Aleksandra's Note: This letter to the New York Times was published on March 3, 1990, over a year before the break-up of Yugoslavia began, spawning the wars of the 1990s. Elizabeth, H.R.H. Princess of Yugoslavia, is the daughter of Prince Paul Karageorgevich, who was removed from power in the March 27, 1941 Yugoslav coup d'etat that changed the Balkans forever. Her passionate letter provides a strong perspective regarding the consequences of the much heralded events of March 27, especially considering everything that came afterwards.
Sincerely,
Aleksandra Rebic
*****
H.R.H. Princess Elizabeth
of Yugoslavia
Prince Paul of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia Could Learn From U.S. Federalism; Prince Paul Betrayed
Published: March 03, 1990
New York Times
To the Editor:
I deeply resent that Harold Brooks-Baker, or indeed any other Englishman, dares to refer to my father, Prince Paul of Yugoslavia, as ''treacherous,'' when nothing was more duplicitous than British behavior toward my father during and after World War II (''Will Blue Blood Succeed the Red Flag?'', Op-Ed Feb. 17).
The British, in their cunning, worked behind the scenes for 18 months to prepare a coup that destroyed Yugoslavia's neutrality in 1941, ousted my father and precipitated the country into Hitler's lap.
My father, eternal Anglophile, and my whole family were then interned by the British in Kenya under humiliating circumstances.
Not only this but, owing to massive Soviet infiltration of British intelligence operations, the British also backed and supported Tito and the Communists who subsequently took over the country.
ELIZABETH
*****
If you would like to get in touch with me, Aleksandra, please feel free to contact me at ravnagora@hotmail.com
*****