(Newser)
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The number of European monarchs interred in US soil now stands at zero, now that the remains of King Peter II of Yugoslavia have been removed from the Chicago suburb where they rested for more than 40 years. Those remains arrived in Belgrade, Serbia, yesterday, much to the delight of Crown Prince Alexander, who has been behind a years-long quest to bring his father home. How Peter II ended up buried in Libertyville is, as the Tribune calls it, an "extraordinary saga."
Following his father's assassination, Peter II took the throne in 1934—at age 11. He later tried to hold back the Nazis but was forced to flee after his government surrendered. He died in Denver at age 47; unable to be buried in his then-communist country, he reportedly selected a Serbian Orthodox monastery in Libertyville for his tomb, which thousands have since visited each year. A formal state funeral will be held in Belgrade in May.
