Anti-compromising evidence. Romanovs

His Imperial Highness the Sovereign Heir Tsarevich and Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich born March 13 A.D. Art. 1981 in Madrid, on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of his great-great-great-grandfather Emperor Alexander II the Liberator (+ 1/14 March 1881), from the marriage of H.I.V. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna with H.I.H. Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich (Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia).

At the sacrament of the baptism of the Grand Duke, performed before the miraculous Kursk Icon of the Mother of God in the Orthodox Church of Saints Andrew and Demetrius in Madrid, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain, King Simeon II and Queen Margarita of Bulgaria were present, and the godfather was King Constantine II of the Hellenes .

The Tsarevich spent his early childhood in Saint-Briac, and then he moved to Paris. Until 1999, the Heir, together with his August Mother, lived permanently in Madrid, where he graduated from college. From infancy, the Grand Duke was raised in the spirit of the Orthodox Faith and in the consciousness of his royal duty to the Motherland.

Tsarevich Georgy Mikhailovich venerates the relics of St. Patriarch Tikhon the Confessor in the Donskoy Monastery

The heir Tsarevich first visited Russia in April 1992, when the entire Imperial Family arrived for the funeral service of the Sovereign Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich. Since then, he has visited the Fatherland many times, always showing a keen interest in all aspects of the life of the people.

Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich at the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl

An indelible impression on the Grand Duke was made by the ancient Russian Orthodox churches, which, in his opinion, created a very special prayerful mood. Visits to military installations and meetings with soldiers and officers of the Russian Army and Navy also always arouse his joy and deep interest.

The Tsarevich goes in for sports and shoots accurately. In addition to Russian, in which he always passed exams with honors, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich is fluent in English, French and Spanish. He knows Orthodox worship well and takes part in it himself.

On April 9, 1998, during the pilgrimage trip of the Imperial Family to the Holy Land, the Blessed Sovereign, Heir Tsarevich and Grand Duke George Mikhailovich took the dynastic oath of allegiance to the Fatherland and his August Mother established by the Basic Laws of the Russian Empire. The ceremony took place in Jerusalem, in the Throne Hall of the Patriarchal residence, where the oath of the Heir to the All-Russian Throne was taken by the outstanding Hierarch of the Holy Church and strict guardian of the purity of Orthodoxy, Patriarch Diodorus of Jerusalem, who blessed the Grand Duke to defend the Orthodox Faith, serve Russia and its people and inviolably protect the legal foundations of the Russian Imperial House .

The Tsarevich reads the text of the oath in the presence of Patriarch Diodorus

After graduating from Oxford University, wanting to study the processes determining the development of Europe, His Imperial Highness worked in the European Parliament, then moved to the position of assistant to the Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Transport and Energy, Mrs. Loyola de Palacio in Brussels. He then continued to work at the European Commission, but in Luxembourg, in the department of nuclear energy and nuclear production safety. Over the years, the Grand Duke visited the Fatherland several times on working visits.

In 2006, the Tsarevich’s first independent official visit to his homeland took place. On behalf of his mother, Head of the Dynasty Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, her son performed an honorary mission and, on behalf of the Imperial House, congratulated His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II on the 45th anniversary of his episcopal consecration. At the same time, the Grand Duke visited the State Duma and met with deputies and other government officials of the Russian Federation.

Tsarevich Georgy Mikhailovich presents the icon to His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II

During his November visit to Russia in 2008, Tsarevich Georgy Mikhailovich accepted the offer of the management of OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel and in December of the same year took up the post of Advisor to the General Director of Norilsk Nickel, Vladimir Strzhalkovsky. In this position, His Imperial Highness represented the interests of one of the largest Russian companies in the European Union. In addition, Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich was on the Board of the Nickel Institute.

Tsarevich Georgy Mikhailovich gets acquainted with the technological cycle in the mine. Norilsk

Having gained experience in protecting the rights and interests of domestic manufacturers, after the end of the contract at Norilsk Nickel, the Tsarevich created his own PR agency, Romanoff & Partners, in Brussels. This agency represents the interests of Russian and Eastern European companies in the European Union.

Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich is firmly convinced that there are no obstacles for him to study a wide variety of professions and fields of activity: “My ancestor Peter the Great,- he says, - gave all subsequent generations of the Imperial House an excellent example that any work is worthy of respect. He himself did not disdain any work; everything was interesting to him. You can and should do something in which you can achieve success and benefit others, without any complexes or prejudices. And belonging to the Imperial House does not give any privileges, but imposes a more serious responsibility - so that your ancestors are not ashamed of you, so that the good name of the dynasty does not suffer.”

Tsarevich Georgy Mikhailovich and Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan help hospital staff in cleaning the premises

In addition to business activities, the Grand Duke, of course, invariably fulfills his duties as the heir to the Head of the Russian Imperial House.

Tsarevich Georgy Mikhailovich congratulates His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness

Regularly visiting (together with his August mother and independently) the Russian Federation and other states that arose on the territory of the former Russian Empire, the Tsarevich serves the cause of strengthening friendship between peoples and participates in charitable and cultural projects.

Head of the Russian Imperial House H.I.H. Sovereign Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, H.I.H. Sovereign Heir Tsarevich and Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich and Heads and members of the Imperial and Royal Houses at the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the House of Romanov in Livadia

In the anniversary year of 2013, the Grand Duke established the “The Russian Imperial Foundation for Cancer Research” in London,

Visit to the Oncology Center in St. Petersburg

and in 2014, developing the same direction, he established an independent Russian “Imperial Cancer Research Fund” in St. Petersburg.

Opening of the Children's Hospice hospital in Pavlovsk

In 2019, the Tsarevich accepted the title of Chairman of the Governing Council of the All-Russian Charitable Food Fund "Rus", which provides food assistance to socially vulnerable compatriots throughout the Russian Federation, and also joined the Board of Trustees of the Patriarchal Compound - the Representative Office of the Belarusian Exarchate in Moscow (Church of the Holy Great Martyr Irene in Pokrovsky).

His Imperial Highness discusses his vision of the role of the Imperial House in the modern world as follows:

“Our ancestors never aspired to power, from the very beginning. When the embassy of the Great Council in 1613 came to Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov and announced to him that he was the heir to the royal throne, he refused for a long time with horror.”

“Power is a duty, and a very difficult one. If necessary, we will fulfill it without hesitation. We are ready to answer the people's call if the people of Russia want to restore the monarchy. But we ourselves do not strive for power and do not claim anything - neither political rights, nor any property."

“But maintaining a living connection between modern Russia and its entire thousand-year history is our duty and our right at all times, regardless of any political changes.”

100 years ago, Nicholas II abdicated the throne. Today there are about thirty heirs to the dynasty that ruled Russia for 304 years, but there are only two real people who want to receive the status of “official Romanovs”: Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna and her son Georgiy Mikhailovich. Our editor Vitaly Kotov studied in detail why this happened and interviewed the Tsarevich, whose title, however, is not recognized by everyone.

To understand who, in principle, has the right to inherit the long-defunct throne, you need to study the Act of Succession to the Throne and the “Institution of the Imperial Family,” promulgated by Paul I in 1797 and later included in the Basic Laws of the Russian Empire. Having waited too long for the crown, Pavel Petrovich changed the rules for receiving it, approved by the decree of Peter I in 1722, according to which the monarch had the right to appoint a successor for himself, both male and female. The act practically deprived women of the opportunity to ascend to the throne, which from now on was to pass by primogeniture from the father to the eldest son, and in the event of his death - to the next son, grandson or great-grandson of the emperor. The document developed by Paul I prohibited the occupation of the throne by a person who did not belong to the Orthodox Church and was not born of Orthodox parents, and also required the future tsar to enter into an equal marriage: a wedding with any subject was considered a misalliance, even if she was a most serene princess. In addition, the future king could not marry a divorced woman or enter into a closely related union, for example with a cousin. Only if there were no more male heirs who met these conditions, the crown could go to the woman closest in line to her.

All this casuistry may seem to have nothing to do with the issue resettlement to the historical homeland of the current heirs of the Romanovs, but this is not entirely true. Based precisely on these laws, the actions of which have not been repealed, the Association of Members of the Romanov Family has long declared that in our time there are simply no people who have the right to take the throne. This family club on the male and female lines includes thirty people, from the great-nephew of Nicholas II, the artist and prince of the imperial blood, Andrei Andreevich, who was born in 1923, to Prince Daniil Daniilovich, who was born in 2009. According to the Association, all living Romanovs were born in unequal marriages, are themselves in the same marriages, and therefore cannot lay claim to ever putting on their heads the large imperial crown, which is kept in the Kremlin’s Diamond Fund. Accordingly, there can be no talk of any special status or return of the Imperial Family to Russia due to the lack of one. The question is closed.

Two of the Romanovs disagree with this position and it is these two who are considered possible contenders. This is Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, who lives in Madrid, who calls herself the head of the Russian Imperial House, and her son, Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich. She is the granddaughter of Nicholas II's cousin, Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich, who declared himself Emperor in Exile Kirill I in 1924. He is her son from a long-broken marriage with Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia, great-grandson of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Maria Vladimirovna and her supporters, the so-called legitimists, consistently reject all accusations from relatives that the Kirillovich claims are untenable.

They have answers to all questions. Grandfather Kirill Vladimirovich married his own cousin, who was also divorced and non-Orthodox at that moment? But Nicholas II officially recognized this marriage in 1907. Did Kirill Vladimirovich’s mother, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, remain a Lutheran after the wedding? But she converted to Orthodoxy after the death of her husband in 1909. During the February Revolution, Kirill Vladimirovich put on a red bow and led the Guards crew to take the oath to the State Duma, violating the oath to the emperor? But according to him, he did this to restore order and the monarchy. Did Maria Vladimirovna’s father, Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich, marry a divorced woman of non-August origin? But Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna was from the Bagration-Mukhrani family, who were Georgian kings until the 18th century, and she did not marry according to the Orthodox rite, which means she was not married. Georgy Mikhailovich is not Romanov, but Hohenzollern? But before the wedding, Maria Vladimirovna’s husband converted to Orthodoxy, the name Mikhail Pavlovich and the title of Grand Duke. And so on and so forth.

In any case, it remains to be admitted that it is simply impossible to find any other, more legitimate relatives of the last royal family than members of the Romanov Family Association or Maria Vladimirovna and her son. The former, in any case, refused the honor of “official” resettlement to their historical homeland. And the rights of Maria Vladimirovna as the head of the Russian Imperial House are recognized by the Russian Orthodox Church, the Russian Assembly of Nobility and all the monarchical houses of Europe, both reigning and languidly awaiting restoration.

In an interview, Georgy Mikhailovich Romanov, whom his supporters call the heir to the Tsarevich and the Grand Duke, told us about the facts of his biography, his views on life and how and under what circumstances he could move to Russia.

You were born, raised and live in Europe and at the same time speak excellent Russian. How did you do it?

Yes, the most difficult thing in exile is preserving the language. I was raised in the Orthodox faith and Russian traditions, it simply could not have been otherwise. However, a foreigner who does not know a word of Russian can also be Orthodox. Many descendants of Russian emigrants still bake pancakes for Maslenitsa and Easter cakes for Easter, even observe some traditions forgotten in Russia itself, but no longer speak the language of their ancestors. And at school, and at the university, and among friends, and on the street, and in a store - everywhere you need to communicate in other languages, and to use your native language, all that remains is your family and a narrow circle of compatriots, the same exiles. We spent a significant part of our lives in Spain, where there were very few Russians.
The fact that I speak Russian is due to both my perseverance and the perseverance of my mother and grandparents: they always believed that it was extremely important not only to know the history of Russia and have an idea of ​​its spiritual and cultural foundations, but also to know their native language. Even when there seemed to be no hope of returning to the fatherland, our family spoke Russian among themselves, and they convinced me of the need to study it when I, like any child, was too lazy to study with teachers. Of course, I know that I need to improve my Russian, I am aware that I make mistakes, I can, for example, mix up the cases. But I understand absolutely everything and can always formulate my thoughts in Russian.

Did your grandparents raise you? At what age did you begin to realize which family you belonged to?

My parents separated when I was four years old. Therefore, I received a male upbringing from my grandfather. He was an amazing person: very kind, understanding child psychology, able to teach and captivate. The relationship between grandparents was impeccable: they never parted and gave everyone around them a rare example of mutual touching love and respect. Both they and my mother always instilled in me that the position of a member of the imperial house is, first of all, responsibility and duty. They taught us modesty and explained that all people should be treated with respect. I never had any restrictions in communication; on the contrary, my elders wanted me to learn how to maintain relationships with peers from various walks of life.

Can you tell us about your most vivid childhood memories?

I remember how joyfully we celebrated Easter and Christmas. How grandpa once dressed up in a Santa Claus costume and I didn’t recognize him. I remember well the celebration of the millennium of the Baptism of Rus' in 1988, when at the age of seven I had the opportunity to take part in a divine service: I was blessed to put on a surplice and help the bishop, the future first hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad, Vladyka Laurus. And of course, the strongest impressions remained from the meeting with Russia in 1992. I was very sad then because of the death of my grandfather, whose coffin we accompanied to his homeland. But at the same time, a whole kaleidoscope of events, meetings, and new friends appeared. And the consciousness of restoring connections with my homeland, which I had previously known only from stories.

We will never agree to have someone’s interests infringed on for our sake.

I attended this funeral and remember that the ceremony was quite modest. In all of St. Petersburg there was not even a hearse; the coffin was transported on a bus, the city was so unsettled.

I did not remember the protocol and ceremonial details, but my heart will forever remain grateful to my compatriots who sincerely showed sympathy and grief. St. Isaac's Cathedral, where His Holiness Patriarch Alexy held the funeral service for his grandfather, was full of people, and all the approaches to it were occupied by people who had come to say goodbye to the head of the Romanov house. Then, as a child, I simply saw this sea of ​​​​people, and now I understand how great the strength of the spirit of the people is, which, despite decades of atheistic and anti-monarchist propaganda, has preserved faith, the ability to love and compassion, and respect for historical memory.

Soon after your first arrival in St. Petersburg, the mayor of the city, Anatoly Sobchak, offered to arrange for you to study at the Nakhimov School. How did your family react?

Yes, and this idea was expressed directly to us during our next visit to St. Petersburg. Some of our well-wishers, including Russian generals and officers, expressed doubts about the feasibility and possibility of this, but my mother and grandmother expressed agreement in principle, and it seemed quite realistic to me. However, for me to be assigned to military training in Russia, the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief was required. It was not a question of creating any special conditions for me, but it was necessary to make certain legal decisions regarding the status of the imperial house. Since those around President Yeltsin preferred to keep this issue in limbo, time, unfortunately, was lost. I graduated from school in Madrid and went to Oxford University.

Do you keep in touch with your fellow students today?

Students from different countries studied with me, and we all moved around the world, but if we meet somewhere by chance, Oxford memories always help warmer communication. In those years, I gained more independence, more freedom in my personal life, new knowledge - I studied mainly economics and law.

Then you worked in the European Parliament and the European Commission?

Having received a higher education, it is very important to immediately start working so as not to lose your qualifications. Fortunately, I had this opportunity because my mother’s university friend, Mrs. Ignacia de Loyola de Palacio, who was the Deputy President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Transport and Energy, invited me to work in European structures under her leadership. This was a good school for me, I learned how economic processes are developing in Europe and the world, and the first business connections were formed with compatriots in Russia.

For five years, you represented the interests of Norilsk Nickel in Europe. What exactly did you do?

In 2008, I received an invitation to become an adviser to the general director of the Norilsk Nickel plant, my tasks were to help protect the interests of the plant at the international level, to find ways to overcome unfair restrictions generated by competition. Then for some time I headed a subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel in Switzerland. In 2009, immediately after starting work at the company, I visited Norilsk and had the opportunity to communicate with workers and engineers and learn about their living and working conditions. Then I began to visit my homeland more and more often, I began new friendships and business relationships with many people in Russia, I began to better understand how and in what areas the imperial house can be useful to its country not only in preserving traditions and historical continuity, but and in the practical sphere.

In 2014, you created the consulting company Romanoff & Partners - in the biographical information on its website you are simply referred to as Georgy Romanov, without titles. Why?

Our company was created to protect the interests of entrepreneurs from Russia and other countries belonging to the civilizational space of the former Russian Empire. Business activity does not imply the use of historical status, so in this context I consider the use of the title inappropriate.

Does the current situation of aggravated relations between Russia and the EU countries affect the work of the company?

Of course, starting a company with such a focus in the context of a war of sanctions is very difficult. Naturally, we encountered difficulties that we did not expect, at least on such a scale. But on the other hand, what is now required is the presence of structures that build bridges and facilitate the resumption of dialogue. So I'm optimistic about the future.

What are your representative duties as the heir to the Tsarevich and how much time do they take?

“Take away” is not quite the right word - they do not take away anything, but rather add, since this is an integral part of life. Fortunately, in our time, ceremonial functions, from which one can really get bored, have been greatly reduced, even solemn ceremonies, such as the presentation of awards and prizes, are brief and are carried out not for the sake of pomp, but for the sake of decorating communication dedicated to solving real problems.

You are the founder of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, which not everyone knows about.

We regularly participate in charity events for cancer patients. But I noticed that much less attention is paid to those who are looking for ways and means to combat this terrible disease. I began to study the topic, consult with knowledgeable people, and in 2013, when the four-hundredth anniversary of the end of the Troubles and the nationwide calling to the kingdom of our home was celebrated, I registered a Cancer Research Fund in London. And the following year, the Russian Imperial Cancer Research Fund passed state registration and began work. We strive to ensure that the traditions of the Russian oncology school of the pre-revolutionary and Soviet periods are preserved, so that veterans of this branch of medicine can pass on their experience to the next generations of doctors, so that young oncologists do not leave the country and do not leave the profession. Over the course of a year, with a small fund, several books and collections of articles were published, business trips and internships for young specialists were paid for, a conference of oncologists from the North-West region of Russia was held, a prize for achievements in the field of oncology was established and its first presentation took place. We cooperate and constantly exchange information with the First Children's Hospice and with the clinic of the Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantology named after R. M. Gorbacheva in St. Petersburg, as well as with the Russian Oncological Scientific Center named after N. N. Blokhin in Moscow, with a medical and pharmaceutical company "XXI century".

In 2015, one of the deputies of the Legislative Assembly of the Leningrad Region came up with a proposal to develop a bill “On the special position of the royal family.” What do you think about this initiative?

The idea of ​​the legal status of the imperial house itself seems fair and useful to us. In almost all countries with a republican form of government, imperial and royal dynasties in one form or another are legally recognized as historical institutions and state authorities assist them in fulfilling their sociocultural mission. The Russian state, while remaining republican, is also quite capable of cooperating with the imperial house in the field of supporting traditions and strengthening interreligious, interethnic and civil peace.
But we do not set any conditions and do not initiate anything ourselves. My mother and I are citizens of Russia and we try to be useful to our homeland in any conditions. In our deep conviction, the only power unworthy of support is one that is hostile to religion and resorts to terror against its people. In all other cases, you need to support the authorities and help them - this does not mean renouncing your beliefs and principles or lacking your own civic position. Thus, we remain adherents and guardians of the monarchical idea of ​​the family state and have every right to do so by virtue of Article 13 of the Russian Constitution, which guarantees ideological diversity. We also have our own opinion on a number of issues: for example, on the progress of healthcare and education reforms, on legislation in the field of charity, nature conservation, historical and cultural monuments. But we express our position not in the spirit of confrontation with anyone, but in the mode of exchange of opinions. And we encourage others to do the same. I consider the formulation “special” in relation to the status of the imperial house to be incorrect; we should not be talking about any political powers or privileges that put us personally in a special position compared to other fellow citizens. There can be no talk of returning our property. Both my mother and I have repeatedly publicly and officially stated that we are fundamentally opposed to restitution, since we consider it dangerous for civil peace in Russia. Status - not special, but simply status - consists of recognizing the imperial house as an institution that maintains continuity in history, an integral part of the cultural and historical heritage of our fatherland. Also, this document should outline the responsibilities of the dynasty and protect its spiritual, cultural, intellectual and symbolic heritage from arbitrary and sometimes blasphemous use. All this does not go beyond the scope of current legislation, but, on the contrary, specifies the provisions of Article 44 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which obliges the protection of historical and cultural heritage.

We remain the guardians of the idea of ​​the state-family

Where would your residence be located?

The question of our place of residence after the publication of the status act and our return to Russia for permanent residence is secondary. We will never agree for someone’s interests to be infringed on for our sake, or for something to be taken away from someone. We see two possible options: either the restoration of a crumbling historical building, or the construction of a new one. In both cases, financing will be provided through voluntary donations or as part of some joint private project, but in no case from the state budget. According to our plan, the residence (and perhaps, in the long term, several residences) should become not only a place of our residence and work, but also a center of mercy and enlightenment. It should have social institutions, for example, a canteen for the poor, a medical center for the homeless, as well as a chapel or house church, a publicly accessible children's playground, a library, and an exhibition hall. The process of returning our home to Russia began in November 1991, when my grandparents visited the not yet collapsed USSR. Moreover, the grandfather set the only condition: he refused to obtain a visa to his native country. And the authorities met him halfway, although at that time he did not yet have a Russian passport. In 1992, our Russian citizenship was restored, and since then the reintegration of the Russian Imperial House with modern Russia has been steadily developing. We are open to dialogue with people of other beliefs, do not consider anyone our enemies and are ready to cooperate with all compatriots in all creative endeavors that serve the strengthening of Russia and the well-being of its citizens. You can achieve real success in life only by following the motto “Do what you must, and come what may.”

Text: Vitaly Kotov
Photo: Eduard Fazletdinov

His Imperial Highness the Sovereign Heir Tsarevich and Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich was born on March 13 AD. Art. 1981 in Madrid, on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of his Great-great-great-grandfather Emperor Alexander II the Liberator (+ 1/14 March 1881), from the marriage of H.I.V. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna with H.I.H. Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich. At the sacrament of baptism of the Grand Duke, performed before the miraculous Kursk Icon of the Mother of God in the Orthodox Church of Madrid, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain, King Simeon II and Queen Margarita of Bulgaria were present, and King Constantine II of the Hellenes became the godfather.
with godmother Queen Sofia of Spain
The Tsarevich spent his early childhood in Saint-Briac, and then he moved to Paris. Until 1999, the Heir, together with his August Mother, lived permanently in Madrid, where he graduated from college. From infancy, the Grand Duke was raised in the spirit of the Orthodox Faith and in the consciousness of his royal duty to the Motherland. The heir Tsarevich first visited Russia in April 1992, when the entire Imperial Family arrived for the funeral service of the Sovereign Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich. Since then, he has visited the Fatherland many times, always showing a keen interest in all aspects of the life of the people. An indelible impression on the Grand Duke was made by the ancient Russian Orthodox churches, which, in his opinion, created a very special prayerful mood. Visits to military installations and meetings with soldiers and officers of the Russian Army and Navy also always arouse his joy and deep interest. with grandfather Prince Vladimir Kirillovich

The Tsarevich goes in for sports and shoots accurately. In addition to Russian, in which he always passed exams with honors, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich is fluent in English, French and Spanish. He knows Orthodox worship well and takes part in it himself. On April 9, 1998, during the pilgrimage trip of the Imperial Family to the Holy Land, the Blessed Sovereign, Heir Tsarevich and Grand Duke George Mikhailovich took the dynastic oath of allegiance to the Fatherland and his August Mother established by the Basic Laws of the Russian Empire. The ceremony took place in Jerusalem, in the Throne Hall of the Patriarchal residence, where the oath of the Heir to the All-Russian Throne was taken by the outstanding Hierarch of the Holy Church and strict guardian of the purity of Orthodoxy, Patriarch Diodorus of Jerusalem, who blessed the Grand Duke to defend the Orthodox Faith, serve Russia and its people and inviolably protect the legal foundations of the Russian Imperial House . After graduating from Oxford, wanting to study the processes determining the development of Europe, His Imperial Highness worked in the European Parliament, then moved to the position of assistant to the Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Transport and Energy, Mrs. Loyola de Palacio in Brussels. He then continued to work at the European Commission, but in Luxembourg, in the department of nuclear energy and nuclear production safety. Over the years, the Grand Duke visited the Fatherland several times on working visits, without attracting attention to himself. In 2006, the Tsarevich’s first independent official visit to his homeland took place. On behalf of his mother, Head of the Dynasty Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, her son performed an honorable mission and, on behalf of the Imperial House, congratulated His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II on the 45th anniversary of his episcopal consecration. At the same time, meetings of the Grand Duke took place with the first deputy chairmen of the State Duma of the Russian Federation O. Morozov and L. Sliskaya, chairmen of Duma committees and deputies. During his November visit to Russia in 2008, Tsarevich Georgy Mikhailovich accepted the offer of the management of OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel and in December of the same year took up the post of Advisor to the General Director of Norilsk Nickel V.I. Strzhalkovsky. In his new position, His Imperial Highness represents the interests of this one of the largest Russian companies in the European Union. In addition, Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich, together with the First Deputy General Director of Norilsk Nickel O. Pivovarchuk and Deputy General Director V. Sprogis, joined the Board of the Nickel Institute. The Tsarevich’s activities, among other things, are aimed at implementing the Norilsk Nickel company’s program to challenge the decision of the European Commission to classify a number of nickel compounds as hazardous substances. “I have always wanted to use the knowledge and experience I acquired for the benefit of the Motherland and gladly accepted the offer of the management of MMC Norilsk Nickel to take this responsible position. I hope to justify the trust placed in me and contribute in every possible way to the further development of the Company,” said His Imperial Highness.
Wedding of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna and Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich, born Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia. Madrid. September 22, 1976 (parents of Tsarevich George) Royal Persons at the wedding: King of the Albanians Leka I, King of the Bulgarians Simeon II, King of Italy Umberto II, Queen Sofia of Spain, King of Spain Juan Carlos I, Prince Kardam of Bulgaria, Prince of Tarnovsky
Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna Head of the Russian Imperial House Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna (b. December 23, 1953). Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna Her Imperial Highness the Dowager Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna. Wife of Sovereign Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich, nee Princess Bagration-Mukhranskaya-Gruzinskaya (b. September 23, 1914). with his daughter, Princess Maria Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich Head of the Russian Imperial House His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich (April 17/30, 1917-April 21, 1992). with his family, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich serves the future His Eminence Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York Laurus. Updated 16/09/09 13:03: In 1918, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, abdicated Emperor Nicholas II and Heir Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, i.e. all the male offspring of Emperor Alexander III were executed by the verdict of the atheistic authorities. In accordance with Article 29, the right to the throne passed to the family of the second son of Emperor Alexander II - Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich (1847-1908). His eldest son was Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich, who in 1922 announced his guardianship of the Throne (since he was not yet sure of the death of his predecessors), and on August 31, 1924, accepted the title of All-Russian Emperor in exile. This Act was fully consistent with the Basic Laws and was recognized by almost all members of the House of Romanov, as well as foreign Royal Houses.

Hello dears!
I think today it’s time for you and me to finish our work on the characters in Boris Akunin’s book, which we started here: and continued here: _
The time has come to talk about the grand ducal family, or the “green house” based on the color of the livery, which Afanasy Zyukin serves.
The head of this branch and the character of the book is Romanov Georgy Alexandrovich Grand Duke, uncle of Nicholas II. Admiral General of the Russian Fleet, but at the same time he was at sea only once. " He is known as a liberal in the imperial family." - as Akunin said. A great sybarite and lover of male pleasures - like cognac and women. His wife is Ekaterina Ioanovna, with whom he has 7 children - the eldest Pavel (also the hero of the book), the middle ones Alexey, Sergey, Dmitry and Konstantin, who fell ill with measles and remained in Moscow, the youngest - Mikhail, and the only daughter Ksenia.
There seems to be enough material for analysis, but it turns out that this whole family is a kind of composite material from all the Romanovs.

Alexey Alexandrovich

But judge for yourself - Georgy Alexandrovich himself seems to be quite easy to read - the last Admiral General in Russia, and since 1888 just an admiral - this is the 4th son of Emperor Alexander II Alexey, but not everything is clear :-) He didn’t look like an admiral , but he went to sea more than once - he rounded the Cape of Good Hope, visited China and Japan. Commanded the Guards crew. During the period described by the book, he was the Chief of the Fleet and the Maritime Department. But competence was lacking.
This is what his cousin, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich, writes about him:
"A socialite from head to toe, “le Beau Brummell,” who was pampered by women, Alexey Alexandrovich traveled a lot. The mere thought of spending a year away from Paris would have made him resign. But he was in the civil service and held the position of no less than an admiral of the Russian Imperial Fleet. It was difficult to imagine the more modest knowledge that this admiral of a powerful power had in naval affairs. The mere mention of modern changes in the navy brought a painful grimace to his handsome face.<…>This carefree existence was, however, overshadowed by tragedy: despite all the signs of the approaching war with Japan, the Admiral General continued his festivities and, waking up one fine morning, learned that our fleet had suffered a shameful defeat in a battle with the modern dreadnoughts Mikado. After this, the Grand Duke resigned and soon died."
This happened in November 1908 in Paris.

A.V. Zhukovskaya

He was married to maid of honor Alexandra Vasilievna Zhukovskaya, daughter of the poet V.A. Zhukovsky, and this marriage was not officially recognized. He had only one son - Count Alexei Alekseevich Zhukovsky-Belevsky (he was shot in 1932 in Tbilisi).

Konstantin Nikolaevich

Most likely, in his work the author developed Georgy Alexandrovich as a symbiosis of not only Alexei Alexandrovich, but also another famous admiral general, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich - the second son of Emperor Nicholas I. He was married to Alexandra Iosifovna, née Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg, and there were 6 children.
In 1896, Konstantin Nikolaevich was no longer alive, which is why it was necessary to make such a mixture.
The mistress and wise woman in the book of Georgy Alexandrovich is Isabella Felitsianovna Snezhnevskaya, in whom one can easily read Matilda Feliksovna Kshesinskaya (more about her later) who had 2 sons from the Grand Duke.. However, the official mistress of the real Alexei Alekseevich was not Kseshinskaya at all, but another famous lady - Zinaida Dmitrievna Skobeleva, Countess of Beauharnais, Duchess of Leuchtenberg. This is the sister of the “White General” Mikhail Skobelev, and Erast Petrovich Fandorin, and together with him we could get to know this extraordinary woman better in another book by Akunin - “The Death of Achilles”. Interesting intersection, isn't it? :-)

Their relationship lasted just under 20 years, until her death in 1899 from throat cancer. The Grand Duke named his yacht “Zina” in her honor. The legal husband, Duke Eugene of Leuchtenberg, knew everything, but could not do anything. In society, this trinity was called “ménage royal à trois” (royal love triangle).
Our other prototype, Konstantin Nikolaevich, had many children from his mistress. From the ballerina (!) of the Mariinsky Theater Anna Vasilyevna Kuznetsova he had as many as 5 children. This is for 6 legal spouses :-) Such a prolific person.

Vyacheslav Konstantinovich

I never found the prototype of the unfortunate Mika (Mikhail Georgievich). None of the great princes died at such a tender age during these years. Although questions about his death are open - and I would not be surprised if he appears in one of the next books. Of the boys in this century, only 16-year-old Vyacheslav Konstantinovich, the son of Konstantin Nikolaevich, died early. But he died of meningitis.
Pavel Georgievich. The character is also a composite one and not fully understandable. Emperor Alexander II had a son, Pavel, who was thus also the uncle of Nicholas II, but he had nothing to do with the fleet, and was already an adult at the time of the events - 36 years old.

Kirill Vladimirovich

Therefore, most likely, the figure of Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich, the future self-proclaimed Emperor Kirill I, whose descendants now frequent Russia, is taken as a basis. He was a sailor, a cousin of Nicholas II, the age is suitable, and besides, he had a similar character. So, most likely, he was bred under the name of Pavel Georgievich.
It’s even more difficult with the figure of Ksenia Georgievna. There was a Grand Duchess with that name. BUT...she was born only 6 years after the events described. Therefore, most likely this means Ksenia Alexandrovna, the sister of Emperor Nicholas II. Approximately suitable for age. Although she was not married to any Prince Olaf - from childhood she was in love with Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich (whom the family called Sandro) and married him.
She was able to survive the Revolution and emigrate.

Ksenia Alexandrovna

And finally, a couple of lines should be said about Isabella Felitsianovna Snezhnevskaya, that is, Matilda Feliksovna Kshesinskaya. Although a book could be written about this woman. She lived to be almost 100 years old and it was an interesting time for her. This fragile pole became a real diamond in the Romanov family. With the blessing of Emperor Alexander III, Matechka became an intimate friend of the heir to the throne Nicholas (the future Emperor Nicholas II) and was able to dispel his hypochondriacal view of the female sex. Afterwards, she became the unmarried wife of the artillery inspector general of Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich and even gave birth to his son Vladimir, and after the revolution she married another Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich. This is what fate is like.

Matilda Ksishinska

That's probably all. I hope I'm not tired.
Have a nice day!

Georgy Mikhailovich is the only child of Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia (Mikhail Pavlovich in Orthodoxy) and Maria Romanova; his great-great-great-grandfather was Alexander II himself. Through his great-grandmother, the English Princess Victoria Melita (Grand Duchess Victoria Feodorovna) is a direct descendant of Queen Victoria. Among his relatives are Prince Charles of Wales (he is his fifth cousin) and the former King of Spain Juan Carlos, King of Norway Harald V, King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Margaret II of Denmark. In general, the pedigree of the Grand Duke is truly impressive.

The prince himself was born in Madrid, studied at Oxford, worked in Luxembourg for the European Commission, and from 2008 to 2014 worked at Norilsk Nickel - first as an adviser to the general director, then as head of the European division, seeking to remove nickel from the list of hazardous substances. Not long ago, he opened his own PR agency, Romanoff & Partners, in Brussels, which represents the interests of Russian and Eastern European companies in the European Union.

My ancestor Peter the Great gave all subsequent generations of the Imperial House an excellent example that any work is worthy of respect,” says Georgy Mikhailovich in an interview. - You can and should do something in which you can achieve success and benefit others, without any complexes or prejudices. And belonging to the Imperial House does not give any privileges, but imposes a more serious responsibility - so that your ancestors are not ashamed of you, so that the good name of the dynasty does not suffer.

An indelible impression on the Tsarevich was made by the ancient Russian Orthodox churches, which, in his opinion, created a very special prayerful mood. His joy and deep interest are also aroused by visits to military installations and meetings with soldiers and officers of the Russian Army and Navy.

05/16/2016 Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna Romanova and Tsarevich Georgy Mikhailovich Romanov during a visit to Yevpatoria as part of festive events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the visit of Emperor Nicholas II and the royal family to Yevpatoria

PHOTO: Alexander Polegenko / RIA Novosti

The Grand Duke loves to play sports and shoots accurately. He knows Orthodox worship well and takes part in it. In addition, Georgy Romanov can rightfully be called a polyglot, because in addition to Russian, he is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

In 2013, the Tsarevich established the “Imperial Cancer Research Fund” in London.

In 2015, on the 70th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War, His Imperial Highness took part in memorial events in Berlin, where he paid tribute to the memory of his compatriots who gave their lives in the fight against Nazism.

The Russian Imperial House is alien to any forms of political struggle and always puts in first place what unites people, and not what divides. The memory of the victory in the Great Patriotic War and gratitude to the defenders of the Motherland remains a powerful factor of national unity today, he emphasized in an interview. “It is deeply symbolic for me that on the day when the Victory Parade takes place in Moscow, I, together with other Russians, represent my Motherland here in Berlin, where, thanks to the feat of our soldiers, the most terrible war in the history of mankind ended.

Now the Grand Duke is single. According to him, he dreams of meeting a woman who will always be there and who will understand that royal life is not at all sugar.

So that there is love and respect between husband and wife, and so that the wife of the head of the dynasty, reigning monarch or heir understands the essence of his mission and is his support, noted Georgy Romanov.