The centenary of King Peter I of Serbia`s death was marked on August 14th 2021 with a special event of remembrance attended by his great grandson. Crown Prince Alexander and Princess Katherine visited the Serbian city of Kikinda where a monument to the Serbian King was unveiled in the central town square.
The ceremony of the unveiling of the monument to King Peter I was also attended by the Mayor of Kikinda, and city representatives, members of Kingdom of Serbia Association, the local City Council as well as a large crowd of local residents.
During the ceremony, Crown Prince Alexander gave a speech in which he said: “It is a great honour and pleasure to be here with you today, at the unveiling of the monument to my great-grandfather, His Majesty King Peter I. The dedication and loyalty he showed to our country and people have contributed to him deservingly bearing the nickname of “čika Pera” and he is one of the most beloved Serbian rulers ever. I am very thankful to all of you who contributed to the memory of my great grandfather, King Peter I, who continues to live among new generations of Serbia”.
Crown Prince Alexander thanked the Mayor and city representatives for organizing the ceremony and for their hospitality, and especially to the Kingdom of Serbia City Board which, from their own funds and thanks to donors, financed the construction of the monument, worth more than 10.000 US dollars. The monument is a work of the famous Serbian sculptor, Drinka Radovanovic.
Crown Prince Alexander and Princess Katherine completed their visit to Kikinda with a tour of the National Museum and St. Nicholas Church, and a city tour by carriage and a reception for the donors.
King Peter I Karadjordjevic was born on July 11, 1844 in Belgrade. He was the last king of Serbia from 1903 to 1918 and the first King of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes from 1918 to 1921. Due to his work in the Balkan wars and the First World War, the National Assembly of Kingdom of Serbia unanimously adopted a resolution to add the nickname “Liberator” to the title of King Peter I. He died on August 16, 1921 in Belgrade, and was buried in Oplenac.
