The head of the Albanian Royal family, Crown Prince Leka II, has revealed on social media that he has a new girlfriend just seven months after a messy split with his wife of eight years, whom he accused of physically assaulting him.
Leka is the grandson of the first and last king of the Albanians, the splendidly named King Zog, who ruled from 1928, when an Albanian monarchy was declared with the support of Mussolini’s Italy, until 1939, when the country was invaded, again by Mussolini. The monarchy was abolished and Zog was exiled, living out his days between the Ritz hotel in London and the south of France.
Leka officially styles himself “Crown Prince” but is often referred to as the king of Albania by monarchist loyalists, as was his father.
Although he was born in exile in South Africa and grew up overseas, including stints in the U.K., Leka has lived largely in Albania since his twenties and has worked for the Albanian government.
He introduced his new partner, Tirana photographer Blerta Celibashi, at a dinner for Albanian and American entrepreneurs on Monday, according to a report in the Daily Mail. Leka also posted an image to Instagram.
His previous marriage to Elia Zaharia, ended in January. The couple are under a court order to keep five meters apart at all times, and after a clip of one marital fight surfaced online, Leka alleged Elia and her father had physically attacked him, while she said that her father was the victim of aggression from Leka which she tried to stop. They have a young daughter.
