Albanian Crown Prince Leka II embroiled in public domestic dispute

In the video, which Prince Leka recorded, Princess Elia is heard leveling accusations against him: “You touched my father, who fed you... You have no education; you only completed fourth grade. You forged documents, telling the Albanian state you were educated,” Elia is overheard saying.

Leka alleges that during an attempt to visit his 3-year-old daughter Geraldine, he was assaulted by his father-in-law and then his wife, not just physically but also struck with a wooden statue. Facing both verbal and physical aggression, the prince felt compelled to leave the royal residence.

“The prince was violent towards me and spoke harshly. I did not attack him; I merely defended myself. I’m about 70 years old and hardly able to stand, much less confront a man who stands two meters tall,” stated Princess Elia's father, Gjergj Zaharia.

Following the public release of the altercation's recording, the Palace disclosed that Leka “was physically attacked with hard objects by his former wife and father-in-law,” mentioning that the video was submitted to the police as evidence for the case.

In a dialogue with the Alban Daily News, Elia asserted that her involvement in the conflict was strictly defensive, aiming to mitigate her husband’s aggression.

The couple was seen in court in Tirana on Thursday. The court ruled that Prince Leka is allowed personal visits with his daughter, albeit in a nanny’s presence, and mandated that the couple maintain a distance of about 16 feet from each other. Meanwhile, the prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the matter.