European royal couple announce divorce after 7 years of marriage

close Video

Kate Middleton, Prince William ‘planning their legacy amid Endgame

True Royalty TV co-founder Nick Bullen reveals how the Prince and Princess of Wales are choosing to put duty first following the publication of the newest bombshell book.

Read this article for free! Plus get unlimited access to thousands of articles, videos and more with your free account! Please enter a valid email address. By entering your email, you are agreeing to Fox News Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. To access the content, check your email and follow the instructions provided.

The crown prince and crown princess of Albania have announced they are divorcing after seven years of marriage. 

Crown Prince Leka II, 41, and Crown Princess Elia, 40, announced the split via a statement that was posted on the crown prince’s Instagram page. Albania, which has a population of around 2.8 million people, is located to the east of Italy on the southeastern part of Europe’s Balkan Peninsula.

The European royals, who wed in a lavish ceremony in 2016 attended by a host of major monarchs, share a 3-year-old daughter together, Princess Geraldine. 

The crown prince and crown princess of Albania, pictured at their wedding, have announced they are to divorce after seven years of marriage. (Luc Castel/GettyImages)

KATE MIDDLETON HOSPITALIZED FOR SURGERY, EXPECTED TO STAY FOR UP TO 2 WEEKS

“Hello friends and lovers,” the statement reads, having been translated into English from Albanian.

“Through this post, I officially inform you that LTM Prince Leka and Elia Zharaia [Crown Princess Elia] have agreed to end their marriage. Since marriage has lost its function, they have decided to resolve it with mutual consent by starting the necessary legal procedures.”

The statement added that the well-being of Princess Geraldine will “remain at the center of their attention, dedicated to ensuring a happy and safe life.”

“Regardless of the commitment to the institution of the family, LTM Leka believes that the values ​​of mutual respect and understanding will form the basis of the relationship in its continuity, which will have as its motive the growth and education of LSM Princess Geraldine!” the post concluded. 

It is unclear what led to the split. 

Crown Princess Elia and Crown Prince Leka  attend the wedding ceremony of Grand Duke George Mikhailovich Romanov and Victoria Romanovna Bettarini at Saint Isaac’s Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, on Oct. 1, 2021. The couple has announced they are to divorce after seven years of marriage. (OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP)

ALBANIA HOLDS FUNERAL FOR SELF-STYLED KING LEKA I

Prince Leka is the grandson of former King Zog I of Albania, who was the leader of Albania from 1922 until 1939, when he was deposed when Italy invaded Albania ahead of World War 2. Benito Mussolini declared Albania an Italian protectorate and forced Zog into exile. 

Crown Princess Elia is a former actress and singer.

They named their daughter after the prince’s late grandmother, Queen Geraldine. Leka’s mother was Australian-born Crown Princess Susan, who hailed from Sydney before meeting Zog’s son, King Leka, at a dinner party in 1975, according to Sky News. 

A map of Europe pinpoints Albania, which has a population of around 2.8 million people, is located to the east of Italy on the southeastern part of Europe’s Balkan Peninsula. (Google Maps)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Albanian royal family is known as the House of Zogu.

Leka was head of the family from 1961 until his death in 2011 when he was succeded by Leka II.

The crown prince and princess are not technically linked to the current government of Albania, a republic since 1946. However, Leka has worked with the Albanian government in foreign diplomacy, according to Sky News. His 2016 wedding was studded with royals, including Queen Sofia of Spain and Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin Prince Michael of Kent.

Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.

You can send tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @M_Dorgan.