At a time when only a few monarchies remain in Europe, a Serbian political party is on a mission to place the late Queen Elizabeth II's godson on the throne in Belgrade. The Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia, known by its acronym POKS, is intensifying its campaign to reinstate Crown Prince Alexander Karađorđević as head of state as elections approach. Alexander has a unique connection to Britain. Born in 1945 in suite 212 at Claridge's in London, the heir to the Serbian royal house entered the world on what was temporarily designated Yugoslav territory.
The then-Princess Elizabeth, who later became Queen Elizabeth GII, reportedly served as his godparent, forging a personal bond between the Serbian and British royal families. Vladimir Đorđević, the party's deputy president and a Serbian parliamentarian, outlined POKS's ambitions in an interview. Speaking to GB News, the lawmaker said: 'We are advocating the restoration of Serbia as a modern constitutional and parliamentary monarchy.' He explained that his party does not want Serbia to return to the 19th century, adding that they want to build a modern 21st-century democracy on historical foundations.
The politician pointed to functioning European monarchies as proof of concept, saying that the king will represent state and national unity rather than govern directly. Đorđević urged people to look at Britain, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands as examples of modern democracies. The party insists that any return of the monarchy must come through a democratic and constitutional process, including a nationwide referendum.
Emphasizing public sentiment, Đorđević claimed that restoration is inevitable and that the younger generation in Serbia strongly supports the idea. He clarified that a future monarch would remain above partisan politics, serving solely as a symbol of national continuity, while the elected government and parliament continue their legislative and executive duties.
