Queen and wife

Ljubica, Persida, Julija, Draga and Mary, princesses and queens, women of Serbian rulers from the 19th and 20th centuries, reveal their life stories to visitors of the exhibition “Queen and Wife” in Belgrade(Serbia).

Visitors were presented details of the life of Princess Ljubica Obrenovic (1785-1843), married to Prince Miloš, Princess Julija Obrenović (1831-1919), wife of Prince Mihailo, and then Queen Natalija Obrenović (1859-1941), wife of King Milan, as well as Queen Draga (1866-1903), married to King Alexander. Among the rulers from the house of Karađorđević at the exhibition are Persida Karadjordjevic (1813-1873), Prince Alexander’s wife, and the only Yugoslav queen, Mary (1900-1961), wife of King Alexander Karadjordjevic.

<a data-snax-placeholder="Source" class="snax-figure-source" href="https://www.blic.rs/kultura/vesti/zivot-srpskih-vladarki-kako-je-jedna-kneginja-ubila-ljubavnicu-svog-muza-i-prezivela/ej695cr" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">https://www.blic.rs/kultura/vesti/zivot-srpskih-vladarki-kako-je-jedna-kneginja-ubila-ljubavnicu-svog-muza-i-prezivela/ej695cr</a>

Every relationship of these rulers with their husbands was different. It is interesting that no marriage was contracted, but concluded from love. Like ordinary people, they had more or less successful marriages. Princess Persida and Queen Mary distinguished themselves in the fact that their marriages were extremely happy and full of love, unlike King Milan and Queen Natalia whose problems in marriage began very soon after the wedding. Neither the marriage of the Duke of Michael and the princess Julija was overly successful. Although they have not officially divorced, they have lived apart in recent years and this marriage ended with the death of the prince in 1868, so that Julia would later marry her longtime lover.

<a data-snax-placeholder="Source" class="snax-figure-source" href="http://www.srbija-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=594&start=140" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">http://www.srbija-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=594&start=140</a>

In her defense of marriage (or the outburst of jealousy), the farthest one went to Ljubica, who killed Milos’s mistress. Prince Milosh had many lovers. He had eight children with Ljubica, and at least so much out of wedlock. One of his mistresses, Petrie, was killed by a princess from a pistol, which she could have paid for with her head. However, when it happened, Ljubica was pregnant and the prince forgave her.

<a href="http://www.srbija-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=439&start=40" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source</a>

Most women were not just shadow wives, but were actively involved in the conduct of politics. Ljubica received diplomats and foreign visits. Persida was too interested in politics. She was far more ambitious than her husband.

<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Katarina_Ivanovi%C4%87#/media/File:Persida_Karadjordjevic.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source</a>

One of the main causes of the disruption between Natalia and Milan was that Milan was more determined for Austrian politics, and Natalia for the Russians, so constantly quarrel.

Mihailo sent Julia to diplomatic missions because, although their marriage was not good, he had a great deal of trust in his wife. She was a world-educated woman originally from Vienna.

<a data-snax-placeholder="Source" class="snax-figure-source" href="http://www.novosti.rs/%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8_%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%B6%D0%B0%D1%98.524.html:680467-%D0%9A%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%B3%D0%B8%D1%9A%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%B0%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%98%D0%B0-%D0%B7%D0%B0-%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%86%D1%83" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">http://www.novosti.rs/%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8_%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%B6%D0%B0%D1%98.524.html:680467-%D0%9A%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%B3%D0%B8%D1%9A%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%B0%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%98%D0%B0-%D0%B7%D0%B0-%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%86%D1%83</a>

Draga had no such influence because her marriage was short-lived; After only two years she and Alexander were executed.

<a data-snax-placeholder="Source" class="snax-figure-source" href="http://www.forum-srbija.com/viewtopic.php?f=390&t=9397&start=10" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">http://www.forum-srbija.com/viewtopic.php?f=390&t=9397&start=10</a>

Maria somehow chose the role of wife and mother before mixing into politics and engaged in charity work. After Alexander’s death, she founded numerous charity associations. She received support money because she was a royal widow, but three-quarters of her gave her for humanitarian purposes. She left Serbia before the Second World War and lived in London, but she also founded two charity organizations that sent money and aid to Yugoslavia. The twentieth century was a time of emancipation of women and Queen Mary Karadjordjevic was a real lady and lady who in no way caused scandals. She was engaged in art. Unlike King Alexander, she drives a car.

<a data-snax-placeholder="Source" class="snax-figure-source" href="http://www.jutarnjiglasnik.info/glasnikov-magazin/istorija/zivotna-prica-najvoljenije-srpske-vladarke/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">http://www.jutarnjiglasnik.info/glasnikov-magazin/istorija/zivotna-prica-najvoljenije-srpske-vladarke/</a>

The Serbian rulers of the queen did not resort to some great scandalous behavior, nor did they have any connection with some gossip. More scandals are connected, however, with their husbands.