Katherine Karađorđević
| Katherine Karađorđević | |
|---|---|
| Crown Princess of Serbia | |
 Katherine at the celebrations of the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, 18 June 2010 | |
| Born | Katherine Batis 13 November 1943 Athens, Kingdom of Greece |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | David Andrews Alison Andrews |
| House | Karađorđević (by marriage) |
| Father | Robert Batis |
| Mother | Anna Dosti |
Katherine Karađorđević (Serbian: Катарина Карађорђевић; née Batis, Greek: Μπατής; born 13 November 1943) is Crown Princess of Serbia by marriage to Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia, the pretender to the throne of the former Kingdom of Yugoslavia.[1][2]
Biography
Crown Princess Katherine is one of the two daughters of Robert Batis (1916–2011), a factory owner and director and President then Honorary President of the Fostiras Football Club,[3] and wife Anna Dosti.[4]
She was educated in Athens and in Lausanne, Switzerland. She studied business at the University of Denver and the University of Dallas. In 2007 Crown Princess Katherine received an honorary degree in Doctor of Letters from the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom.[5]
On 25 November 1962, Katherine married Jack Walter Andrews (1933–2013). They divorced in 1984.[6]
She has two children, David and Alison.[7] David has one son. Alison has four children: Amanda, Stephanie, Nicolas, and Michael. The family resides in the United States.
She met her second husband, Crown Prince Alexander, in Washington, DC, in 1984, and they were married in London, civilly on 20 September 1985 and religiously the next day at the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, Notting Hill. Their best man was Constantine II of Greece, and the witness was Prince Tomislav of Yugoslavia, Crown Prince Alexander's uncle.[8]
On 17 July 2001, after the democratic revolution in Serbia, she and her husband took up residence in the Royal Palace in Belgrade.[9]
Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia has been involved in charitable activities since the conflict in the former Yugoslavia.[10] She works for humanitarian relief and is the founder and patron of various humanitarian organizations including Lifeline Humanitarian Organization. In 2001 she established The HRH Crown Princess Katherine Foundation in Belgrade.[11]
In 2024, Crown Princess Katherine underwent surgery and treatment for pancreatic cancer at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in the United States.[12] Serbian public broadcaster RTS reported that the operation was performed urgently and that she later continued her public and humanitarian activities following treatment.[13]
Honours
National and Dynastic
Serbia: Grand Cross of the Order of Karadjordje’s Star[14]- Royal House of Karadjordjevic: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Saint Sava
Awards
- Honorary Degree as Doctor of Letters of the University of Sheffield[5]
- Serbian Orthodox Church: Member of the Decoration of Emperor Constantine the Great.[15]
References
- ^ "Crown Prince Alexander: Serbian royalty born in Claridge's". Paula Newton and Monique Todd, for CNN. December 18, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ "European royals making plans for William's wedding". RAPHAEL SATTER Associated Press, published at Seattle Times. January 25, 2011. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ "THE FATHER OF HRH CROWN PRINCESS KATHERINE, MR. ROBERT BATIS, RECEIVES HONORARY AWARDS FOR LIFETIME DEEDS". Public Relations Office of the Royal House of Serbia. 29 December 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ Eilers, Marlene A. (1987). Queen Victoria's Descendants. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co.
- ^ a b "A Sovereign Example: Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia". NEO Magazine. April 16, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ "Who would be Queen of Yugoslavia today?". Moniek Bloks. 29 September 2025. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
- ^ "Interview: Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia". Dionysios Politis, for Liberty Press. 21 January 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ Royal Family of Serbia
- ^ "Serbian royals return after exile". CNN. December 17, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ "HRH Katherine of Serbia: refugee crisis, heartbreaking". Quest Means Business, CNN. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
- ^ "About us". HRH Crown Princess Katherine Foundation. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
- ^ "Crown princess of Serbia receives surgery for pancreatic cancer at UPMC". CBS News. CBS. 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
- ^ "Princeza Katarina hitno operisana zbog karcinoma pankreasa". Radio Television of Serbia (in Serbian). RTS. 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
- ^ CROWN PRINCESS KATHERINE’S INTERVIEW FOR POLITIKA – RECEIVING THE ORDER OF KARADJORDJE’S STAR
- ^ "Završena liturgija povodom jubileja Milanskog edikta". Večernje novosti (in Serbian). 6 October 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2025.