Fr John Salter, Chairman, writes in Chrysostom, November All Saints 2010
In 1940 King Zog of Albania arrived in England with his Queen, the former Hungarian Countess Geraldine Apponnyi de Nagy-Appony. She had only recently given birth a to a son, Crown Prince Leka, and had an extremely difficult journey getting to these shores and seeking asylum. They made their home in the Ritz hotel in London and then at Parmoor House in the Thames Valley. The King was never to return to Albania, although the Queen returned and is buried in the capital, Tirana. Their son, King Leka I, also returned to Albania and his son, Crown Prince Leka II, is in the Albanian government and resident in Tirana.
To celebrate the 70th annniversary of Their Majesties’ arrival in the United Kingdom, the Anglo-Albanian Society, the Ambassador of Albania and the Ambassador of Kosovo arranged an al fresco luncheon party in the grounds of Parmoor House on one of the hottest days of this summer. The guest of honour was His Royal Highness Crown Prince Leka II (the Albanians seem to add numbers after their Crown Princes’ names). The Crown Prince is a Moslem, but his bride-to-be, who
accompanied him, is a member of the Albanian Orthodox Church and the Prince is proud of the fact that his grandmother was a Hungarian Catholic and his mother, Queen Susan, an Anglican – a former
communicant of the Church of England in Australia. She died relatively young and is buried in Tirana.
An excellent book has been produced by Neil Rees on King Zog and the Albanian Royal Family, with excellent photographs too. A Royal Exile : King Zog and Queen Geraldine of Albania, including their wartime exile in the Thames Valley and Chilterns is published by The Court of King Zog Research Society, and available from ths sam c/o 1, Eskdale Avenue, Chesham, Bucks.HP5 3AX England. It is paperback. No price.