| 91 It’s absurd from today’s perspective to consider whether the course of Prince George’s lifeshouldhavebeendi erent, whether theactionsof those inhisenvironment were necessary or harsh, whether theywere done out of a lust for power or compulsion...However,moreandmorehistorians viewwith benevolence the personality of this man, who was proud-spirited and short-tempered, but at the same time righteous, sensitive andhonest to the core. “DestinydeterminedthatPrinceGeorge wouldnot risetothethrone, despitehaving beenborntorule.Therearemultiplereasons for this, andtheymostly relatetohischaracter, tendenciesandcertainmoves thatwere di cult for Serbian society to accept,” says historian Dejan Ristić. ATURBULENT EMOTIONAL LIFE Prince George Karađorđević was the rstborn son of King Peter, and he was namedafterhisgreat-grandfather, thewidely-renowned Karađorđe (Black George). He was impetuous, emotional, sometimes irrational and unpredictable, and the citizens of Belgrade were caught up in the behaviour of this rebellious prince – by, among other things, his driving of a car, then the only one in the country. The people were also astonished by his late-night horse riding excursions around Topčider, traversing the frozen River Sava on horseback, his socialisingwith shermen – whose company he’d joinedthroughhis acquaintanceswith MathematicianMihajlo‘Alas’Petrović, inseparable friend of the prince until his death. George’s emotional life also intrigued the Belgrade folk, and his fatewasmarked by a secret love thatwas unacceptable tomany. “PrinceGeorgehad several emotional relationships that gradually became ever less acceptable to the court and his father. Amongtoleratedrelationshipswasonelove a air with a then prominent actress of the capital city’sNationalTheatre. However, his most enduring love has remained hidden from the curiosity of the gossiping public to this day. As such, it is appropriate to stay so,”emphasises Ristić. Thespeci ctemperamentof theyoung princeconcernedconspiratorsopposed to him, whoweren’t surewhat they could expectwhenhecame topower.Thebreaking point in George’s life came with the death of court servant Stevan Kolaković in 1909. George hit Kolaković in the stomach duringanoutburst of rage, afterwhichheended up in hospital, where – having already been very ill – he succumbed to his injuries and died. This incident initiated an orchestrated action of the opponents of the heir to the throne. Years later, in his autobiography, George re ectedon this event that heconsidered as being an unfortunate accident. He recalled how Kolaković had justi ed not submitting a letter to him because he didn’t ndhimin the crown-prince’s room, which led him to “feelings of insecurity in the room in which he was born, under his own roof”. Faced with pressure, it was on 27thMarch 1909 that Đorđe Karađorđević formally abdicated in favour of his younger brother, Aleksandar. CONFINED TO HOSPITAL Theoutbreakof theBalkanWar in1912, followed two years later by World War I, brought fully to light another characteristic of Prince George – his crazy courage, which is di cult to describe other than to say that “he knew no fear”. Following the end of WorldWar I and King Peter’s death in 1921, George raised political tensionsbydemandingthathisappanageandstatus at thecourt be resolved. Aleksandar ignored him, and their mutual intolerance was almost palpable. George VNIK su bili zatečeni ponašanjem buntovnogprinca, izmeđuostalogi jurcanjem automobilom, tada jedinim u državi. Narod su čudili i njegovonoćno jahanje po Topčideru, prelaženje zaleđeneSavenakonju, druženje s ribarima, u čije je društvo ušao preko matematičara Mihajla Petrovića Alasa, čoveka koji mu je bio nerazdvojni prijatelj do smrti. I buran emotivni život ĐorđaKarađorđevića intrigirao jeonovremenu beogradsku čaršiju, a njegovu sudbinu obeležila je jedna tajna ljubav, za mnoge neprihvatljiva. – Princ Đorđe imao je nekoliko emotivnih veza koje su postajale sve manje prihvatljive za dvor i njegovog oca. Utolerisane je spadala i jedna ljubavna afera s tada istaknutomglumicomNarodnog pozorišta. Ipak, jedna odnjegovihnajdugovečnijih ljubavi u potpunosti jeostala sačuvanaodznatiželje javnosti. Stoga jeprimerenoda tako i ostane – naglašava Ristić. Specifična narav mladog princa brinula je zaverenike, koji nisu bili sigurni štadaočekujuakodođenavlast. PrelomnatačkauĐorđevomživotubila jesmrt dvorskogposlužiteljaStevana Kolakovića 1909. Naime, Đorđe je u izlivu besa snažno udario Kolakovića u stomak, nakon čega je ovaj završioubolnici, te ionakoveomabolestanpodlegaopovredama ipreminuo. Ovaj incident inicirao je akciju prestolonaslednikovihneistomišljenika. Đorđe se kasnije u autobiografiji osvrnuo na taj događaj koji je smatrao nesrećnim slučajem. Prisetio se kako se Kolaković pravdao da pismo nije mogao da preda jer ga nije ni našao u prestolonaslednikovoj sobi, što Fate determined that Prince George would not rise to the throne despite being born to rule. Emotional and exclusive, he was unsuitable for the throne. Conspirators merely awaited the opportune moment - and in the end it came. Following accusations that he murdered his servant, George abdicated to the advantage of his younger brother, Alexander TRAGIC REBEL OF THE SERBIANCOURT SRPSKOGDVORA Princ Đorđe Karađorđević preminuo je 1972. godine u Beogradu, a sahranjen je u Crkvi Svetog Đorđa na Oplencu Prince George Karađorđević passed away in Belgrade in 1972 and is buried at the Church of St. George in Oplenac near Topola
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