"To be or not to be" Thursday (The Grand Duke of Serbieski)

His Grand Ducal Highness, Prince Paul Karageorgevich, Grand Duke of Serbieski and Margrave of Trieste was born in 1986 to King Gregor and Queen Zita of Serbieski. He was born as His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Paul Karageorgevich of Serbieski and was the last to hold this title as his parents were the last ruling couple of the independent Kingdom of Serbieski which fell with so many other monarchies in the aftermath of the 1996 Bloody Revolution that swept through Europa.

Crown Prince Paul Karageorgevich of Serbieski in 2009 wearing the Order of the Ublient.

Prince Paul's father mother was killed in the missile attack on the Imperial Castle of Roswind in the United Empire of Scot-Britania on the fateful night that the revolution began. His convalescing father died of a shock induced heart attack. Soon after the monarchy in Serbieski fell but the young boy and his sister Princess Cecile, the only children of the King of Serbieski was at least safe while staying at their aunt in the Island Nation of Arcwhite where they remained until reaching adulthood. Prince Paul's aunt renounced all her Royal titles and accepted citizenship in Arcwhite publicly in response to the revolution. Struggling to find a place for herself in the world she joined the pseudo-monastic ranks of the Order of the White Veil in service of the mysterious monarch of the Islands of Arcwhite. As a Lady of the Veil serving in the highest echelon to Lady Arcwhite she was able to provide for the children and even afford them a lifestyle more akin to their heritage.  

The history of the monarchy in Serbieski and its Royal House of Karageorgevich, of which Prince Paul was now the de facto head, has been turbulent and unsettled at best. The Kingdom was the youngest in Europa and was created in order to bring peace to this war torn alcove of the continent. Stubborn and proud tribal dissidents had always striven for recognition and autonomous identity. This finally came after the Great War early in the 1900's when the King of Syldavia in agreement with the other Kingdoms termed a peace treaty that created the new Kingdom under the rule of his brother who would become King Simeon I of Serbieski. This was the current Grand Duke's great grandfather.

This Pre-revolution map from 1995 shows the location of the Kingdom of Serbieski in the dark green towards the bottom right. One of the three Triad Islands is also part of Serbieski territory.

Yet after the 1996 revolution the young Prince Paul found himself an orphan living in exile in Arcwhite. He had a normal schooling and chose to study law in the United States of Americanium. Here he met his future wife on campus. Lady Davina Cartwright, sister to the Earl Cartwright and distant cousin to the Crown Prince Imperial of Scot-Britania, was of Royal descent herself and having much in common the couple eventually married in the Prince's adopted country of Arcwhite. This 2008 wedding was an entirely private event and not at all on a scale as one would expect for an heir to a Royal throne. It was however attended by some high ranking Royal friends and his sister who by now had married the Baron D'Rothchild. The Lady Arcwhite gave her consent for the marriage to be legally performed within her nations borders but could not attend due to diplomatic relations with the democratic states of Syldavia, Scotney and Britania who did not recognise the titles of the couple but could then at least recognise their marital union.

The wedding photo of Prince Paul Karageorgevich and Lady Davina Cartwright.

Unexpectedly in 2011 the monarchy in Normandia was restored and after a referendum in the Republic of Syldavia it became clear that Syldavia was to also restore their monarchy. This created a bitter-sweet conflict of interest for Prince Paul Karageorgevich. Under international law the head of a former Kingdom has rights by virtue of history, to be honoured by courtesy. As such Prince Paul was known in 2011 as His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Paul Karageorgevich of Serbieski. At this stage his former independent Kingdom of Serbieski had become a mere province of the Democratic Republic of Syldavia that now as a unified nation proposed a restoration of the Kingdom of Syldavia but did not desire to split the country. Prince Paul was offered what is known in political terms as a mediatization. Syldavia would become a Kingdom and the province of Serbieski would afford Prince Paul the title of Grand Duke and Premiere Nobile in the Kingdom of Syldavia but he could not become King of Serbieski. He also lost the headship of the Knighthood of the Ublient which by tradition fell to the King of Serbieski. It passed to the Princess of Wallachia who was next in line. He reluctantly accepted the terms but vowed to serve the people of Serbieski and was given a "King's Welcome" in the province upon the restoration of the Syldavian monarchy and was immediately honoured by being created a Knight of the Order of the Syldav Cross.

The Grand Duke of Serbieski at far right next to his wife at the 2012 Investiture of King Nikolas III of Syldavia. Also in the photo is Princess Miranda of Syldavia in front and the Duchess of Roswind at left.

The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Serbieski. The Grand Duke wears the green sash of the Order of the Syldav Cross.

The Grand Duke of Serbieski is seen as a symbol of morale and local identity in the province and upon deciding to genuinely serve practically broke president by running for local government. He was elected Governor of the Province of Serbieski on 22nd Aug 2012. The new "Royal" Governor is expected to be given celebration this weekend to honour his appointment and can now be seen as one of the most influential Royals in Europa.

Serbieski and her Royal heritage has often unwittingly seemed like the least important in Europa but the country has vast untapped natural wealth in the form of recently discovered natural gas deposits and Prince Paul has had all the history and responsibility of a disenfranchised people thrust on his shoulders. He will hopefully make the most of his responsibility as a figurehead but in his term as governor will hopefully use his very real power just as wisely.