On Monday, Serbia’s royal Family celebrated the Serbian national day with Prince Philip and Princess Danica attending two events in Belgrade. They started the day by attending an event on the occasion of the anniversary of the rise of the First Serbian Uprising in St. George’s Church in Oplenac. Prince Philip laid down a wreath and paid tribute to Serbian freedom and the family of Karadjordjevic to whom he belongs.
His Royal Highness said during the event: “The determination, strength and commitment Karadjordjevic has shown in the struggle to realise the ideal of the freedom of our people, remains an eternal inspiration for us his followers, and as his direct descendant, I feel the need to take responsibility and dedicate my life to the pursuit of the same values.”
Following the event in St. George’s Church, Their Royal Highnesses attended an event to remember those who died during the liberation of Belgrade in the First Serbian Uprising. They also laid down flowers in memory of King Peter I. Envoys of Crown Prince Alexander, the father of Prince Philip, members of the Crown Council, and members of Kingdom of Serbia Association also laid the wreaths on the tomb of the Supreme Leader Karadjordje at Oplenac.
Crown Prince Alexander also took time to congratulate the citizens of Serbia on Statehood Day with the following statement: “I extend my warmest congratulations and best wishes to the citizens of Serbia. On this day, in 1804, the building of modern Serbia began with the First Serbian Uprising led by my great-great-great-grandfather Karadjordje, and at the Sretenje Assembly in 1835, the first constitution of Serbia was adopted. It was one of the most modern, democratic and liberal constitutions of its time.”
The Crown Prince continued: “Today we celebrate the freedom and independence of Serbia, the state in which democratic principles and human rights are constantly being promoted. Statehood Day is a day when we mark the past, but we also prepare and celebrate the future of Serbia. Remembering the Meeting of the Lord of 1804 and wishing all of us to always celebrate this day as unified citizens of Serbia and the whole world, I congratulate our great feast. Long live Serbia!“
Serbian Statehood Day is Serbia’s national day. It occurs every 15 February in Serbia to commemorate the outbreak of the First Serbian Uprising in 1804, which evolved into the Serbian Revolution against Ottoman rule. The revolution ultimately resulted in recognition of Serbia’s statehood by the Ottoman Empire.
The First Serbian Uprising started in the Sanjak of Smederevo against the Ottoman Empire between 1804 and 1813. Initially, it was only a local revolt. During the revolt, an assembly chose Đorđe Petrović Karađorđe as leader of the uprising, and the rebel army quickly defeated the Ottomans and took over towns throughout the Sanjak provinces. Karađorđe’s descendants adopted the surname Karađorđević in his honour. This later became the royal family of the Balkan monarchy.
