Prince Nicholas of Montenegro
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Prince Nicholas of Montenegro (born 7 July 1944) is the pretender to the throne of Montenegro, known to Montenegrin monarchists and traditionalists as King Nikola II of Montenegro, Hereditary Grand Master of the Dynastic Order of Danilo I and of the House Order of St. Peter. Nikola is the Head of the Petrović Njegoš Dynasty, who have been the hereditary Vladikas of Cetinje since the 17th Century. He is also related to the Serb House of Obrenović through Yephrem, younger full brother of Miloš Obrenović I, Prince of Serbia (elected Hereditary Prince of Serbia by the National Assembly 1827 and recognised by Sultan Mahmud II, 15 August 1830). During World War I the Petrović Njegoš family were forced to flee the country in 1915 after the Army of Montenegro was overwealmed by troops of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At the end of the war - in an act of breathtaking betrayal - their former ally Serbia annexed and abolished Montenegro and deposed the Petrović Njegoš Dynasty. The family made their home in France where the old king Nikola I of Montenegro died in 1921.
| Pretender: Nicholas |
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|---|---|
| Born | July 7, 1944 (age 62) |
| Regnal name claimed | Nikola II |
| Title(s) if any | none |
| Throne claimed | Montenegro |
| Pretend from | March 24, 1986 - present |
| Monarchy abolished | 1918 |
| Last monarch | Nikola I |
| Connection with | Great Grandchildren |
| Royal House | Petrović Njegoš |
| Father | Michael |
| Mother | Geneviève Prigent |
| Spouse | Francine Navarro |
| Children | Altinaï, Boris |
Prince Nikola is the only son and heir of the late pretender Michael, Grand Duke of Grahavo and Zeta (born on 1 September O.S., 1908 and regarded by Montenegro's monarchists as king from 7 March 1921 until his death in 1986) and Geneviève Prigent who was born on 4 December 1919 and died on 27 January 1991. (Nikola's parents married on 27 January 1941 and divorced in Paris France on 11 August 1949).
He was born in exile in Saint-Nicolas du Pélem, France in 1944 and married Francine Navarro in Trebeurden, Côtes-du-Nord on 27 November 1976. Together they raised a family at Les Lilas, France;
- Prince Boris of Montenegro (Petrovic-Njegoš), Grand Duke of Grahovo and Zeta, born at Les Lilas on 21 January 1980 and
- Princess Altinaï of Montenegro, born at Les Lilas, Seine-Saint-Denis on 27 October 1977, D. Gd Cross Order of Danilo I etc.
Professionally, apart from being a king, he is an architect and the founder and president of the Cetinje Biennale of Contemporary Art. His children both enjoy artistic vocations.
Throughout the occupation of his homeland Nikola continued to recognise the independence of Montenegro and never renounced his dynastic right to the throne. He has taken an active interest in the future of his homeland by denouncing claims on Montenegrin property made by members of the Serbian royal family in 2002 and actively encouraging his subjects to vote for independence in 2006. He is now free to travel to his homeland and in time will return there to live;
Polling station number 23 was located in one of Cetinje’s chess clubs. Inside, we found Prince Nikola Petrovic Njegos, a descendent of the Petrovic dynasty that were dethroned in 1918. He expressed his hope that his family name would be finally cleared. “Mr Djukanovic said that it would be an obligation of a new Montenegrin state to rehabilitate the name of the dynasty,” he said. Mr Petrovic-Njegos, an architect living in Paris, said he had no political ambitions, but “if Montenegrins tomorrow decide to return to the monarchy, I won’t say no.” He added that he hopes he could reach a gentleman’s agreement with the government over the property belonging to his family. Later on he walked to his grandfather's palace in Cetinje, now turned into a museum, where he greeted the group of French tourists with the words "welcome to my home." [1]
[edit] External links
- The Order of Prince Danilo I Official website of the Royal House of Montenegro and dynastic Orders.
- The Njegoskij Fund Public Project : The Modern Family of Montenegro.
| House of Petrović-Njegoš Born: [[7 July]] [[1944]] |
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| Titles in pretence | ||
| Preceded by Prince Michael of Montenegro |
* NOT REIGNING * King of Montenegro (1986-Present) * Reason for Succession Failure: * Montenegro declared union with Serbia in 1918 |
Incumbent Designated heir: Prince Boris of Montenegro |
