Royal couple of Albania announces divorce after eight years of marriage

• Crown Prince Leka II of Albania and his wife Elia Zharaia have announced that they are getting divorced.
• The couple married at the former Royal Palace of Tirana in October 2016.
• Crown Prince Leka was photographed solo at a royal wedding in the fall.

Crown Prince Leka II and Crown Princess Elia of Albania are going their separate ways.

The former couple, who tied the knot in October 2016 at the former Royal Palace of Tirana, shared the news written in Albanian on the Crown Prince Leka’s official Instagram on 15 January, announcing the parting of ways in the marriage, as well as the pair’s ongoing commitment to their daughter’s happiness, safety, and education.

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A post shared by HRH Crown Prince Leka (@princleka)

Prince Leka, 41, was born into the royal family. Princess Elia, 40, was born Elia Zharaia and is an actress and singer. The two met in 2008, became engaged in 2010, and were married in 2016. Their daughter, born in October 2020, was named after her great-grandmother, the late Queen Geraldine..

“Hello friends and lovers,” began the statement, per People’s English translation. “Through this post, I officially inform you that LTM Prince Leka and Elia Zharaia 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.”

In the statement, the royals maintained that their daughter remains “at the centre of their dedicated attention to ensure 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.

The statement added that Prince Leka, 41, will not be offering further comment and asked for privacy during this time. Hello! magazine reported that Elia, 40, had commented on the divorce in a since-deleted statement. “Friends and well-wishers, I need to inform you that today we started the legal procedures for the settlement of marriage, as we jointly decided to seek a divorce,” Elia reportedly said.

“This is not at all a reality that makes me happy, as I believe in family values as the most precious thing! I would never have chosen for my daughter to grow up with separate parents, but sometimes separation is the only option,” she continued, according to the outlet. “What matters most, is that my baby girl experiences this moment as easily as possible. Thank you very much to all of you who wrote to me and gave me courage!”

“Despite these difficult months I’ve gone through, your kindness has given me strength. I wish you health and happiness in your families,” she concluded, per Hello!

It remains unclear what royal title or styling, if any, Elia may retain after the divorce is finalized. She became Crown Princess of the Albanians when she married Leka eight years ago.

Crown Prince Leka is the grandson of the late King Zog I, who ruled the Albanian Kingdom from 1928 to 1939. He became the heir to the Albanian crown following the death of his father, King Leka I, in 2011.

According to his royal bio, Leka met Elia Zaharia in 2008 and they were engaged in Paris in 2010. They welcomed their daughter, Princess Geraldine, in October 2022 and named her after the prince’s late grandmother, Queen Geraldine.