On Saturday, a ceremony was held on Oplenac to mark 104 years since the death of King Peter I Karađorđević, and as the Nova.rs portal learns, at the aforementioned event there were disagreements when state representatives determined that Prince Philip Karađorđević should be the fifth in line to lay a wreath. In front of him were Minister Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski, representatives of the Serbian Army and local self-governments.
According to the source of our portal, Prince Philip Karađorđević refused to lay a wreath within the state protocol led by Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski, Minister of Labor, Veteran and Social Affairs.
According to our interlocutor, Đurđević Stamenkovski came just before the end of the liturgy, and during the memorial service for King Peter I Karađorđević, Bishop Jovan decided that the minister should stand between him and Prince Philip.
“After that, the protocol determines that Philip should lay the wreath of the royal family only in fifth place, after her, the army, local self-governments and others. They have been doing this for years with the wreath of the head of the Royal House, stating that they are actually doing a favor to the Karađorđevićs. Filip did not want to tolerate such behavior and disrespect for the place they were in, and to treat the Karađorđevićs as if they were guests in their own house. He did not want to cause any scandal, he laid the wreath himself after the memorial service just before the start of the state ceremony, accompanied by his wife Princess Danica and relatives Prince Mihailo and Princess Ljubica, and after that they left, leaving the state delegation led by the minister,” our source explains.
In a statement sent to the public after the ceremony, Prince Philip reflected on the events in Serbia, connecting the historical heritage with today’s challenges.
Данас се навршава 104 године од упокојења мог чукундеде, краља Петра I Карађорђевића, владара кога је народ прозвао Ослободилац и кога историја памти као симбол слободе, демократије и државног достојанства.
— Филип Карађорђевић (@PrincFilip1) August 16, 2025
Краљ Петар I није био само владар, већ и дубоки верник у идеале слободе… pic.twitter.com/1SWN4x05p3
“Today, as citizens have been gathering at protests for nine months throughout Serbia, the legacy of King Peter is revealed to be alive and present. He believed that the people have the right to raise their voice, to seek truth and responsibility and to fight for a more just society. We are sadly observing the painful and brutal scenes of violence against young people, those who are the most valuable part of our society and its future.”
Crown Prince Philip Karađorđević stated that his ancestor was remembered by the people as the most beloved king, and that he was recognized throughout history as a symbol of freedom, democracy and state dignity. By paying tribute to his great-great-grandfather, he reminded the public of his legacy:
“King Peter I was not only a ruler, but also a deep believer in the ideals of freedom and human dignity. Even before coming to the throne, he translated John Stuart Mill’s work On Liberty, wanting the spirit of civil rights and democracy to become a lasting legacy of Serbian society,” Prince Philip pointed out.
He reminded that during the reign of King Peter, Serbia lived under the Constitution of 1903, which was the most democratic in the region at the time. “That constitution guaranteed freedom of speech, assembly and association, broad freedom of the press without censorship and the government’s responsibility before the National Assembly. At that time, Serbia was recognized as a country of free newspapers and developed parliamentarism, and King Peter consistently respected his role as a constitutional monarch, giving the people the right to be the bearer of state life,” he emphasized.
According to him, the memory of King Peter must not remain only on his sarcophagus in Oplenac. “His life and work should be a warning and an inspiration, that there is no greater sanctity than the life and dignity of a person and that freedom is not a privilege, but the foundation of every just state,” the Crown Prince said.
“It is our duty to remain faithful to that tradition of freedom, democracy and responsibility. That is a testament to the past, but also a guidepost for the future of Serbia. My father Crown Prince Aleksandar also followed that testament, on whose behalf I laid a wreath today on the grave of our ancestor, I also feel that testament as my personal obligation,” concluded Prince Philip Karađorđević.
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Source: Nova.rs; Photo: Printscreen X