From choosing the name to their duties as parents, Prince Leka opens up: I take care of my son and Blerta

Prince Leka and Princess Blerta Celibashi Zogu have spoken about their emotions and experiences following the birth of their son, Aleksandër, discussing their first moments as parents and their new family life.

The interview was given to “News Bomb” magazine. Speaking about the birth of their son, Princess Blerta described the intense emotions she experienced as she waited to hold him for the first time.

“I remember watching, with tears in my eyes, every movement of the medical staff until they brought him close to me. At that moment, I felt Aleksandër’s soft skin and understood what happiness was. There was no longer any fatigue, fear or anything else troubling me. There was only a deep feeling of gratitude that he had been born healthy and that I could finally hold him in my arms. It is the moment when you understand that your heart will beat forever outside your body as well.”

Prince Leka spoke about how he and Blerta share responsibility for caring for their newborn, emphasizing the importance of a father’s involvement during this period.

“I think there is no shame in taking care of your child, especially when he is a newborn. I do not hesitate to change his diaper, put him to sleep or hold him when Blerta cannot; in fact, I do these things even when she can. For some fathers, caring for a newborn is still a taboo, but whoever does not do it should know that they are missing out on one of life’s most wonderful experiences.”

In another passage, Prince Leka spoke about his relationship with Princess Blerta and the moments they share while caring for their son.

“We both wake up, Blerta takes care of the little one, and I take care of Blerta. Perhaps she does not always need me, but to tell you the truth, I enjoy seeing that beautiful mother-and-son relationship.”

The couple also spoke about choosing their son’s name, Aleksandër, explaining its connection to history and family tradition.

“Names are important because they carry history, identity and continuity. We had been considering the name Aleksandër for a long time. We wanted the name to continue the tradition of the royal family, but we did not want to call him Leka III, so we chose the European version, written in Albanian, of my name and my father’s: Aleksandër. It was the most natural choice, because Leka is the traditional Albanian form of the name Aleksandër. In a way, it is the same name, simply in two different forms. This preserves the continuity of the family tradition while also giving him his own distinct identity. We also chose the Albanian spelling, Aleksandër with “ks” and “ë”, because we wanted his name to be in the form used in our language.”

A particularly emotional moment for the family was Geraldina’s meeting with her younger brother. Prince Leka recounted the emotions he experienced when he saw the first bond between the two children.

“Geraldina was on vacation with her mother when Aleksandër was born and, on the day she returned to Tirana, the first thing she insisted on was meeting her brother. Their meeting brought me to tears when I saw the girl singing him lullabies and how concerned she was when she heard him crying. It is important to us that they grow up not only as brother and sister, but as good friends. I am now happy that they have each other.”