Peter II of Yugoslavia

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Peter II of Yugoslavia – Short Version

Peter II Karađorđević (6 September 1923 – 3 November 1970) was the last King of Yugoslavia, ruling from 1934 until 1945. He was born in Belgrade, the eldest son of King Alexander I and Queen Maria of Romania.

Early life and accession
- Peter became king at age 11 after his father was assassinated in 1934.
- Because he was a child, a regency led by his cousin Prince Paul governed until Peter was ready to rule. In 1941, after a pro-British coup, Peter was declared of age and the regency ended.

World War II and exile
- In April 1941, Axis forces invaded Yugoslavia. Peter and his government fled to exile, first to Greece and then to Britain, where a government-in-exile was formed in London.
- In 1944, Peter married Princess Alexandra of Greece and Denmark. They had one son, Crown Prince Alexander, born in 1945.
- While in exile, Peter supported Mihailović and the Chetniks, a royalist resistance movement. However, Allied support increasingly favored Tito’s Partisans, and by 1945 Yugoslavia was proclaimed a republic.
- Peter remained in exile in the United States after his deposition.

Marriage and family
- Spouse: Alexandra of Greece and Denmark (married in 1944).
- Child: Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia (born 1945).

Deposition and exile
- On 29 November 1945, Yugoslavia’s Constituent Assembly declared a republic, deposing Peter.
- He lived mainly in the United States for decades, engaging in public appearances and various jobs.

Final years and death
- Peter suffered from depression and alcoholism later in life and died of cirrhosis in Denver, Colorado, in 1970 at the age of 47.
- He was buried in Saint Sava Monastery Church in Libertyville, Illinois, before his remains were moved to the Royal Mausoleum in Oplenac, Serbia, in 2013.

Legacy
- Peter II remains a controversial figure: some view him as a symbol of Yugoslav unity and anti-communist resistance, while others criticize his wartime decisions and exile politics.
- His life illustrates the tumultuous history of Yugoslavia during World War II and the long struggle of the Yugoslav royal family in exile.