The Royal House of Montenegro is the Orthodox House of Petrović-Njegosh. The House was founded by Danilo Petrović-Njegosh who obtained the hereditary dignity of 'Vladika' (Bishop) of Montenegro in 1711. Danilo I Petrović-Njegosh was recognised as Sovereign Prince and heir of Montenegro by Russia on 21 March 1852 and established a succession by male primogeniture. Prince Nikola I assumed the qualification of Royal Highness on the 6 December 1900 and took the title of King on the 15 August 1910.

The annexation of Montenegro to the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was proclaimed on the 13 November 1918, but was not recognised by King Nikola I (Grandfather of the new King, Alexander I, King of Yugoslavia) and a Government-in-Exile was maintained by him and his successors under the Premiership of King Nikola's former ADC and Ambassador to the United States (1918), General Antoine Gvozdenović (Imperial Russian Privy Counsellor, General Imperial Russian, French, Montenegrin and Yugoslav Armies) until the Conference of Ambassadors at Paris gave international recognition to the union on the 13 July 1922.

King Nikola I was succeeded on his death by his son, Danilo II, who abdicated after one week, and then by his grandson, King Michael I, who remained in exile until his death in 1986. King Michael I became prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II after refusing to return to the throne as a puppet King.

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