CHURCH COMMEMORATION SERVICE FOR THE LATE KING PETER II

Oplenac, November 3, 2005 – The church commemoration service for the late King Peter II has been held today in the Church of Saint Djordje at Oplenac, on the occasion of the anniversary of HM King Peter II’s death.

The church commemoration service was served by the Clergy of the Oplenac Deanery of the Diocese of Sumadija and was attended by the General Manager of the King Peter I Foundation Mr. Miladin Gavrilovic, his associates and numerous of citizens of Topola and nearby towns.

King Peter II was born in Belgrade on 6 September 1923 as the first born son of King Alexander I and Queen Marie. His Godfather was King George VI of Great Britain. His education commenced at The Royal Palace, and then he went to Sandroyd School in England, which he left after his father’s assassination in 1934. Since King Peter II was underage at the time regency was proclaimed headed by his great uncle Prince Regent Paul Karadjordjevic.

In 1941 when Yugoslavia entered the war on the side of the Allies King Peter II left the country with the Yugoslav Government – initially for Greece, and then to Egypt. He came to England in June 1941, where he was regarded as the symbol of resistance against Nazism. King Peter II completed his education at Cambridge University, and then joined the Royal Air Force.

King Peter II never abdicated. Initially King Peter II lived in exile in London with his wife, the Greek Princess Alexandra and his son Crown Prince Alexander II who was born in 1945. King Peter II spent the last years of his life in America. After a long and grave illness King Peter II died in Denver Hospital Colorado 3 November 1970, and he was buried at the St. Sava Church in Libertyville Illinois. King Peter II is the only king buried in the United States.