Royal Family of Montenegro

[Johann Salvator]

Excellent News from Montenegro!

In 2011 Montenegro recognized an official role for the former Royal house of Petrović-Njegoš in Montenegro: to promote Montenegrin identity, culture and traditions through cultural, humanitarian and other non-political activities. Crown Prince Nicholas II of Montenegro - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


It seems that the little known Nicholas II has achieved what other royalty can only dream of.

On 12 July the Montenegrin parliament adopted a new law that rehabilitates the family name, it creates a foundation with 4.3 million euros for the royal family, it gives a monthly income for the Prince and it gives them property in Montenegro. Most important of all, he becomes an official representative of the government with full State protocol.


Will Montenegro become the 11th. monarchy of Europe?

 

[Cory]

Nobody has spoken about a restoration of Monarchy at Cetinje/Podgorita yet.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

...Will Montenegro become the 11th. monarchy of Europe?

To me, it reads that it IS now the 11th. What needs to make it "official"...a coronation?...recognition by other countries?

 

[Cory]

In this moment Montenegro is still a republic.

 

[Benjamin]

Montenegro royals satisifed with new law
29 Jul 2011

Montenegro's Crown Prince Nikola II Petrovic says he is "entirely satisfied" with a law rehabilitating his family, which was dethroned in 1918.

Petrovic's legal representative in Montenegro, Tania Turquin Spicanovic, said Friday the prince does not expect the tiny Adriatic nation to restore the monarchy, and only wants to see the new law "consistently applied."

Full article: Taiwan News
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[Cory]

Is is rather interesting the way the Royal Family sees a possible restoration or not.

 

[Johann Salvator]

To me, it reads that it IS now the 11th. What needs to make it "official"...a coronation?...recognition by other countries?

Absolutely. Montenegro still is a republic but it seems that in the next decade it will formally become a Kingdom.
This is a low profile family from France that has been returning to Montenegro, learning the language and finally settling down there with all sorts of constitutional recognition.

The parliament could've simply made an official historical homage to the family and restore their property, but now they have given at lot more to the Prince, his son, daughter in law and granddaughter. So the political establishment wants them and the family is interested, I don't see why not.

Is is rather interesting the way the Royal Family sees a possible restoration or not.

I think they've been very cautious and discreet and they are not going to change that. In order to have a restoration there must be an ammedment or a totally new constitution with referendum by the people, etc... It could take a while. But, I can't imagine the parliament and the president giving all that (status, money, property, a new home, etc...) without the prospect of a full restoration.
I am just speculating, but sooner or later either the president or the prince will have to go, what's the point of paying 2 salaries?

 

[Cory]

It is not said the politicians, many of them of left wing parties, will want a restoration of monarchy.

 

[AdmiralSteven]

I can't imagine the state going through all this trouble to not eventually restore the monarchy. What point is there in doing all this if they weren't planning on retoring the monarchy? As a previous poster said, the parliament could have simply made an historical homage to the family and left it at that, but instead they gave the family full state protocol. Sounds to me that at some point there may be a restoration.

 

[Renata4711]

What would be the timeframe for a restoration ?

 

[Cory]

Even in Romania they gave an official residence to King Mihai I, a pension and some official duties in the last years but Monarchy was not restored (at least not yet).In Montenegro maybe the restoration is not wanted by the authorities.

 

[Johann Salvator]

Fair enough, but the Petrović Njegoš are closer to the Liechtensteins than to the Românieis. What I mean is that the RF of Montenegro has been a vital part of the small country from the late 17th century until the beginning of the past century. From the old Prince-Bishops until King Nicholas was ousted in 1916 by Austria-Hungary. Unlike Romania, this family is an ancient local family and Montenegro's history is the Petrović Njegoš family history.

90 years later in 2006, Montenegro became independent again in a referendum in which 56% voted for independence. I believe this country needs to enhance its independence, identity and visibility and the RF can help a lot.

I am reasonably optimistic

 

[Cory]

I am reasonably optimistic too but in this moment is is hard to say there will be or not a restoration of Monarchy.

 

[kbk]

The government may assing to the so-called Prince Nikola II or other members of the former Royal House some official work/duty/task, when it is needed and only then they should enjoy the full state protocol. Its not like they were all given equal status with, lets say for example, the Windsors, because they are not like them, full dynastic members of a rulling family. Nikola II may not represent the state of Montenegro or its government whenever and wherver he wants, but only when the Montenegrin republican authorities ask him to do so. He will enjoy then full State protocol as he will be the offiicial representative of the Gov., but it will be all strictly limited to the assignment itself an nothing more.
The Prince did his first and so far only job in this way, when he represented the Gov. at the mourning for the late Otto von Habsburg.

The new law recognises the Royal House's role in Montenegro's history and its essential part and role in its heritage and identity. It is quite reasonable move from the rulling party, to extend the newly-independent country's foundations with a large and quite important part of its history. Additionally, the former Royals may also be good ambassadors for the Montenegro's case internationally, as they are in a privilleged position some way, because of their past and natural links to other European royals.

But I dont think they (those who passed the law) really think on restoring the monarchy. By these new rules, they just ackonwledged something that could not be ignored any longer and on the contrary, may be positive for the country in its republican body. And finally and most importantly, they hushed Nikola II and his family, whose relations with the Montenegrin officials can be no longer agressive and demanding on the case of the restoration. Since now, they are part of the establishment, an attractive public relations element in the country's foreign policy.

 

[Cory]

The future will give us the answer but the royal Family must speak the language very well and live in the country.

 

[Cory]

The Royal Families of Serbia and Montengro do not seem very close:

Zvanina internet prezentacija Kraljevskog doma Karaorevi

 

[BeatrixFan]

Has anyone any better understanding of the Crown Prince's new role? From what I've been reading, he's now returned to Montenegro, lives in the royal palace and has a government allowance with a role defined in the constitution but he isn't King. Can anyone tell us more?

 

[Cory]

He has no role in the Constitution.

 

[Benjamin]

Prince Nikola recently paid a visit to the town of Danilovgrad, where he had a working meeting with its mayor, Branislav Djuranovic. The Prince said that he will be moving to Montenegro at the beginning of 2012. Also, it was confirmed that the Petrovic-Njegos Foundation is currently in the process of being established, and its registration should be complete by November.

Impresioniran razvojem op
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[Cory]

Zvanina internet prezentacija Kraljevskog doma Karaorevi

 

[Fürstin Taxis]

Princess Brigita reminds me of the late Soraya of Persia.

 

[Warren]

The Royal Families of Serbia and Montengro do not seem very close.

The photographs in the link you posted yesterday appear at odds with this statement.

 

[American Dane]

Of countries that could become monarchies again- didn't Montenegro just give some official status to its royal family?

Yes they did, from the Wikipedia article on Crown Prince Nicholas II of Montenegro:

"On the 12 July 2011 the Parliament of Montenegro adopted the Law on the Status of the Descendants of the Petrović Njegoš Dynasty. [2][3]
The law "regulates the important issues regarding the status of the descendants of the Petrović-Njegoš dynasty, for the historical and moral rehabilitation of the Petrović-Njegoš dynasty for whom their dethroning was contrary to the Constitution of the Kingdom of Montenegro, a violent act of annexation in the year 1918." (Article 1).

The law recognises the descendants of King Nikola I in the male line and their wives as the descendants of the Petrović-Njegoš dynasty (Article 2), and appoints the eldest male heir, namely Prince Nikola II, as the representative of the dynasty (Article 5). It also affirms the House law of the dynasty by defining the succession to the headship of the dynasty as being passed down through the "male heir of the oldest male heir" (Article 5). The law protects the use of the heraldic symbols of the dynasty by the representative of the dynasty, Prince Nikola II (Article 6).

Article 8 allows for members of the dynasty to obtain Montenegrin citizenship and also to be dual-nationals of other nations without losing their Montenegrin citizenship. This is of particular relevance today as all of the members of the dynasty currently also hold French citizenship.
The law also creates the non-political (Article 10) Petrović-Njegoš Foundation (Article 9), an organisation chaired by Prince Nikola II (Article 10), with its aim to "affirm the Montenegrin culture and participation in humanitarian and development activities in the interest of Montenegro and its traditions" (Article 9).

From Montenegro's exchequer, the law allocates 4.3 million euros over a seven year period to the Petrović-Njegoš Foundation (Article 11). In addition, Prince Nikola II is entitled to a monthly income equivalent to the gross monthly earnings of the President of Montenegro (Article 16).
The Petrovic-Njegoš Foundation has its seat in Montenegro. "The Descendants of the dynasty are given the continuous use of the house of King Nikola I Petrović-Njegoš in Njeguši...its gardens...and meadow-land."
"Descendants of the dynasty will have built for them a family home in Cetinje...and be given an apartment in Podgorica" (Article 12).
To carry out their official functions Prince Nikola II has the right to use State objects and resources and "the exclusive right of use of the first storey" of the Petrović Palace (Dvorac Petrovića) in Podgorica, "and when protocol requires, use of the ground floor with priority over other users" (Article 13).
The law allows for Prince Nikola II to act as a representative of the Government of Montenegro and perform other protocolar and non-political functions (Article 7). The first such undertaking was made by the Prince in July 2011 when he represented the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Igor Lukšić, at the requiem of Otto von Habsburg, former Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary.

When performing functions on behalf of the Government, Prince Nikola II and the other members of the dynasty are afforded full State protocol (Article 15)." "
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[principessa]

Does anyone known if the website of the MRF has going offline or was moved to an other adress?

 

[Benjamin]

The Petrovic-Njegos Foundation will begin its work in February and will be based out of the first floor of Petrovic Castle in Podgorica.

In the meantime, Prince Nikola has been visiting various municipalities around the country in order to gain insight into the situation of the Montenegrin people.

Source: Vijesti

 

[Cory]

HRH Prince Nicholas visiting the city of Niksic:

Noblesse & Royautés » Nicolas de Monténégro en visite à Niksic

 

[Ruhije]

Restitution and Restoration.

Following the many views and questions re Montenegro and the Monarchies future role and status, i thought the comparisons with King Michael in Romania valid and interesting.
The situation in Albania with the Royal Zogu family is similar and their role and status somewhere between that in Montenegro and Romania.
King Leka I, who died in Dec 2011, had property restored to him and his son, and the immediate family honoured with official acknowledgment and issued with diplomatic passports and status.
HRH Prince Leka II Zogu has now worked for sometime as an advisor and diplomat in the Albanian Government for several departments.
The Government gave the Zogu family a former palace/villa in Tirana, which is accepted as The Royal Court of Albania. Also King Leka's funeral was an official televised event and a national day of state mourning.
It is just as likely that the status of The Montenegro Royal family could remain the same as it is now, in an honoury but official status. Although i agree with those others too who suggest the equal state salary of Crown Prince (non-reigning) and President seems an unusual situation indefinately.
Whether the Monarchy is really fully restored as a Kingdom is very interesting and hopeful, but even the present situation and status of the Royal family in Montenegro now is still fantastic and historic.

 

[Cory]

Nobody ever spoken about a poll showing the opinion in Montenegro about the restoration of Monarchy.

 

[Domhangairt]

The new law passed by Montenegro doesnot represent any monarchy restoration whatsoever. It merely addresses issues surrounding the restoration of property, and gives some kind of honory role to Prince Nicola- this is not restoration at all. A restoration can only come about with a national referendum and the establishment of a new constitution replacing the president with a king, giving the king a constitutional role within the state. This has not happened in Montenegro or any of the other Balkan states- the politicians all have vested interests in maintain the republican status quo, regardless of what the general population would prefer.

 

[Benedict XVI]

Is it possible for the people of Montenegro to sign a petition that would give them the chance to have a referendum? If not is there any possible way for the people to formally request one? And if you would not mind could u tell me what percentage of the people want a restoration?

Thank you