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The Office of H.R.H. Crown Prince Alexander II
Њихова Краљевска Височанства Престолонаследник Александар II, Принцеза Катарина, Принц Наследник Петар, Принц Филип и Принц Александар, Принцеза Линда, Принц Никола, Принцеза Катарина, Принц Владимир и Принцеза Бригита, Принцеза Лавинија, г-дин Остин Причард – Леви и Лука Причард – Леви, Принц Димитрије, Принцеза Јелисавета, Принц Михајло, Принц Сергије и Принц Душан, заједно са Њ.Е. г-дином Томиславом Николићем, председником Србије, Њ.Е. г-дином Ивицом Дачићем, председником Владе, Њ.Е. г-дином Иваном Мркићем, министром спољних послова, Њ.Е. проф. др Славицом Ђукић – Дејановић, министром здравља, Њ.Е. г-дином Велимиром Илићем, министром грађевинарства и урбанизма, Њ.Е. г-дином Милорадом Додиком, председником Републике Српске, народним посланицима, представницима Војске Србије, великим бројем грађана Србије, Републике Српске и из иностранства, страних Краљевских породица, представницима дипломатског кора, одали су пошту Њиховим Величанствима Краљу Петру II, Краљици Александри и Краљици Марији, и Његовом Краљевском Височанству Краљевићу Андреју данас у Краљевском маузолеју на Опленцу.
Њихова Краљевска Височанства Престолонаследник Александар II, Принцеза Катарина, Принц Наследник Петар, Принц Филип и Принц Александар, Принцеза Линда, Принц Никола, Принцеза Катарина, Принц Владимир и Принцеза Бригита, Принцеза Лавинија, г-дин Остин Причард – Леви и Лука Причард – Леви, Принц Димитрије, Принцеза Јелисавета, Принц Михајло, Принц Сергије и Принц Душан, заједно са Њ.Е. г-дином Томиславом Николићем, председником Србије, Њ.Е. г-дином Ивицом Дачићем, председником Владе, Њ.Е. г-дином Иваном Мркићем, министром спољних послова, Њ.Е. проф. др Славицом Ђукић – Дејановић, министром здравља, Њ.Е. г-дином Велимиром Илићем, министром грађевинарства и урбанизма, Њ.Е. г-дином Милорадом Додиком, председником Републике Српске, народним посланицима, представницима Војске Србије, великим бројем грађана Србије, Републике Српске и из иностранства, страних Краљевских породица, представницима дипломатског кора, одали су пошту Њиховим Величанствима Краљу Петру II, Краљици Александри и Краљици Марији, и Његовом Краљевском Височанству Краљевићу Андреју данас у Краљевском маузолеју на Опленцу.
Били су присутни и г-дин Дејвид Ендрјуз са супругом (син и
снаха Њ.К.В.Принцезе Катарине), г-ђа Алисон Ендрјуз, (ћерка Њ.К.В.Принцезе
Катарине) са својим синовима г-дином Николасом Гарфинкелом и г-дином Мајклом
Гарфинкелом, и г-ђа Бети Румелиотис, сестра Њ.К.В.Принцезе Катарине.
Пре почетка церемоније Његово Краљевско Височанство Принц
Наследник Петар положио је круну Њ.В. Краља Петра И, Његово Краљевско
Височанство Принц Филип скиптар и шар, а Његово Краљевско Височанство Принц
Александар дијамантску сабљу на ковчег Њ.В. Краља Петра II.
За мене − као старешину Краљевског Дома и као Карађорђевог
потомка − ово је велики дан.
Тужан, али свечан. Пун емоција, пун личних
успомена. Ово је историјски тренутак за Краљевску породицу, али и за цео српски
народ и државу Србију.“
Њ.Е. г-дин Ивица Дачић, председник Владе Републике Србије је
рекао: „Овим је данас залепљен последњи део мозаика наше историје. Прошлост се
не може изменити, али грешке се данас исправљају. Идеологија има много, али
Србија је само једна. Зато је важно да српски народ у будућности буде
јединствен. Живела Србија!“
Royal Family, President of Serbia, Prime Minister, Serbian Church and Serbian People attend State
Funeral at Royal Mausoleum in Oplenac
Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II, Crown
Princess Katherine, Hereditary Prince Peter, Prince Philip and Prince
Alexander, Princess Linda, Prince Nicholas, Princess Katerina, Prince Vladimir
and Princess Brigitta, Princess Lavinia, Mr. Austin Prichard-Levy and Luca
Prichard-Levy, Prince Dimitri, Princess Elizabeth, Prince Michel, Prince Serge
and Prince Dushan with H.E. Mr. Tomislav Nikolic, President of Serbia, H.E. Mr.
Ivica Dacic, Prime Minister, H.E. Foreign Minister Mr. Ivan Mrkic, H.E. Prof.
Dr. Slavica Djukic – Dejanovic, Minister of health, H.E. Mr. Velimir Ilic,
Minister of Construction and Urbanism, H.E. Mr. Milorad Dodik, President of
Republika Srpska, representatives of Parliament of Serbia, Serbian Army,
members of other Royal Families, and a great number of citizens from all over
Serbia, Republika Srpska and abroad, representatives of diplomatic corps, paid
final respects to Their Majesties King Peter II, Queen Alexandra and Queen
Maria and His Royal Highness Prince Andrej at St. George church Royal Mausoleum
in Oplenac today.
Also present Mr. and Mrs. David Andrews, son and daughter in
law of HRH Crown Princess Katherine, Ms. Alison Andrews, daughter of HRH Crown
Princess Katherine and her sons Mr. Nicholas Garfinkel and Mr. Michael
Garfinkel, and Ms. Betty Roumeliotis, sister of HRH Crown Princess Katherine.
Among representatives of foreign Royal Families there were
Their Majesties King Simeon and Queen Margarita of the Bulgarians, Their
Majesties King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes, Their Royal
Highnesses Crown Princess Margarita and Prince Radu of Romania, Their Imperial
and Royal Highnesses Archduke Sandor and Archduchess Herta of Austria, His
Highness Sheikh Abdulla Bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Their Royal Highnesses
The Margraf and Margrafin of Baden, Their Serene Highnesses Prince Philipp
Erasmus and Princess Isabelle of Liechtenstein, His Royal Highness Prince Mabandla
Dlamini of Swaziland, Princess Ira Von Fürstenberg and His Serene Highness
Prince Pierre D' Arenberg.
H. E. Mr. Michael Davenport, Ambassador of the United Kingdom
and H.E. Ms. Mette Kjuel Nielsen, Ambassador of Kingdom of Denmark were also
present in the church.
Before the ceremony started, His Royal Highness Hereditary
Prince Peter placed the Crown of HM King Peter I, His Royal Highness Prince
Philip placed the sceptre and orb, and His Royal Highness Prince Alexander
placed a diamond sabre of HM King Alexander I on the coffin of HM King Peter
II.
His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, His Eminence
Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, His Eminence
Metropolitan of Dabar and Bosnia Nikolaj, Their Graces Bishop Lukijan of Budim,
Bishop Jovan of Sumadija, Bishop Vasilije of Srem, Bishop Ignatije of
Branicevo, Bishop Lukijan of Osijek pole and Baranja, Bishop Dositej of Britain
and Scandinavia, Bishop Maxim of Western America, Bishop
Joanikije of Budimlje and Niksic, Bishop Irinej of Australia and New Zealand, Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno, Archimandrite Metodije of Hilandar, officiated and attended the Holy Liturgy.
Joanikije of Budimlje and Niksic, Bishop Irinej of Australia and New Zealand, Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno, Archimandrite Metodije of Hilandar, officiated and attended the Holy Liturgy.
The following Religious Leader were also present His
Excellency Monsignor Stanislav Hocevar, Roman Catholic Metropolitan and
Archbishop of Belgrade, Muhamed ef.Jusufspahic, Mufti of Serbia, Father Vitalij
Tarasjev, representative of Moscow Patriarchate in Belgrade.
After the Liturgy and the Requiem, His Holiness, Patriarch
Irinej of Serbia, said: “The honourable Serbian Royal House, and its Head Your
Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander II, in the light of divine force and
truth, we are rectifying a great injustice today, human injustice that cried to
the heavens. Descendents of
Karadjordje, Father of Serbia, witnessed ocupation of their country, were forced to leave their beloved country, and to live in exile for decades. Today, when final wish of His Majesty King Peter I has been fulfilled, that his descendents live in their country with their people, and to be buried at St. George Church in Oplenac, we truly believe that souls of Karadjordje, Prince Alexander, King Peter I and King Alexander I rejoyce today. This is important day for Royal House of Kradjordjevic and their Head Crown Prince Alexander. Serbian children and Serbian people will gather around their graves to learn lessons of patriotism, love for their country, its history and culture“.
Karadjordje, Father of Serbia, witnessed ocupation of their country, were forced to leave their beloved country, and to live in exile for decades. Today, when final wish of His Majesty King Peter I has been fulfilled, that his descendents live in their country with their people, and to be buried at St. George Church in Oplenac, we truly believe that souls of Karadjordje, Prince Alexander, King Peter I and King Alexander I rejoyce today. This is important day for Royal House of Kradjordjevic and their Head Crown Prince Alexander. Serbian children and Serbian people will gather around their graves to learn lessons of patriotism, love for their country, its history and culture“.
Prime Minister of Serbia, H.E. Mr. Ivica Dacic, said: “A
final piece of our history’s mosaic has been put in place today. We cannot
change the past, but we rectify mistakes today. There are many ideologies, but
there is just one Serbia .
Therefore, it is very important that our people become united in the future.
Long live Serbia !“
H.E. President of Serbia Mr. Tomislav Nikolic, said:
“Our nation's history, beside glorious deeds, patriotism, fight for justice and
truth, records conflicts, as well. That is one of the reasons that our country
has had bad destiny. More Serbs died of acts of their brothers, than from
foreign occupiers, and we must not forget that fact. Destiny of Karadjordje,
his descendents and his family, represent sublimation of all ours divisions and
disasters. We cannot have luxury of divisions and injustice any more. Serbs have respected justice as highest virtue
from the ancient times. Therefor we are rectifying immense injustic at the
grave of Supreme Leader Karadjordje today.
And we are making another step toward unity“.
HRH Crown Prince Alexander II, son of Their Majesties King
Peter II and Queen Alexandra, and grandson of HM Queen Maria, delivered a
moving speech: “We are gathered today here in Oplenac to pay our last respects
and bid farewell to King Peter II, Queen Alexandra, Queen Maria and Prince
Andrej. The Karadjordjevic's, whose destiny throughout history has been closely
tied to the destiny of the entire nation, as well as to the establishment of
the modern Serbian
State . Their lives are
the reflection of what happened to their people and their homeland. Their
wanderings and their exile lasted for too long. They lived and died in
different parts of the world.
Today they are here in Oplenac, among their family and among
their Serbs. For me, as the Head of the Royal Family and for my whole family
this a great day. Sad, but solemn. Full of emotions and reverence. Full of
personal memories. This is not only a historic moment for Royal Family, but
also for the whole Serbian nation and the State of Serbia.”
TRH Crown Prince Alexander, Crown Princess Katherine,
Hereditary Prince Peter, Prince Philip and Prince Alexander will host a
reception on this solemn occasion for the Royal Family, state officials, church
dignitaries, members of foreign Royal families and ambassadors at the White
Palace 8 pm this evening.
HRH Crown Prince Alexander II and the Royal Family would
like to express their gratitude to H.E. Mr. Tomislav Nikolic President of
Serbia, H.E. Mr. Ivica Dacic, Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of the
Interior, His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia and Serbian Orthodox Church,
the State Commission for the transfer of remains of members of Royal Family and
Prof. Dr. Oliver Antic, special advisor to President of Serbia, H.E. Mr. Ivan
Mrkic, Minister of foreign affairs of Serbia, His Grace Bishop Longin of the
Diocese of New Gracanica and Midwestern America in Illionois United States of
America, H.E. Mr. Vladimir Petrovic, ambassador of Serbia to the United States
of America, H.E. Mr. Dragan Zupanjevac, ambassador of Serbia to Greece, H.E.
Dr. Dejan Popovic, ambassador of Serbia to the United Kingdom, Mr. Desko
Nikitovic, Consul General of Serbia in Chicago United States of America, The
Government of Greece, H.E. Ambassador Dionyssios Kodellas from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Greece, Mr. Tom Karacic, lawyer from Chicago, Mr Dusan
Djordjevic of Sveta Gora in Chicago, and so many others from Serbia and abroad
who contributed that this event of tremendous importance for Serbia and its
citizens was made possible.