During the commemoration of the anniversary of the assassination of King Alexander I Karađorđević, at the family mausoleum of St. George’s Church in Oplenac, the wreath on his grandfather’s grave was laid by Crown Prince Alexander II Karađorđević, accompanied by his son, Hereditary Prince Philip, daughter-in-law Princess Danica, brother Prince Mihailo, and sister-in-law Princess Ljubica. The Royal Family once again refused to participate in the official state ceremony led by representatives of the Ministry of Labor, Veteran and Social Affairs.
Members of the Royal Family, led by Crown Prince Alexander, laid a wreath on the grave of King Alexander I immediately before the start of the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy in St. George’s Church, which was served by Archbishop of Kragujevac and Metropolitan of Šumadija Jovan.
With this act, the Karađorđević Royal Family refused for the second time in a row to participate in the state protocol which was held shortly after, and which is usually led by the Ministry of Labor, Veteran and Social Affairs. The Royal Family’s wreath was carried by young people from Šumadija in national costumes.
Unlike the previous time, when Hereditary Prince Philip and his family laid a wreath on the grave of King Peter I immediately before the start of the state ceremony, refusing for the first time to lay a wreath within the state protocol which was then led by Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski, the Minister did not appear in Oplenac this time, so the wreath on behalf of the state was laid by representatives of her ministry, representatives of the Serbian Army, and local self-governments.
The members of the Royal Family left Oplenac after the end of the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy, without waiting for the state ceremony.
“Today we remember the tragic October 9, 1934, when King Alexander I of Yugoslavia was murdered in Marseille. This was not only a terrible loss for the Royal Family but also for our people and all the peoples of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, as well as for Europe and the world, because a great statesman and diplomat fell as a victim of the totalitarian ideologies of evil, Nazism and Fascism. King Alexander the Unifier dedicated his life to the ideals of unity, peace, and progress. Guided by a strong sense of duty and love for his people, he worked tirelessly to strengthen the state and ensure stability in turbulent times. His vision was to enable stability and a secure future for his people; he built when others were tearing down. Let us never forget his sacrifice and his unwavering faith in the values of unity, peace, and national dignity,” said Crown Prince Alexander II.
Hereditary Prince Philip also emphasized that for him it is a day of remembrance but also of pride.
“My great-grandfather, King Alexander I, was not only a ruler but a symbol of courage and faith in a better tomorrow. Remembering King Alexander I, we remind ourselves that history is not just the past; it is also a call to build the future on the values he advocated: unity, respect, and faith in a common life. Serbia has the strength to once again be the home of all its peoples,” said Prince Philip.
King Alexander I Karađorđević, also known as “the Unifier,” was the supreme commander of the Serbian army in the Great War. Under his supreme command, the Serbian army won great victories, restoring freedom to the homeland and writing pages that entered world military annals. He was killed in an assassination attempt in Marseille in 1934.
The assassination of King Alexander I Karađorđević was carried out by a member of VMRO (Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization), Vlado Chernozemski, with the support of the Ustaše movement.
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Source: Nova.rs; Photo: Kabinet Nj.K.V. Princa Naslednika Filipa/Služba za saradnju sa medijima