Princess Jelisaveta: Kennedy impressed me with his knowledge of the history of Serbia and the Karadjordjevic family

Appearing on Sinteza on Newsmax Balkans, the princess reminisced about her trip to the United States and her stay in the "land of dreams," including the New Year’s dinner where she met the Kennedys, a moment she was taken aback by.

"Just a year after going to America, I was invited to a dinner at Charlie Reitman’s, one of the wealthiest men in the U.S. at the time, a collector and oilman. It was the New Year’s 1961 celebration. President Kennedy sat next to me and impressed me with his knowledge of our country and history, as well as my family, my father, Prince Paul. I was in shock, because Americans usually don’t know much about geography and are focused only on themselves," said Princess Jelisaveta, adding that the dinner was very "fancy."

Foto: AP/RSDžon Kenedi, avgust 1961. godine

The princess also recalled her first encounter with the American continent during the Sinteza show.

"It was March 13, 1960, when I first went to America. It had been my dream forever because I love American jazz, their music in general, and their films. Oksenberg (her first husband, editor's note) said he would buy me a ticket to the U.S., and he had previously asked me if I had ever been there. I left Paris for America, and an hour and a half after takeoff, the pilot said the plane had a malfunction and had to return to Paris. I panicked, and a woman, seeing me, gave me three sleeping pills. Although she told me to take only one, I took all three and fainted. When I arrived in the U.S., they immediately took me to the hospital," Princess Jelisaveta recalled.

According to her, America was fascinating at that time, especially New York, the largest city in the world.

"Especially back then, it was wonderful. I think that was the best time for America, the 60s, up until the 90s. It was something incredible and really very interesting," the princess said.

Princess Jelisaveta also met what were probably the three most beautiful women in the world at the time – First Lady Jackie Kennedy, actress Elizabeth Taylor, and Princess Grace of Monaco.

"They were very beautiful and smart, and I had conversations with them. I generally like beautiful, cheerful, and elegant people," she said with a smile.

Foto: ATAImages/Borislav Zdrinja

Princess Jelisaveta Karadjordjevic, the great-granddaughter of Prince Karadjordje, was born in Belgrade on April 7, 1936, and is the daughter of Prince Paul and Greek and Danish Princess Olga.

At her christening, her godparents were the Duke of Kent and Greek Prince Nikola, while the godmothers were Yugoslav Queen Maria and English Queen Mary, wife of King George V of England.

She had two older brothers, Prince Alexander and Prince Nikola. She was educated in South Africa, England, and Switzerland, and graduated with a degree in art history from Paris.

She speaks English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Serbian.

With Howard Oksenberg, she has two daughters, Katarina and Kristina, and with her second husband, Neil Balfour, a son, Nicholas.

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