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| Kronprinz Alexander und Kronprinzessin Katherine von Serbien kommen am 8. Oktober 2016 zur Hochzeit von Kronprinz Leka und Kronprinzessin Elia von Albanien im Königspalast in Tirana. Foto (c) Seth B. Leonard. |
Anfang des Monats erklärte sich Seine Königliche Hoheit Kronprinz Alexander II. von Serbien bereit, den Lesern von Eurohistory einige Fragen zu beantworten. Ich möchte mich bei Teodora Miljković, der Leiterin für Öffentlichkeitsarbeit und Protokoll des serbischen Königshauses, dafür bedanken, dass sie mich kontaktiert hat, um dieses Interview zu arrangieren. Natürlich bin ich auch Seiner Königlichen Hoheit dem Kronprinzen dankbar, der Ende der 1990er Jahre als erster Königlicher vom European Royal History Journal interviewt wurde , für seine Teilnahme – insbesondere in dieser schwierigen Zeit für die Welt und für Serbien.
SBL : Wie wollen Sie und Ihre Familie Ihren 75. Geburtstag feiern? Ihr Vater, König Peter II., wurde nur 47 Jahre alt. Ihr Großvater, König Alexander I., starb mit 45 Jahren. Das ist ein wichtiger Meilenstein. Welche Lehren oder Moralvorstellungen können Sie Ihrer Meinung nach in dieser Lebensphase von Ihrem Vater und Großvater ziehen?
CPA : Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob die gegenwärtige Situation irgendeine feierliche oder gesellschaftliche Feier meines 75. Geburtstags zulässt. Jedenfalls kann ich aus den Beispielen meiner Vorfahren lernen, dass man seine eigenen Prioritäten zurückstellen muss, wenn die Nation in Schwierigkeiten steckt.
SBL : Was sind die wichtigsten Lektionen, die Sie im Leben gelernt haben? Was sind Ihre Leitprinzipien und Werte?
CPA : Ich bin mir nicht ganz sicher, ob der Prozess meiner bisherigen Erfahrung wirklich als endgültig angesehen werden kann. Unsere Welt ist von raschen Veränderungen geprägt. Wir versuchen unser Bestes, diese Veränderungen zu verstehen und angemessene Schlussfolgerungen zu ziehen. Erst nach einer gewissen Zeit können wir die Konsequenzen beurteilen. Andererseits hat jeder seine eigenen Prinzipien und Überzeugungen, die sich nicht ändern lassen. Ich kenne meine.
SBL : Wie hat Ihr orthodoxer Glaube Sie im Laufe Ihres Lebens gestützt? Was ist Ihre früheste Erinnerung daran, was es für Sie bedeutet hat, Mitglied der serbisch-orthodoxen Kirche zu sein? Was bedeutet es für Sie, derzeit in Serbien lebend Mitglied der serbisch-orthodoxen Kirche zu sein?
CPA: It is really impossible to define something that is part of your personality and spirit since the time when your memories were born. I respect all religions and faiths, and consequently I do expect that everybody respects my right and privilege to be Orthodox Christian. We Serbs are traditionally closely related with the Serbian Orthodox Church. It is a feeling of common destiny, not of enmity. We had, and still have, many Serbs that are not Orthodox Christians, and that is their heritage which they treasure, and we respect that. It is not an impediment, however, to feel and behave as a good Serbian!
SBL: Are there any recollections of your parents, King Peter II and Queen Alexandra, that you could share with us? The King and Queen had a difficult life in exile, and, as their only child, you surely were one of the strongest factors that held them together during all of the challenging experiences that they faced.
CPA: I love and treasure the memory of my parents. Sadly, at times they were not happy people, nor sometimes a happy couple. However, they were my mother and father, and my memory of them shall always be a happy one. They lived in a difficult time, a tragic time, and were the victims of such times. They were betrayed by their allies and their enemies, in a similar way and measure. But I loved them very much, and they were deserving of my love.
SBL: Princess Aspasia of Greece, your maternal grandmother, was a very strong lady. As the widow of King Alexander I of Greece, she brought up your mother as a single parent. What role did Princess Aspasia play in your upbringing? What was she like as a person?
CPA: Princess Aspasia, as you mention, was a very strong person. She was like a mother to me. She was a character and portrayed real authority, and I remember her as such. She was dignified, and yet it was up to her to bring on the most difficult decisions that anyone had to imagine or to live through. A formidable woman who was so good to me.
SBL: Did you ever have occasion to meet your paternal grandmother Queen Marie of Yugoslavia? Your paternal grandmother was the daughter of King Ferdinand of Romania and his wife Queen Marie, who was born a Princess of the United Kingdom. If you were able to meet Queen Marie, what impression did she make upon you?
CPA: Of course, I did meet her on many occasions. She also was a sort of a walking monument. She had both strong supporters and formidable enemies, and she – sometimes – chose a sort of seclusion to defend herself. After the untimely death of her consort, King Alexander I of Yugoslavia, she felt a little lost in the world, but she was a fighter, and she died as one.
SBL: Your godmother is Queen Elizabeth II. You have always had a close relationship with her and the British royal family. What impact has Her Majesty had on you? What is it like to have the Queen as a godmother?
CPA: It is both a privilege and luck! She is a unique person in the world that represents the history of the World, the present times, and a promise for the future. She is a liaison between times, and a pillar of staunch and sturdy commitment that one’s destiny is not only a private relation with the time and nation, but an essential institution that keeps different worlds together. There are many that understand this very well, and also some that never will understand anything. That is the world, and The Queen knows and understands that. I always enjoy very much meeting her.
SBL: This year, you and Crown Princess Katherine will celebrate your thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. What are some of the fondest memories that you have shared during your long marriage?
CPA: Yes! We are together 35 years. A long time, and a short time! A time of love, and a time of temptations. Our fondest memories keep us together, and they are our private treasure. I am very grateful for the care and love my wife has given me, and for her great patience.
SBL: How are your sons doing during this time? Hereditary Prince Peter as well as Prince Philip and your daughter-in-law Princess Danica live in the United Kingdom. Prince Alexander lives in the United States. How do you all keep in touch? What are you proudest about when you think about each of your sons?
CPA: Keeping in touch, not only communications-wise, but also in sense of keeping the sense of family unity, filial piety and fatherly love, is easy in form and difficult in essence today. The fact that our lives are organized in different places and that my sons are now independent men, with their own destinies, professions and temptations, is a very complicated issue. However, many families experienced such situations. I can only say this: I love my sons and my grandson very much, and their family happiness and security in life and in pursuit of the way they chose and within families they have, or will have, is my greatest hope and trust.
SBL: In February of this year, your grandson Prince Stefan turned two years old. What are your dreams and hopes for your grandson? How does it feel being in the role of grandfather?
CPA: He is a beautiful child, Stefan is also very sweet and full of humour. He has the good looks of his mother, and the shining spirit of his father, and I am sure that God will bless him with all the good fortune and goodness of character that he possesses and deserves. I pray for that.
SBL: As the Head of the Serbian Royal Family, you possess close genealogical ties to all of the crowned heads of Europe. Naturally, you are also the cousin of the heads of currently non-reigning families. How do you all stay in contact with each other?
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| The Royal Palace in Belgrade. |
SBL: Due to this worldwide public health emergency, you and the Crown Princess have had to shelter-in-place at your residence, the Royal Palace in Belgrade. What does a “typical” day look like now for both of you? Are there things that you both have discovered a newfound appreciation for while you stay at home?
CPA: This is an incredible experience we lacked so far. We are learning new information on a daily basis to see what is coming and rousing up the force to fight this evil virus. My wife and I praise our government, doctors, nurses and medical staff for putting their lives in danger to save lives. I am proud of my wife and her hard work and devotion in helping and providing our healthcare system with urgently needed equipment and contacts. She is very dedicated working with her foundations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Greece and Serbia.
SBL: The novel coronavirus has led to millions of people around the world having their existences upended and changed drastically. Among other cousins of Your Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales contracted the virus, from which he has recovered. As of 14 April, there have been 4,465 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Serbia, and ninety-four Serbians have lost their lives due to this virus. In the face of this pandemic, what is your message to the people of your country?
CPA: Keep one’s head up and endure! Be strong and look forward to a bright future. Above all follow carefully the government directives and keep safe.
SBL: When COVID-19 is contained, and less of a public health threat, what are some aspects of life that you believe many of us will not take for granted? Things we might have not valued before all of this, but which self-isolation may have caused us to value much more than we had previously?
CPA: Let us not surmise, let us have patience to see what is coming and the strength to fight the adverse situation. We will rebuild the economy and we will win and survive.
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