomatic, financial and business circles of Europe and the whole world, just to help his country and its people.  

The efforts of HRH Crown Prince Alexander II are obvious and he has shown his commitment so many times, especially this summer when he celebrated his 60. birthday, when the royalties, aristocracy, foreign and national jet set gathered in Belgrade. Among the invitees were Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, the representatives of French, Portuguese and Liechtenstein aristocracy as well as the members of the House of Lords of the British Kingdom, the former president of South Africa, Frederik Willem de Klerk and many other high officials from the world. HRH Crown Prince used this opportunity to organize business meetings in order to help Serbia to improve its relations with the world.

The arrangement with the World Bank  

“Some of my guests are worldwide reputable businessmen and I think that they need to see what the situation is. That is the reason why I organized this business breakfast. It is very important that some of the ministers came in order to present our economy and the privatization process, to invite the investors to this country”, said HRH Crown Prince before the meeting.

Thanks to HRH Crown Prince Alexander’s close friendship with Mr James Wolfensohn, the former president of the World Bank, the Serbian Minister of Finance Mladjan Dinkic settled a very successful loan agreement with the World Bank. Their friendship dates back from school days and it was strengthened during the time when HRH Crown Prince was developing his business in London. Every time when they are in the USA, HRH Crown Prince Alexander II and HRH Crown Princess Katherine are guests at the home of Mr Wolfensohn in Washington.

The Crown Council members also remind how important was the role of HRH Crown Prince in the democratic changes that started on October 5, 2000, especially when he decided to come to live in Serbia. HRH Crown Prince Alexander II is constantly helping the ministers and businessman to improve their contacts abroad by initializing and organizing meetings and business conferences, such as those held in Athens and London. Among many other things, as they say at The Royal Compound, HRH Crown Prince Alexander II helped to organize a meeting with some of the ministers and Prince Charles of Wales, as well as their participation at the business forum of the descendants of the British throne, where they gained valuable contacts. HRH Crown Prince Alexander II together with the Prince of Wales started the business initiative for Yugoslavia back in November 2000.  

-I used to go to school with Prince Charles and we see each other quite often. I explained to him how difficult the situation here is and he offered me the help of Prince of Wales Forum for business leaders.  Many companies belong to this Forum and they have a lot of experience in business partnerships in the countries in transition.  Not only Prince Charles is helping us, but we get help from many sides”, said HRH Crown Prince Alexander II Karadjordjevic.  

In the aristocratic circles they say that Alexander’s blue-blooded friends, especially those from Great Britain would like to visit him in Belgrade and HRH Crown Prince Alexander II also said that Prince Charles once mentioned that he would like to go skiing in Kopaonik, so The Royal Family Karadjordjevic is hoping that Prince Charles will soon come to Belgrade.

Dear guest with all royal families  

 HRH Crown Prince doesn’t forget to mention that friends from the countries that have a republican system show great interest in Serbia. In Greece, for example, HRH Crown Prince Alexander and HRH Crown Princess Katherine are highly respected. They have very strong connections in Greek business and humanitarian circles. He also has very developed business contacts in America, Germany, Great Britain, France, Russian Federation, etc. HRH Crown Prince Alexander II is a close friend with the Sultan of Brunei, one of the richest man in the world, whose recent visit was announced by HRH Crown Prince Alexander II.  

It is also known that HRH Crown Prince has an excellent relationship with Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Holland, Belgian, Japanese and Jordanian royal families. He is very welcome at all royal houses in the world, as well as among business and political jet set worldwide.  

HRH Crown Prince Alexander II, the only child of King Peter II and Queen Alexandra, who was a Greek princess, was born on July 17, 1945 in Claridge’s Hotel in London.  His parents went to live in exile when the communists seized power in Belgrade. The Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill declared the suite, in which Crown Prince was born, Yugoslav territory. His Holiness Patriarch Gavrilo Dozic baptized the newborn Crown Prince in London and his godparents were King George VI and the then HRH Princess Elizabeth, now HM The Queen Elizabeth II. HRH Crown Prince was educated in Switzerland, America, Scotland and England. In 1966 he was commissioned in the British Army and served in the Middle East, Italy and West Germany. When he left the army in 1972, HRH Crown Prince Alexander II, who speaks several languages, pursued a career in business.    

Greek King as his best man  

HRH Crown Prince Alexander II married Her Imperial and Royal Highness Princess Maria da Gloria of Orleans and Braganza of  the Imperial Family of Brazil. They have three children: the eldest son, Prince Peter was born in 1980 in Chicago and twin sons Prince Philip and Prince Alexander were born 1980 in Fairfax (USA). The marriage ended in 1983 and two years later HRH Crown Prince Alexander II married in London Katherine Batis from Athens. His Majesty King Constantine of the Hellenes was the best man.

Finally at home

In 1991 HRH Crown Prince Alexander II accompanied by his wife and sons visited Serbia for the first time. They were enthusiastically received by hundreds of thousands of people. Before October 5, 2005 HRH Crown Prince visited Serbia in 1992, 1995 and 2000. He also visited Montenegro and Kosovo in 1999, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina and again Montenegro in 2000. The Crown Prince and his family have been living in The Royal Palace Belgrade since July 2001.

He is not renouncing the throne

According to the court biographers when King Peter II, who never abdicated,  died in exile in 1970, his only child HRH Crown Prince Alexander II decided not to formally use the king’s title, because he wouldn’t have much use of it in exile, but he has never renounced his title and his dynasty right.