HRH Hereditary Prince Philip and HRH Princess Danica attended today the commemoration ceremony organized by the Australian Embassy in Serbia for Anzac Remembrance Day at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Belgrade.
His Royal Highness laid a wreath with dedication “In Memory of ANZAC and Serbian Heroes, Lest We Forget”, honouring all those who fell in World Wars for the freedom of the world. HRH Crown Prince Alexander could not attend the ceremony this year due to important obligations abroad, but is happy that his son and daughter-in-law continued the tradition of honouring this day.
“Today, with deep respect, we participated in the commemoration of ANZAC Day at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Belgrade. Danica and I paid tribute to the brave soldiers of Australia and New Zealand, who gave their lives for freedom, peace, and the dignity of humanity. Their sacrifice is permanently embedded in the foundations of the modern world.
The Serbian people and the peoples of the Commonwealth are bound by a common alliance and the suffering we both endured during the Great War. ANZAC soldiers and our Serbian Army fought side by side, especially on the Thessaloniki Front, and shared the fate of suffering, hope, and brotherhood. Many ANZAC members participated in humanitarian missions, provided assistance to the Serbian wounded, and shared humanity in the most difficult moments.
These historical ties are particularly significant to me. My great-grandfather, King Alexander I, led the Serbian Army on the Thessaloniki Front, precisely at the moments when the ANZAC soldiers were also showing their glorious courage. We remember these ties and carry them in our hearts as a pledge of the future”, stated Hereditary Prince Philip.
Together with Their Royal Highnesses, the commemoration was attended by HE Mr. Peter George Truswell, the Ambassador of Australia to Serbia, HE Mr. Edward Ferguson, the Ambassador of United Kingdom to Serbia, several Military Attaches of foreign diplomatic missions, representatives of the Government of Serbia, representatives of the Army of Serbia, and associations that guard the memory of Serbian soldiers.
Members of the Serbian diaspora in Australia, descendants of the soldiers of the Royal Army of our country, every year take part in Anzac Day march, honouring their brave ancestors, and proudly wearing symbols of the Yugoslav Army in Homeland.
“Today is not only a day of remembrance, but also a day of determination to continue on the path of peace and cooperation. May the sacrifice of the fallen heroes remind us that freedom is a value that we must protect together.
I thank the Australian Ambassador to Serbia, HE Peter Truswell, for the invitation and the opportunity to, on behalf of our family, pay tribute to these brave men. May our common past be the foundation of new friendships and even stronger cooperation between our peoples”, concluded Prince Philip.
Anzac Day is a National Day of Remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served”. Observed on 25 April every year, Anzac Day was originally devised to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served in the Gallipoli campaign, their first engagement in the First World War (1914–1918).
