zogu2

ALBANIA

The House of Zogu

GENEALOGY

continued from the previous page.

1928 - [1961] H.M. Zog I [Skënderbeg III], King of the Albanians. b. at Burgajet Castle, Mati, 8^th October 1895, as Ahmet Muhtar [Ahmad Mukhtar] Bey Zogolli third son of H.E. Jamal [Xhemal] Pasha Zogolli, Hereditary Governor of Mati, by his second wife, H.M. Sadiya Khanum, Queen Mother of the Albanians, daughter of Salah Bey Toptani, educ. privately at Mati, at the Turkish Cadet Sch, Monastir, and Galatasaray Coll, Constantinople. Succeeded his father as Parese i Mat it (hereditary ruler of Mati) and Chief of the Gheg clan 1911, prom Col. 1912, cdr Nationalist Forces under Prince Wilhelm 1914, Presdt Commission of Initiative 1915-1916, prom Col Imperial and Royal Austro-Hungarian Army 1916, cdr Albanian Volunteer Army in Austro-Hungarian service 1916-1917, detained at Vienna 1917-1918, and Rome 1918-1919, returned to Albania in 1919, Minister for the Interior Mar-Nov. 1920, 1921-1924 and 1925, and for War 1925, Governor of Skutari 1920-1921, Gen and C-in-C of the forces 1921-1922, Prime Minister 1922-1924 and 1925, elected as Presdt of Albania by the Constituent Assembly 21^st January 1925. Proclaimed by the Albanian National Assembly at Tirana, as Defender of the Nation (Shpëtimtar i Kombit) 24^th December 1927. Proclaimed by the Albanian National Assembly at Tirana, as King of the Albanians (Mbreti i Shqiptarëvet) with the style of His Majesty, 1^stSeptember 1928. Took the Oath of Allegiance on the Bible and the Koran, at the Houses of Parliament in Tirana, 1^st September 1928. Left the country after the Italians invaded on 8^th April 1939. Lived in Exile in Greece, Turkey, England, Egypt, the USA, and France. Field Marshal, Royal Albanian Army, 1/9/1928. Founded the Grand Collar of Albania (Kolar i Shqipnis) on 12^thDecember 1925, and the Orders of Skanderbeg (Urdhëri i Skënderbeut) in four classes on 12^th December 1925, Fidelity (Urdhëri Besa) in four classes on 22^nd December 1926, and Military Merit (Urdhëri i Trimërisë) in three classes in 1928. Rcvd: Knt of the Orders of the Annunziata of Italy (16.12.1928), and Golden Lion of Luxembourg, the Collar of the Order of Muhammad ‘Ali of Egypt, GC of the Orders of Star of Karageorge of Yugoslavia, SS Maurice & Lazarus of Italy, Legion of Honour of France (1926), Carol I of Rumania with collar (1928), the Redeemer of Greece, Leopold of Belgium (4.11.1929), National Merit of Bulgaria, and the Holy Crown of St Stephen of Hungary (1938), the Order of the White Eagle of Poland, the Order of the White Lion of Czechoslovakia 1^st class with collar, Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Merit of Austria, Cdr of the Order of Franz Joseph I with swords (x.1.1917), etc. m. at Tirana, 27^th April 1938, H.M. Queen Geraldina (b. at Budapest, 6^th August 1915; d. at the Military Hospital, Tirana, Albania, 22^nd October 2002, bur. there at Sharra Cemetery), née Countess Geraldine Margit Virginia Olga Maria Apponyi de Nagy-Appony, educ. English Sch., Menton and Sacred Heart Convent, Pressbaum, near Vienna, raised to the titles of Princess of Albania (Princësh i Shqiptarë) with the style of Her Highness 10^th January 1938, Queen of the Albanians (Mbretëreshë i Shqiptarëvet) with the style of Her Majesty 27^thApril 1938, and Queen Mother of the Albanians (Nëna Mbretëreshë i Shqiptarëvet) 15^th May 1961, rcvd: GC of the Orders of Fidelity of Albania (26.4.1938), elder daughter of Count Gyula Rudolf Fhilipp Ludwig Hermann Roger Maria Apponyi de Nagy-Appony, by his wife, Gladys Virginia, Countess Apponyi de Nagy-Appony (later Mme. Gontrand Girault), daughter of John Henry Steuart, sometime US Consul-General at Antwerp, Belgium. He d. at the Hospital Foch, Suresnes, Hauts-de-Seine, France, 9^th April 1961 (bur. Thiais Cemetery, Ille de France, Paris), having had issue, an only son:

1) H.M. Leka I, King of the Albanians - see below.

[1961] H.M. Leka I, King of the Albanians. b. at the Royal Palace, Tirana, 5^th April 1939, as Prince Leka Skander, only son and heir of H.M. Zog I, King of the Albanians, by his wife, H.M. Queen Geraldina, elder daughter of Count Gyula Rudolf Fhilipp Ludwig Hermann Roger Maria Apponyi de Nagy-Appony, educ. Victoria Coll, Alexandria, Egypt, l’Aiglon Coll, Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland, RMA Sandhurst, and Univ of the Sorbonne, Paris. Formally proclaimed as Heir Apparent to the Crown of Albania and declared Crown Prince (Princi Trashëgimtar), by his father, 5^th April 1957. Cmsnd as 2^nd-Lieut British Army 1959. Succeeded on the death of his father as Head of the Royal House of Albania, 9^th April 1961. Proclaimed by the Albanian National Assembly in exile at the Hotel Bristol, Paris, as King of the Albanians and assumed the style of His Majesty, 15^th May 1961. He was allowed to return to Albania permanently after an exile lasting sixty-three years, 2002. Sovereign and Grand Master of the Orders of Fidelity, Scanderbeg, and Military Merit, 9^th April 1961-30^th November 2011. Rcvd: the Grand Collar of Albania (5.4.1957). m. at the Hotel de Ville, Biarritz, France, 7^th October 1975 (civil) and at Madrid, Spain (religious), H.M. Queen Suzani (b. at Waverly, New South Wales, Australia, 28^th January 1941; d. from lung cancer, at the Military Hospital, Tirana, 17^thJuly 2004, bur. there at Sharra Cemetery), née Susan Barbara Cullen-Ward, educ. Presbyterian Ladies’ Coll, Orange, and Sydney Technical Coll, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, rcvd: GC of the Order of Fidelity of Albania (6.10.1975), former wife of Rick Williams, and daughter of Alan Robert Cullen-Ward, Esq. of Drummoyne, , New South Wales, Australia, by his wife, Phyllis Dorothy, daughter of Robert Sterling Murray-Prior, of Hunters Hill, New South Wales, Australia. He d. after suffering from several repeated cardiac arrests at the Mother Teresa Hospital, Tirana, 30^th November 2011 (bur. there at Sharra Cemetery), having had issue, one son (and a stillborn daughter while in Rhodesia):

1) H.R.H. Prince Leka II, Crown Prince of the Albanians and Head of the Royal House of Albania - see below.

[2011] H.R.H. Prince Leka II, Crown Prince of the Albanians and Head of the Royal House of Albania. b. as Crown Prince Leka Anwar Zog Reza Baudouin Msiziwe, at Sandton Clinic, Johannesburg, South Africa, 26^th March 1982, educ. St Peter’s Prep Sch, St Stithian’s Coll, St Peter’s Coll, Johannesburg, South Africa, Skenderbeu Albanian Military Acad and Albanian Defence Coll, Tirana, RMA Sandhurst, Camberley, Surrey, Univ di Stranieri, Perugia, and the Royal Univ of Illyria (BA 2010), Italy. Political Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs 2006-2009, to the Minister of Interior 2009-2012, and the Presdt of Albania 2012-2013. Succeeded on the death of his father as Head of the Royal House of Albania, 30^th November 2011. Sovereign and Grand Master of the Orders of Fidelity, Scanderbeg, and Military Merit, since 30^th November 2011. Founder Youth Movement for National Development. Hon Presdt Brd of Royal Univ of Illyria (Pristina) since 2006, and East Baton Rouge Parish (USA). Presdt the Mati Assoc, Fiaba Orphans Soc in Albania, and Albanian Golf Fed 2011-2016. Hon Mbr SOS Avenir Orphelins d’Albanie-France, and the Albanian Olympic Cttee since 2011. Hon Patron The International Cmsn & Assoc on Royalty and Nobility. Dir Brd of Royal Institution for Security Studies. Hon Mayor of the City of Baton Rouge (USA). Hon Citizen of the Commune of Berdice 2012, and City of Burrel 2012. Rcvd Key to City of New Orleans (USA) 2011. Rcvd: Knt of the Order of St Andrew the First Called of the Imperial House of Romonov of Russia (1.10.2021), GC of the Order of SS Maurice & Lazarus of the House of Savoy (19.5.2012), and Pro Merito Melitensi of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (1.6.2023), Tree of Peace Memorial Medal of Servare & Manere of Slovakia (18.3.2026). m. in the Throne Room of the Palace of Brigades, Tirana, 8^th October 2016 (civil) (div. at Tirana, 25^th April 2024), Elia Zaharia (b. at Tirana, 8^th February 1983), educ. Arts Lyceum Jordan Misja, the National Conservatory of Bordeaux, and the Univ of St Denis, Paris 8, France, Mbr of the “Spirit Voice” singers 1999-2002, later a film actress and drama teacher, styled H.R.H. Princess Elia of the Albanians during her marriage, rcvd: GC of the Orders of Fidelity of Albania, daughter of Gjergj [George] Zaharia, from Kosova or Permeti, Southern Albania, sometime school teacher, by his wife, Yllka Mujo, artist and actor. m. (second) at Ksamil, Southern Albania, 10^th October 2025 (fejesë) and at Apponyi Castle, Oponice, Slovakia, 15^th March 2026 (civil), H.R.H. Princess Blerta, Princess of the Albanians (b. 18^th March 1998), photographer and digital creator, rcvd: Tree of Peace Memorial Medal of Servare & Manere of Slovakia (18.3.2026, née Blerta Celibashi. He had issue, one daughter by his first wife, and one son by his second wife:

1) H.R.H. Prince Alëksandër of the Albanians. b. at the Queen Geraldine University Hospital of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Tirana, 10^th July 2026 (s/o Blerta).

1) H.R.H. Princess Geraldine of the Albanians. b. at the Queen Geraldine Maternity Hospital, Tirana, 22^nd October 2020 (d/o Elia Zaharia).

END.

ZOGU 1

ORDERS & DECORATIONS

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