PODGORICA, Serbia-Montenegro - The heir to Montenegro's defunct throne is an architect and motorbike rider who lives 800 miles away in Paris. Now he's back to vote yes to his tiny Balkan country's independence from Serbia.

However, Crown Prince Nikola II Petrovic Njegos, who has lived in self-imposed exile for most of his life, worries about "trouble" after Sunday's referendum.

"I'm afraid that the losers in the vote may not accept the decision in peace," Prince Nikola told The Associated Press. "This is a small country with a big potential for trouble."

The leader of the stay-with-Serbia camp says he'll accept defeat graciously, provided the vote is clean, and Nikola says he hopes democracy will prevail.

"Independence, for both Montenegro and Serbia, would mean a catharsis for both the states, and their quicker integration into Europe," said the prince, a lively 61-year-old who often travels to Montenegro by motorbike.

His grandfather, King Nikola I Petrovic, tripled his realm's territory in the second half of the 19th century through a series of military victories against the Turks.

He sought to strengthen its independence among the predatory empires of pre-World War I Europe by marrying off his daughters to Russian, German and Italian royalty.

In those happier times, Montenegro enjoyed a slightly comical reputation, typified by the 1905 operetta — and 1934 Hollywood film — "The Merry Widow," in which the Kingdom of Marchovia was a veiled reference to Nikola's little domain.

Even though he immediately declared war for the Allied side against Imperial Germany and Austria-Hungary in 1914, King Nikola could not preserve Montenegro's independence. At the Versailles peace conference in 1918, Montenegro gained the dubious distinction of becoming the only Allied nation to be wiped off the map of Europe, after the victors, including President Woodrow Wilson, insisted it be given to Serbia.

The king was exiled and died in Italy in 1921. Serbia became part of Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia went communist after World War II, and only in 1989 were Nikola's remains brought home.

Many Montenegrins are sentimentally attached to the Petrovic dynasty, and on Wednesday night some 20,000 pro-independence supporters gave Prince Nikola a boisterous welcome at a rally in the capital, Podgorica. But few Montenegrins say they want the monarchy restored.

Prince Nikola says he isn't looking to restore it; he just wants its "rehabilitation" and the return of some of its property.

"Some historical injustices toward the royal family will have to be corrected," he said.