by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2021
photo: Albanian Royal Court
Crown Prince Leka II was born in Johannesburg, South Africa on March 26, 1982, the only son of Crown Prince Leka I of the Albanians and Susan Cullen-Ward. He is the current claimant to the defunct throne of Albania.
He was given the following names:
- Leka – in honor of his father
- Anwar – in honor of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat
- Reza – in honor of the former Shah of Iran
- Baudouin – in honor of King Baudouin of the Belgians
- Msizise – a Zulu honorific bestowed by King Goodwill Zwelithini
Raised in South Africa, Leka attended St. Stithians College junior preparatory school, St. Peter’s Preparatory School and St. Peter’s College before enrolling at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the British Army in 2005.
In 2002, the Royal Family returned to Albania at the invitation of the Albanian government. There, Leka studied at the University of Illyria, earning his BA in International Relations and Diplomacy. He also studied at the University for Foreigners in Perugia, Italy, and the Albanian Defense College.
The Crown Prince began working in the public sector, working as a political advisor to the Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2006-2009; to the Minister of the Interior from 2009-2012; and to the Albanian President from 2012-2013. During that time, upon his father’s death in 2011, Leka became the Pretender to the former Albanian throne. Since that time, he has worked tirelessly to promote Albania within the international community, as well as continuing his efforts to support Kosovo. In addition, he and his wife oversee the Queen Geraldine Foundation, established by the Crown Princess in 2012.
In May 2010, it was announced that Leka was engaged to Elia Zaharia, an Albanian actress and singer who he had met several years earlier. The couple was married at the Royal Palace in Tirana on October 8, 2016. A civil ceremony was held, officiated by the Mayor of Tirana, followed by a blessing from the religious leaders of Albania representing the Sunni Islam, Bektashi, Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant faiths. This showed the long-standing tradition of religious diversity and tolerance in the country, and within the Albanian Royal Family. The wedding was attended by numerous representatives from current and former royal families, including Queen Sofia of Spain and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent (who was distantly related to Leka’s grandmother, Queen Geraldine).
The couple welcomed a daughter on October 22, 2020. She was named Geraldine in honor of her great-grandmother Queen Geraldine, as she was born on the anniversary of the Queen’s death 18 years earlier.
On January 16, 2024, it was announced that Crown Prince Leka, the current claimant to the defunct throne of Albania, and his wife Crown Princess Elia were ending their marriage.
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Albanian Resources at Unofficial Royalty
- Kingdom of Albania Index
- Albanian Royal Burial Sites
- Albanian Royal Dates
- Profiles: The Albanian Royal Family
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