The statement continued: ‘Following the marriage, Princess Blerta will bear the family name Zogu and the title Princess of the Albanians.
‘The Royal Family shares this joyful news with the Albanian nation and with friends around the world.’
According to royal history Marlene Eilers Koenig, the couple were invited to Chateau Apponyi by the Slovak diplomat Ľubomír Rehák and arrived on 6 March. There is no information as to when and where the newlyweds actually tied the knot – while the photos were taken in Slovenia, sources have suggested that the wedding itself took place in Albania.
Crown Prince Leka and the new Princess Blerta stayed in the Geraldine suite, which is said to be decorated with a number of family photos. During a visit to the Biblioteca Apponiana, they were shown a number of the late Queen Geraldine’s personal books, which she had read during her time at Château Apponyi.
The wedding celebrations also provided an opportunity for the Crown Prince to celebrate the ‘historical bond between Slovakia and Albania,’ planting a ‘tree of peace’ at Oponice Park to mark his first visit to the country. Both Leka and Blerta were awarded the Tree of Peace Memorial Medal, honouring their ‘respect for historical heritage’. Crown Prince Leka also laid a wreath at the Apponyi crypt in tribute to his ancestors.
The Crown Prince divorced Elia Zaharia in April 2024. The couple welcomed their daughter, Gerladine, in October 2020 – she is named for Leka’s grandmother. Their wedding, which took place in Tirana, was a lavish spectacle, well-attended by an international cohort of royals, including Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and Queen Sofía of Spain.
