Is it possible that Europe will have its 11th monarchy soon? Or is it all homage paying to a country’s former royal family?
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That is what many royal watchers are wondering as they watch Crown Prince Nikola II Petrovic accept a law late last month rehabilitating his family after they were deposed in 1918.
The Royal House Law allows the House of Petrovic-Njegos to participate in events in Montenegro – which was formerly part of Yugoslavia – and for Nikola to receive a salary of $6.13 million, which is similar to that of a European president. The government is financing €4.3 million euros for the upkeeping of the family and their apartment in Podgorica and a family house in Cetinje.
“I am happy with everything that is happening today and I am looking forward to what is to come,” said the Prince during a reception hosted by Prime Minister Igor Luksic.
Even so, Petrovic’s attorney in Montenegro, Tania Turquin Spicanovic, said the prince does not expect Montenegro to restore the monarchy, and only wants to see the new law “consistently applied.”
The law also recognizes the royal house’s role in Montenegro history and how it was “violenty annexed” by Serbia nearly 100 years ago.
In many ways, it does look like Montenegro is headed towards restoring its monarchy. All it needs to do is hold a coronation ceremony for Prince Nikola. But there is no word of that happening in the near or distant future.
Montenegro is not the only country where there are talks of having a monarchy once again. Earlier this year, two-thirds of Serbians surveyed that they would like to see their country become a kingdom. Already, its former royal family lives in Serbia and occasionally do public engagements. Same goes for the former royals of Romania, although no poll has shown a majority want a monarchy again.
Source: AP, cotidianul.ro, Government of Montenegro
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I expect that within the next few years it will become an “official” monarchy. I thought that Serbia or Romania would take this step first, though. It just goes to show that the concept of Monarchy is in fact not dying, and becoming stronger.
Interesting to follow the latest changes in Montenegro, I agree with Walter above that it was more expected in Serbia and/or Romania at this point in time, but nonetheless just as welcome. I would like to point out though that it would be the 12th monarchy in todays Europe, as we already have eleven; Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Britain, Spain, Andorra, Liechtenstein and Monaco. Andorra is often overlooked, because it lacks a resident royal family, but it is nonetheless a monarchy de jure, with co-princes as Heads of State, in the form of the bishop of Urgel, Spain, and the President of the French Republic.