As SiB writes, the queen’s only visit to the former Yugoslavia was connected to Slavonia, more specifically Đakovo, where the queen visited the famous Lipizzan Stud Farm. The State Stud Farm Đakovo reminisced and expressed its condolences to the royal family for the death of their dear guest, whose visit was written down in considerable letters in the history of the Farm.
Zagreb, 1972. Bozidar Kelemenic / Pixsell
However, what few people know is the royal family’s blood connection with Osijek. The distant great-grandfather, of until yesterday Prince Charles, and soon King Charles III, and the great-grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II, was Franz von Teck, who was born and spent part of his life in Osijek.
Charles certainly knew all this when he visited Osijek in March 2016 together with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. They then met with President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, and as a gift from Osijek they brought a signed NK Osijek jersey, and Charles became an honorary member of the NK Osijek fan club.
Vlado Kos / Pixsell
After Osijek, they visited Baranja and Đakovo, where only the Duchess went to visit the Stud Farm.
In Baranja, the king also enjoyed the local specialty, fish stew. The royal family remembered their trip at the end of that same year with “the most festive Christmas card ever”. They wished a happy Christmas with a photo from Osijek, and on it, in addition to the duchess and then the prince, there were members of HKUD Osijek 1862 in festive costumes.
The ties of the royal family with our region are so very deep, and it is up to Osijek and Slavonia to nurture and deepen them in the future.
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