World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseKing Petar II (Serbian Cyrillic: Петар II; sometimes westernized as Peter II), was a student of Sandroyd School in Britain when his father King Aleksandar I was assassinated in 1934. He returned to Yugoslavia upon hear the news, and was coronated as the next king but ruled under the regency of Prince Pavle (Paul). In fear of German aggression, under the direction of Prince Pavle, Petar II aligned Yugoslavia with Germany. On 27 Mar 1941, nearing the age of 18, he was declared of-age to rule as king, and two days later attempted to overthrow the Regent with the help of General Dusan Simovic. Germany, already planning to send troops to the Balkans to rescue the Italians out of their failing campaign in Greece, responded by launching Operation Marita into the Balkans on 6 Apr. After Yugoslavia's fall on 17 Apr, Petar II reached Britain in Jun 1941 through Greece, the Middle East, and Egypt. In Britain, he completed a degree at Cambridge University and then joined the Royal Air Force. He never returned to Yugoslavia. He was deposed on 29 Nov 1945 by Yugoslavia's Constituent Assembly, but he never abdicated this crown. He moved to the United States, where he passed away after a failed liver transplant. He now rests in peace at the St. Sava Monastery Church at Libertyville, Illinois; he is the only European monarch to be buried in the United States.

Photographs

Petar II Timeline