Peter II of Yugoslavia
King of Yugoslavia
Died when: 47 years 58 days (565 months)Star Sign: Virgo
Peter II (Serbian Cyrillic: Петар II Карађорђевић, romanized: Petar II Karađorđević; 6 September 1923 – 3 November 1970) was the last king of Yugoslavia, reigning from October 1934 until his deposition in November 1945.
He was the last reigning member of the Karađorđević dynasty.The eldest child of King Alexander I and Maria of Romania, Peter acceded to the Yugoslav throne in 1934 at the age of 11 after his father was assassinated during a state visit to France.
A regency was set up under his cousin Prince Paul.After Paul declared Yugoslavia's accession to the Tripartite Pact in late March 1941, a pro-British coup d'état deposed the regent and declared Peter of age.
In response, Axis forces invaded Yugoslavia ten days later and quickly overran the country, forcing the king and his ministers into exile.
A government-in-exile was set up in June 1941 following Peter's arrival at London.In March 1944, he married Princess Alexandra of Greece and Denmark.
Their only son, Alexander, was born a year later.In November 1945, the Yugoslav Constituent Assembly formally deposed Peter and proclaimed Yugoslavia a republic.
Peter settled in the United States after his deposition.Suffering from depression and alcoholism later in his life, he died of cirrhosis in November 1970 at the age of 47.
His remains were buried at the Saint Sava Monastery Church in Libertyville, Illinois, before being transferred to the Royal Mausoleum of Oplenac in 2013.