Serbia’s Prince Alexander II and Princess Katherine, could have spent their only four days vacation this year anywhere in the world.

But they picked Bermuda.

Prince Alexander told local media that he loved visiting the Island because of its beauty, as well as his relationship with close friends like Lady Lully Gibbons, the wife of the late Sir David Gibbons, and Peter Green, the head of the Green Family.

“We have this incredible friendship [with them] and many other Bermudians,” he said. “We always like coming here, visiting them and also I like diving here. I haven’t done any diving this time, but Bermuda has been so hospitable to both of us.”

Prince Alexander said he discovered the Island thanks to Sir David and Lady Gibbons, whom he met many years ago.

“They said ‘You have to come and visit Bermuda’, so we came here as a guest and we fell in love with Bermuda,” he said.

The couple are staying at the Green Family’s hotel Fairmont Hamilton Princess. In addition to dining at the hotel’s 1609 restaurant, the couple have enjoyed spending time with residents, including Premier Michael Dunkley.

When asked Prince Alexander described Serbia as a country in transition.

“It used to be part of the former Yugoslavia. My father was the last king, King Peter II, and the Nazis invaded the country and my father moved his Government to Palestine, Egypt and then to London.

“I was born in London. And the communists took over.

“I was made, at the ripe age of two, enemy of the state [however] we returned to Serbia to live there 13 years ago.”

He said Serbia had since been through a lot of reform. It is now a democratic country and its aim is to become a member of the European Union.

“We have seen a lot of progress [and] we have had our ups and downs.

“It’s not been easy. We are missing many reforms to finally become a member of the EU, but we are able to live where my father and grandfather lived in the Royal Compound, which is two palaces and they are a great responsibility because they have a lot of art and a lot of leaks.”

The couple spend eight or nine months of the year in Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, but are also known to move around the country.

A large chunk of their time is also spent taking up invitations to visit other parts of the world. While Princess Katherine also travels a lot through her philanthropy work with charity Lifeline Humanitarian Organisation.

Prince Alexander and Princess Katherine said they weren’t shy about promoting Bermuda during their travels.

They have told many friends about their warm impressions of the Island and said they were excited about the renovations being made to modernise the Fairmont Hamilton Princess hotel.

One of their favourite things about the Island is having the chance to meet people who love and want the best for Bermuda, Princess Katherine said.

“Our dear friend Peter Green, we have become really close to him, and he has passed a lot of his love of this Island and wants to make this Island number one.

“We have always stayed with him, Lady Gibbons and some others. This is our first time staying in a hotel, but since it is the Princess Hotel, we are okay.

“Actually, the first thing my husband saw when we walked in this room [The Gold Lounge] was his Godmother Her Majesty [Queen Elizabeth II] in the portrait [on the wall]. Of course his Godfather is King George, so as soon as we walked in we were at home.”

Princess Katherine said there was something special about the Island, which gives you a ‘good feeling’.

“First of all, the people are very hospitable, they are happy to see you and it’s a beautiful Island and the location. You know, let’s say, from New York I arrive here and you think you are on another planet in another world.

“And the people who live here, whether they were born here or not, this is their country, this is their place.”

The couple said they will be leaving Bermuda feeling better rested and with more energy.

And while it’s been raining for the majority of their stay, they still enjoyed their visit.

“We don’t look at the weather, because it’s not just the weather in Bermuda that attracts people,” Princess Katherine said. “If you come just for the weather, then you are making a mistake because there are lots of things to do here.

“We have visited your aquarium and many places, and every time we come we see something new.

“We have seen how much it has grown and everyone has good ideas about how to bring the Island forward and we believe that Bermuda will continue growing and will be a big competitor to many other places that people could go to.”