The public in the region these days was intrigued by the news that Hollywood actress Pamela Anderson (47) received the title of Countess, which was given to her last weekend at her 8th "Royal Gala Dinner & Ball" in Portofino, Italy, in the presence of his VIP guests from Italy, Monte Carlo , USA, Russia, China, France and Switzerland, presented by Montenegrin "prince" Stefan Crnojević (55). He is a descendant and heir, he says, of the famous dynasty that ruled Duklja, later Zeta, after which today's Montenegro got its name. With the invasion of the Turks, in order to preserve the lineage, the Crnojevics fled to Venice, from where they have moved throughout Italy and the world to this day.
From his native Trieste, through Turin, where he lived, to his current residence on the French Riviera by the border with Monte Carlo, Prince Stefan Crnojević has been organizing humanitarian events at a high level for years, promoting the culture of the Balkans. About the mission that the former gastronology journalist set for himself, the current meaning of the existence of royal lineages and the history of the Crnojević family, about the motives of those who support him and those who challenge him, as well as the star of "Guardian of the Beach", and why she had to kneel during the ceremony , we received answers in a conversation that was mostly conducted in - as he calls it - the "native" language.
Divani 'Serbo-Croatian'
"Although I have an apartment in Belgrade that the communists still left us, I was born in Trieste and my first language is Italian, and I also speak English, French, Spanish, a little Russian and, of course, Serbo-Croatian. I was born on April 29, 1960 , and I was baptized in the magnificent Trieste Orthodox Church of St. Spyridon in the very center, on Ponte Rosso Square. Trieste has always been the refuge of my Crnojevics, an old Montenegrin family, since the time of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Originally, the Crnojevics left Montenegro in exodus , in 1690. Led by the famous Orthodox Patriarch Arsenij III Crnojević, and in agreement with the Austrian Emperor Leopold I, 30.000 Montenegrins left then and settled in Hungary and Vojvodina, where most of our villages are still today. and even a third of the Hungarian population today are Serbs and Montenegrins. We are scattered across Russia, Hungary and Austria, where my father was born."
On one of the official websites of Stefan Crnojević, there is a genealogy, according to which he is the son of the countess, otherwise known as the painter Snežana Avramović, and the officer, prince Onorat Černetić, that is, Crnojević, a descendant of that famous Montenegrin lineage, which, judging by the page, traces its roots back to the time of the Roman emperor Gaius Julius Caesar. The Crnojevics, he emphasizes, ruled Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria for centuries, but they are only distantly related to the last Montenegrin king, Nikola II Petrović Njegoš. From the once active rule, today they are left with the possibility of granting noble titles, promotion of the famous surname and charitable work. Websites that call his reputation into question by calling him a "self-proclaimed prince" he denies with disgust and completely rejects, adding that they were created maliciously, solely to harm him, without proof and the signature of the author who is "under police investigation". It would be better, he says, if that energy is invested in the further celebration of great Montenegrins such as Bishop Petar II Petrović Njegoš, secular and ecclesiastical ruler of Montenegro, poet and author of the famous "Mountain Wreath".
The last Montenegrin dynasty of the Petrovićs, as well as the Serbian Nemanjićs, was, he says, connected to the Crnojevics through the current coat of arms of Montenegro, which contains the symbols of all three families. And her name is linked exclusively to the lineage of our interlocutor, Prince Stefan, who shows the document issued to his ancestors by Empress Maria Theresa on March 1, 1915, as the crowning proof of his connection with the Crnojevics.
So who is it that separates us?
"My parents always told me beautifully about the history of our Balkan peoples, and even as a child I saw unhappiness on their faces when mentioning the period from the Second World War to the last one, between Serbs and Croats. For centuries, the Balkan countries lived in community, defending themselves against the Turks together , so I am also so dissatisfied with the fact that I have never seen countries in the world where people are so similar and hate each other so much. Really incredible! It's sad that, when meeting the Croatian and Serbian ambassadors, the first thing they feel the need to tell me is that they don't have nothing against each other, and that should be normal. It's a shame, because we are all rich in natural resources and beauty, we have intertwined cultures. In the future, we will have to understand each other and move forward together positively," he warns, adding that he is speaking from the experience of travelers in the countries of the former Yugoslavia. The last time he was in Croatia was recently.
Balkan, and ours
"This year I was in Croatia, Slovenia and at home in Belgrade, so I can say: all our countries are perfect. Our history through the stories of old noble families and the legacy in their castles is fascinating. I'm sorry that much less is known about my family but about Karađorđević, Nemanjić or Obrenović. Perhaps more books should be published in English so that people at home and abroad get to know us and the beautiful Balkan countries better.
Does he feel welcome in Montenegro?
"I hope that I will soon return, on an official visit to Montenegro, but also to Serbia, Macedonia and Albania, the countries where the Crnojevics were once masters. It is the same lineage with the Comneno Paleologo family, which descends from the Roman emperors, which they do not even know many historians. From my office in wealthy Monte Carlo, I have already invested a lot of my money in elucidating the history of my family, as well as in the promotion of the Balkan countries - Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and others. I do this on my own initiative and no one else pays me like my friend Nikola Petrović, who receives money directly from the Government of Montenegro, from the state budget.
I proudly and freely carry the names of Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia everywhere I go and through the humanitarian evenings I organize. It gives me great pleasure because our beautiful countries are still too little known to foreigners. Like all real Montenegrins, I'm not rich either, but I have friends who are willing to donate to the evenings when awards are presented by the Italian president, who, by the way, also awarded us a gold medal for the promotion of culture in 2014 - I think that says it all. I'm just a promoter who doesn't have a penny financially from all of this," he answers about his motives and at the same time speculators who question his princely title.
Pamela came for nothing
A journalist by profession with a flair for PR, he accepted a humanitarian association with a Hollywood sex bomb, but the idea was not his, he says.
"In America, I have very good friends among the producers who work with hundreds of stars, actors and singers, who work for charity, among them, for example, Nicole Kidman and Leonardo di Caprio. Pamela Anderson is an activist in the protection of whales, dolphins and other inhabitants of the sea, as the famous actress works around Japan and elsewhere where these species are endangered. As the head of my family, I agreed to give her the order of the ladies because today such honors should be given to individuals who do good for nature, the environment, culture... Pamela told me that her life's dream is the title of countess, so when that's the case, I told her, I was happy to fulfill her wish. In return, she agreed to come from the USA completely free of charge, although normally she asks for fabulous figures for guest appearances, which she then redirects to her humanitarian actions." he is delighted with the performance of the famous actress.
His explanation of the photos from the award ceremony, which show Pamela Anderson kneeling like a knight while receiving the title, is interesting. Is it appropriate for a woman?
Santa Margherita, Italy Countess de' Gigli
A photo posted by The Pamela Anderson Foundation (@pamelaanderson) on
"Our royal family Crnojević, heir to the famous Order of Honor of St. George, which we awarded on the way from Bulgaria to Croatia, although we were never in power with you. Our order, like the Chevalier in France, for example, awards the title of knight to men, and to women is a reserved title - lady. Ritual implies kneeling, and with regard to emancipation, we must no longer make distinctions," he explains in the manner of a modern nobleman, who, he emphasizes, has traveled and seen a lot, so he responsibly claims that we live in the most beautiful part of the world, especially apostrophizing Croatia.
It is good to do good
"I have been to Zagreb, Istria, Hvar and many Adriatic islands many times, visited numerous churches and monasteries. In short, I have been all over beautiful Croatia and I am happy to talk about it around the world".
As a food and wine journalist, he sees a lot of untapped tourist potential in us.
"You have excellent wines and cuisine, which, along with a rich ethnological treasure, music and friendliness, can satisfy even the most demanding tourist. It is common knowledge that the Adriatic fish is the tastiest in the world, so when I'm at your place, I only have seafood on my plate, and as for wine I'm always looking to try something new, black and white because I love them both. It's become a habit after many years spent in gastronomy and oenology, but lately I've turned more to humanitarian work. I want to concentrate on my royal house and to work under her auspices for my Balkan countries, to do as much as possible for the promotion of Croatia, Serbia and others from the region, as a kind of cultural ambassador. Although I live on the French Riviera, right next to the border with Monte Carlo and half a kilometer from the court of Prince Albert of Monegasque, I look at the icons on the walls of my home with nostalgia because I still feel most at home in our countries, when I smell the smells of our climate and speak the language of my grandfathers. I am hoping for an official visit to Montenegro already in November, as Prince Stefan of Montenegro, and that my younger brother Nikola will follow me with his 6-year-old son Aleksandar, the heir to the Crnojevic family because I never married. I believe that nobility has no place in museums, but if we don't want to end up in the dustbin of history, we have to be active: along with awarding titles like this as a reward to deserving individuals, we ourselves have to find our missions and do good."
Bonus video:
