HRH CROWN PRINCESS KATHERINE KARADJORDJEVIC’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATED AT THE WHITE PALACE

Belgrade, 14 November 2002 – TRH Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine organized a formal reception for the prominent cultural and art figures at the White Palace in Dedinje last night, which also was the occasion to celebrate Princess Katherine’s birthday.

This is the second birthday of the Princess since her return to the Fatherland, and the occasion to gather at one place all those whose wish is that this nation goes in the right direction and show the world the richness of its cultural and spiritual heritage.

Their Royal Highnesses warmly welcomed many cultural and public figures, ambassadors, religious leaders and journalists, being together with Princess Katherine’s father Mr. Robert Batis from Athens, and her daughter Alison who lives in New York.

The present guests were first addressed by Crown Prince Alexander II who said:

“Great nations are distinguished by the importance they give to science, culture and art. A nation without culture is not a nation. The Royal Family has always helped culture and that tradition will continue”.

Crown Prince Alexander II in his addressing presented Her Royal Highness Crown Prince Katherine as a devoted mother who not only takes care of her family, but persistently makes effort in the work of her Foundation that takes care of those who need help most: the sick, their doctors who don’t have working conditions, children without parents, handicapped children.

Her work in humanitarian field resulted in many donations delivered to our hospitals, which was shown in a short film that portrayed the last year of the Foundation’s work.

Crown Prince Alexander II expressed his joy for on this very important day for Karadjordjevic family, the celebration of his wife’s birthday, Princess Katherine’s father Mr. Robert Batis and her daughter Alison were present, who arrived in Belgrade and surprised Her Royal Highness.

Princes Petar, Alexander and Filip could not be at the celebration this year because of their obligations at the universities, but Crown Prince Alexander II expressed hope that the next year the Family will be together.

On behalf of the present guests Minister of Culture Mr. Branislav Lecic thanked and said:

“Let us do everything we can to make a strong system in which culture is sheltered, for it is the foundation of a nation”.

Notably excited, Princess Katherine addressed the present guests thanking them and expressing her pleasure for her birthday being the occasion to gather representatives of culture, and added:

“I am very happy because my birthday is the occasion for such gathering and because Minister of Culture Mr. Lecic is with us, who from the very beginning is following us in all activities. I hope he will help us to present our cultural heritage to the world in the best possible way”.

Thanking her father Mr. Batis and her daughter Alison for the most beautiful gift they gave her by coming to her birthday, she added:

“ I thank my father who taught me from the young age to love other people and help them, but most of all I thank my husband without whom I couldn’t be here with you and with our people”.

All employees at the Royal House had a surprise for Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Katherine by organizing the singers of the Belgrade Opera to sing “Many happy returns” and a few most famous opera arias.

After cutting the birthday cake, there was a cocktail party during which many reporters had the opportunity to talk to and have short statements from Her Royal Highness.