Schaumburg-Lippe: Lying-in-State of Fürstin Benita

The coffin containing the earthly remains of Fürstin Benita zu Schaumburg-Lippe, who died on 10 May, has been visited by many people from Bückeburg and vicinity.

Her funeral will take place this weekend at the family's Mausoleum at Schloß Bückeburg.

http://www.landes-zeitung.de/portal/lokales/lz-heute_Abschied-von-Fuerstin-Benita-_arid,527078.html

©landes-zeitung.de

Russia: New Statue of Nicholas II and Alexandra

Last Saturday, the first statue of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna to be built in post-Bolshevik Russia was unveiled.

Our dear friend and author, Galina Korneva, has provided us with this lovely image of the above mentioned tribute to the massacred imperial couple.

It is the first time that a statue of the last Imperial Couple is unveiled in Russia!

©Galina Korneva

Serbia: Reply from HRH Prince Vladimir

Eurohistory received communication from HRH Prince Vladimir  regarding his views on the transfer of his late father's remains back to Serbia.

While we, as a press organization do not take sides, nor do we fan flames, we do feel it is worth providing the Prince with the space required for his reply to the events.

I have oftentimes asked those royals I keep in contact with, that my hope is for everyone to get along.

Today, at 08:13 on 14 of May 2013, I was informed by a friend in Australia that plans had been made and executed behind my back in order to bring back the remains of my late father, Kraljevic Andrej, to Serbia in order to be buried at Oplenac on the 26th of this month.

Although I had made very clear demands, as the head of the Kraljevic Andrej branch of the Karadjordjevic family, that the remains of my late father were to remain in the USA until I, as his eldest son and the one who was with him in the days before his death, saw fit to have them transferred to Oplenac, these demands and instructions have been ignored and violated.

It is a very sad day indeed when the eldest and rightful son of a father, as head of his branch, is betrayed by those in his family that he has loved and served for decades.

I am informing you all of this because I do not want you to think that this latest action had anything to do with me, or that I have changed my mind. I stand by my decision and instructions that I made many months ago and I am sorry that others within the family have chosen to take this course of action. 

As I have also stated previously, despite my feelings about this entire affair, I will dutifully attend the ceremony on the 26th in order to pay my heartfelt respects to my uncle, HM the late King Petar II and his wife, my grandmother HM the late Queen Marija and now my father, the late Kraljevic Andrej.

©Prince Vladimir

Serbia: Prince Andrej's Remains Return Home

HRH Prince Andrej returns to Serbia

Belgrade 14th May 2013 – Their Royal Highnesses Prince Dimitri, Princess Lavinia-Marie and Princess Tatiana - Marie of Serbia are delighted to announce that as a result of their recent successful application to the County Court of Grays Lake Illinois United States of America, the mortal remains of their beloved father, HRH Prince Andrej, third son of HM King Alexander I and younger brother of HM King Peter II, will arrive at the Royal Chapel, Dedinje on Wednesday, 15th May. 

On Wednesday 15 May 2013 - At Nikola Tesla Airport HRH Prince Andrew Remains will be awaited by his son HRH Prince Dimitri, His daughter Princess Lavinia - Maria and his grandson Mr. Luca Prichard Levy, HRH Crown Prince Alexander, HRH Crown Princess Katherine, HRH Princess Elizabeth, Professor Oliver Antic Special Advisor to President of Serbia and His Grace Vicar Bishop of Hvosno Atanasije with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch of Serbia Irinej.

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej will conduct a Memorial Service at the Royal Chapel, where the caskets of HRH Prince Andrew’s brother HM King Peter II, his sister-in-law HM Queen Alexandra and his mother HM Queen Maria, are already in place. 

Following the Church service a reception for state representatives, Members of the Crown Council and Religious dignitaries will take place at The Royal Palace.

A State Funeral for their re-interment in the Royal Mausoleum of St George's Chapel in Oplenac will be conducted by His Holiness Patriarch Irinej on Sunday 26 May 2013.

HRH Prince Dimitri and the two Princesses said: "This is truly an emotional, extraordinary and momentous event, not only for us as Prince Andrej’s children and the Royal Family, but also for the Serbian nation and Serbs everywhere. The return of our Father completes the jigsaw in the righting of an historic injustice. Our beloved father was always homesick for his homeland, and although this was not possible in life, at last he will join his family in eternal peace on Sunday 26 May in the Royal Mausoleum in Oplenac, where he rightfully belongs with his family and ancestors. We would also like to acknowledge our cousin HRH Crown Prince Alexander, without whom this would not have been possible. 

We sincerely believe that only with this unification of all our Karadjordjevic forebears from Karadjordje himself down to the present day generations in their holy resting place in the Royal Family Mausoleum in Oplenac - the lasting legacy of HM King Peter I, The Unifier - can the wounds of our troubled past continue to be healed. Their reburial together on Sunday 26th May means our beloved country can confidently look forward to a happier future with a more peaceful heart. The State Funeral on Sunday 26th May will be a historic moment, both of truth and reconciliation, and great rejoicing – Long live Serbia! (Zivela Srbija!)”

HRH PRINCE ANDREJ BIOGRAPHY

HRH Prince Andrej was born 26 June 1929 in Bled Slovenia and died 7 May 1990 in Irvine California. Prince Andrej was the third son of HM King Alexander I of Yugoslavia and HM Queen Maria of Yugoslavia, and younger brother of HM KIng Peter II.

After the Royal Family’s exile in 1941, Prince Andrej graduated in Mathematics from Clare College Cambridge and had a career as an insurance broker.

Prince Andrej firstly married HSH Princess Christina of Hesse the daughter of Prince Christoph of Hesse and Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark, out of which marriage were born Princess Tatiana and Prince Christopher (1960-1994).

Prince Andrej’s second marriage was to HSH Princess Kira of Leiningen the daughter of Prince Karl of Leiningen and Grand Duchess Maria Kirillovna of Russia. They had a daughter Princess Lavinia-Marie and two sons Prince Vladimir and Prince Dimitri.

Prince Andrej married thirdly Milica Andjelkovic, Princess Eva Maria and had no issue.

Note: The removal of HRH Prince Andrej's remains from Nova Gracanica Cemetery in Illinois and subsequent transfer to Serbia was performed in full accordance with the legal procedures and administrative requirements of the State of Illinois United States by three of Prince Andrej's children, namely HRH Prince Dimitri, HRH Princess Lavinia-Marie and HRH Princess Tatiana-Marie, after consultations with Prince Andrej's other heirs.

UK: Prince Harry in the USA

Prince Harry spent the fourth day of his American tour looking more like a politician than a prince, helping host the Wounded Warrior games in Colorado, posing for pictures, tossing a football and even cooing over a baby, which is perfect practice for the soon-to-be-uncle.

The last time his royal highness was in the United States, his antics made headlines while he made a splash in a Las Vegas pool. But this weekend, the closest he got to the water was teasing five-time Olympic medalist swimmer Missy Franklin, in light of her 18 th birthday on May 10.

"I had no idea about the birthday cake or singing or anything," Franklin told ABC News. "I asked him if he would help me eat it, but he said no, so I have to do it all by myself."

Continue reading...

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/prince-harry-making-rounds-across-america-121947260.html

©Reuters

PS: The last time jolly Harry was on our shores, he ended up in that Vegas mess. One hopes this time he will display a bit more sense and collect all photographic and cell equipment before the romps begin.

Serbia: Strong Support for Monarchy's Restoration

According to the poll done by Belgrade-based SAS Intelligence agency, 32.2 percent of citizens are strongly against the monarchy while 27.4 percent do not have an opinion on the issue.

The agency presented the results of the first poll on the renewal of monarchy and reputation of Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević in Belgrade’s Media Center on Thursday. 

SAS Intelligence Executive Director Miljan Premović explained that the poll was carried out between April 11 and April 16 and that a total of 1,615 people in 16 Serbian towns, Kosovo excluded, had participated in it. 

He said that the poll had been carried out in all regions, in both urban and rural areas and that it covered both sexes and citizens of various aged and that it had a 95 percent trust interval “which makes it good enough for scientific publications”. 

“The main person who inspired us to conduct the poll was in fact world’s leading nation-branding expert Simon Anholt who believes that Serbia is one of the countries with the highest chance to renew the monarchy. Therefore we decided to give the public an insight into one of the social topics that have not been researched and show the mood regarding the renewal of monarchy. The question resembles a possible referendum question: Should Serbia be a parliamentary monarchy? The sample completely reflects Serbia’s social-demographic structure without Kosovo, according to the 2011 census,” he said. 

According to him, men with a high school diploma and unemployed men from urban areas mostly support the monarchy while highly educated people and pensioners, primarily from Belgrade, are against it. 

Continue reading...

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/society-article.php?yyyy=2013&mm=05&dd=10&nav_id=86102

Russia: Amazing Photo Album Found in Obscure Siberian Museum

Another picture taken by the emperor dated 1916 shows Tsarevich Alexei - heir to an autocratic throne that would be abolished the following year - posing on a tree in winter with his beloved pet spaniel Joy. 

These images of the Russian royal family, captured in photographs taken by the Tsar himself or his children, mostly date from the years of the First World War, and some very soon before the Romanov dynasty crumbled, to be rapidly replaced by Communism. 

Found in a vault in Zlatoust, the album shows the private moments of the royals as the storm clouds gather over a dynasty that had ruled for more than three centuries. 

The smoking picture shows the youngest princess Anastasia, then 15, evidently imbibing from a cigarette with every encouragement from the Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias. At the time there was not the same stigma attached to smoking and in fact a year earlier Anastasia had written to her father: 'I am sitting here with your old cigarette that you once gave me, and it is very tasty'.

Continue reading...

http://siberiantimes.com/other/others/news/remarkable-private-pictures-of-the-russian-royal-family-found-in-a-remote-urals-museum/

Serbia: Repatriation of the Remains of Queen Alexandra

FRom the Office of JHRH Crown Prince Alexander:

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Katherine with her son Mr. David Andrews and High representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece H.E. Mr. Dionysius K. Kodellas and H.E. Mr. Dragan Zupanjevac, Ambassador of Serbia to Greece accompanied the coffin with the earthly remains of Her Majesty Queen Alexandra from Athens to Belgrade in the official repatriation ceremony. 

The Remains of HM Queen Alexandra were disinterred this morning at the Tatoi Palace Royal Cemetery in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine, HRH Princess Irene of Greece, Mrs. Alison Andrews, daughter of HRH Crown Princess Katherine, and her daughter in law, the wife of Her Royal Highnesses’ son Mr. David Andrews, Dr. Angie Margaritis Andrews and Princess’ sister Mrs. Betty Roumeliotis and her husband Mr. George Roumeliotis, Professor Dr. Christos Bartsocas, Mr. Vaggelis Chronis, Mrs. Petros, Machas and his spouse Mrs. Evelyn Vougessis, Mrs. Irene Vassilopoulou, Mr. Manos Ioannidis, Mr. Thanassis Kyratsous, Dr. Zissis Boukouvalas and Mrs. Alkistis Prinou – President of Lifeline of Hellas, Mrs. Ioanna Germanou, Dr. Chrysanty Routzounis Konstadakatos, Mr. George Davlas and his spouse Mrs. Elena Davlas, Mr. Giannis Sahinis, Mrs. Anastasia Papamanolis, Mr. and Mrs. Nikos and Roe Konstantas, Mr. Vassilis Koutsavlis, President of Friends of Tatoi, together with Their Excellences Ambassador of Serbia Mr. Dragan Zupanjevac, Ambassadors of Montenegro Mr. Ivo Armenko, Hungary Mr. Jaime Barberis, Jordan Mr. Saker Malkawi, Switzerland Mr. Lorenzo Amberg and Mrs. Christiane Amberg, Ambassador Mr. Dionyssis Kodelas, Ambassador of Poland – Mr. Maciej Krych, Mr. Chronis and Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO Mrs. Marianna Vardinoyannis.

The Remains of HM Queen Alexandra were seen off by representatives of the Greek Orthodox Church at the airport in Athens His Eminence Metropolitan Athinogoras and Archimandrite Patrikio. 

At the Nikola Tesla Belgrade Airport the coffin with the Remains of HM Queen Alexandra was awaited for by Professor Oliver Antic, Special Advisor to President of Serbia, H.E. Mr. Demosthenes Stoidis, Ambassador of Greece in Serbia, and His Grace Vicar Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia.

A memorial service for HM Queen Alexandra was officiated by His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia at the Royal Chapel of St Andrew the First Called at the Royal Compound in Dedinje. In his address afterwards, the Patriarch has emphasized: “We are grateful to the Lord that time when they have been forbidden to come back to their country, and to have a final rest at the country that members of Karadjordjevic Royal Family lived for is finally over. The huge injustice has been rectified, praise the Lord!” 

HRH Crown Prince Alexander gave a moving speech: ”Thank you all for gathering here today to pay respect to my mother, HM Queen Alexandra of Yugoslavia. I wish to express my special gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Irinej for being here today and for all his prayers. My mother got married to my father King Peter II while he was in exile during World War II. She shared with him the tragedy of being torn away from his country and his people. Soon they will be together in their eternal place of rest in Oplenac, thus fulfilling my great-grandfather’s King Peter I legacy to have all the members of Karadjordjevic family buried there. 

I thank to all members of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for their great support. I owe special gratitude to the State Commission for the transfer of Karadjordjevic family members' remains as well as to Prof. Oliver Antic, for his personal initiative and engagement in this undertaking. I would also like to express gratitude to the High Representative of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece H.E. Ambassador Dionyssios Kodellas and Serbian Ambassador to Greece H.E. Ambassador Dragan Zupanjevac. I thank everybody who were persistent in helping this journey come true. 

We have brought the Queen to her country. Welcome home, mother! Eternal glory to her! “ 

Prof. Dr. Oliver Antic, Special Advisor to President of Serbia, H.E. Mr. Tomislav Nikolic, also made an address : “After the Easter, we are witnessing symbolic and spiritual resurrection that our nation has been famous for. We owe a huge gratitude to the Serbian Orthodox Church, that has done so much, and that even took the role of the state when the state lost direction, to protect the state with its prayers and its wisdom. The sad Queen, as she was titled by the people, came back to her country.  We were privileged by the higher power, and were given a historic mission to undo a huge injustice and a great sin inflicted on father of Serbia Karadjordje Petrovic and his family, that was stripped of basic rights not just in life, but in death as well. Today we rectified that. Their Majesties King Peter II, Queen Maria and Queen Alexandra came back to their Serbia!“ 

Following the Church service a reception for state representatives, members of the advisory bodies to the Crown and Religious dignitaries took place at The Royal Palace.

Queen Alexandra was the daughter of HM King Alexander of the Hellenes and HRH Princess Aspasia of Greece and Denmark (nee Aspasia Manos). Queen Alexandra was born in Athens Greece 25 March 1921 and died 30 January 1993 in East Sussex England. The Queen was educated at Westfield, the junior school of Heathfield, then she went to Heathfield. Following schooling in England Queen Alexandra went to Mademoiselle Ozanne in Paris. The Queen was previously buried at Tatoi Palace Royal Cemetery near Athens.

HM King Peter II, HM Queen Alexandra and HM Queen Mother Maria will remain at The Royal Chapel of St. Andrew the First Called until the State Funeral on 26 May in the Church of St. George Royal Mausoleum in Oplenac.

The Royal Chapel in the Royal Compound in Dedinje is open every weekend for visitation, on Saturday and Sunday, from 10 am to 2 pm.

http://royalfamily.org/?184,en_repatriation-of-hm-queen-alexandra-remains-to-serbia

©SIte of the Serbian Royal Family.

Sweden: King and Queen Visiting the USA

Their Swedish Majesties, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia are visiting the USA.

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/05/08/swedish-king-and-queen-scheduled-to-visit-philadelphia/

Romania: Queen Anne Hospitalized

HM Queen Anne of Romania, wife of King Michael, has been hospitalized in Switzerland.

Born a Princess of Bourbon-Parma, twenty-three year-old Anne married King Michael of Romania in Athens on 10 June 1948. Between 1949 and 1964, Queen Anne gave birth to five daughters, her eldest being Crown Princess Margarita.

We pray for her Romanian Majesty's speedy recovery...

Queen Anne of Romania (b. 1923)

©Eurohistory

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