Peter of Yugoslavia

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 56, 9 March 1944, Page 8

Peter of Yugoslavia

Many fricnus of I ugoslavia’s 20-year-old King Peter bUine liis love for 22-year-old Princess Alexandra, niece of King George, of Greece, for the invidious position in which he found himself recently. Peter met Alexandra in London in the summer of 1941, and regardless of dynastic and political considerations, determined to marry her. His Cabinet, then under the leadership of Jovano\itch, counselled delay, believing that the betrothal would be untimely because of the position of I’ugoslavia and Gicece, that a Royal alliance should await popular approval of both countries. Peter, after protests, agreed to wait, then became restless and unhappy. Meantime, the crisis between Mihailovitch and Tito was growing, putting Jovanovitch's Cabinet under political stress. Last June, Peter found himself offered an alternative set of politicians for his Cabinet, men who promised to approve liis marriage. He appointed the new Cabinet, and Inter announced his engagement. Significance: The original Jovanovitcli Government contained men who might have reached an agreement with Tito. The new Cabinet did not. In the face of overwhelming evidence, that Tito's army was doing most of the fighting against the Axis, it continued to denounce the partisans as “criminals and traitors.” Peter •temporised, lost his chance .to back tho Liberation Army, is now disowned by Broz-Tito. and debarred from participating in the country’s struggle.