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PRINCE PAUL OF YUGOSLAVIA

HRH Prince Paul of Yugoslavia, born 15th April 1893 in Saint Petersburg in Russia, grew up in Switzerland and Serbia and was educated at Christchurch Oxford. As early as 1918 he became friends with Bernard Berenson and he was already a passionate art collector and lover of beautiful paintings. When he returned to Serbia after his studies, his dream was to create a museum of modern art on a par with the best in Europe as there was none. In 1928, the Prince Paul Museum opened its doors. Many foreign exhibitions took place in the museum and Prince Paul began the Anglo Yugoslav Review which was published until 1941. Thousands of visitors came through the doors to enjoy the fine collection.

In 1934 King Alexander was assassinated in Marseille and Prince Paul became the Regent of Yugoslavia. On 25th March 1941 his government signed a protocol with Hitler’s government, which was meant to preserve neutrality of the country until they could get help for their defense. This was essentially a delaying tactic. German troops were forbidden to enter or cross the country.

In 1941 on the 27th March there was a revolution promoted by the British SOE with the cooperation of Serbian officers. On March 27th Prince Paul signed his resignation and left that night with his family into exile. Ten days later, Hitler became enraged, attacked and destroyed Yugoslavia. Later, because of the Soviet Union’s ‘liberation’ the Communists took over.

On March 27th, 1941 Prince Paul was declared and enemy of Great Britain and was sent to Kenya under house arrest. In 1948 he returned to Europe and visited his old friend Bernard Berenson and his other friends in the art world. He was never to return to his country. He was stripped of citizenship, identity, possessions, passport etc. He died in Paris in 1976. He suffered sadly from harsh and cruel articles in the press for years. However, whenever he went to London, he used to stay with Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, an old and dear friend. King George VIth made Prince Paul a Knight of the Garter in 1939.

Meanwhile the Communists capitalized on the British accusations that Prince Paul was a traitor because of the pact ‘with Germany’ and removed his name from history.