The 92nd anniversary of the assassination of HM King Alexander I was commemorated today in the Mausoleum of the Royal Family, Saint George’s Church in Oplenac. TRH Crown Prince Alexander, Crown Princess Katherine, and Prince Mihailo paid their respects to the late Knightly King at the church service and the State ceremony that were held today. 

The Holy Liturgy and memorial service were officiated by His Eminence Archbishop of Kragujevac and Metropolitan of Šumadija Jovan together with the priests from Topola and Kragujevac. An official ceremony followed the church service, which included the performance of the national anthem and wreath laying, while soldiers of the Army of Serbia kept a guard of honour at the late King’s grave.

The Crown Prince, as the Head of the Royal family, laid a wreath on his grandfather’s tomb. “Events from the past very often have a deep impact on the entire course of history until present times. One of those occurrences was most definitely the tragic day of 9 October 1934, when my grandfather, His Majesty King Alexander I of Yugoslavia, was assassinated in Marseille.

He was a great statesman and visionary who devoted his life to the unity, stability, and the future of his country and people. He was a monarch who understood the dangers facing Europe and the world at a time when extreme ideologies were gaining strength. Tragically, he became their victim because his commitment and work represented a threat to those who sought to divide and destroy.

Even today, King Alexander remains the target of slanders and distortions, as few figures in our history have been subjected to such persistent attempts to diminish their legacy. Yet time has a way of revealing the true measure of statesmen, and his vision and sacrifice remain an important part of our national history. We honour his memory with gratitude and with the responsibility to preserve the truth about his life, his ideals and his service to our country”, stated HRH Crown Prince Alexander.

Together with the Royal Family, Mr. Zoran Antic, State Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs of Serbia, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Army of Serbia, Mr Dragan Reljic, Director of the Foundation of King Peter I in Oplenac, representatives of the Municipality of Topola and several Associations, paid their respects to the Knightly King.

HM King Alexander I of Yugoslavia was assassinated during a state visit to France on 9 October 1934 in Marseille, along with the French Foreign Minister Monsieur Louis Barthou.

He was the second son of HM King Peter I and Princess Zorka, who was born in Cetinje, Montenegro, on 16 December 1888. His Godfather was the Russian Tsar Alexander III. Young Prince Alexander spent his childhood in Montenegro and was educated in Geneva, Switzerland. He continued his schooling at the Military School in St. Petersburg, Russia and then in Belgrade. 

As Regent and Supreme Commander of the Army of the Kingdom of Serbia, he led his people through the most tragic and most glorious days of our history. When King Peter I died on 16 August 1921, the Regent HRH Crown Prince Alexander became the King of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. In 1929, he became king of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

In 1922, he married HRH Princess Maria of Romania. They had three sons – Crown Prince Peter (later King Peter II of Yugoslavia), Prince Tomislav, and Prince Andrej. In 1929, when the country changed its name, he became King of Yugoslavia. He loved his people very much and left numerous endowments.