Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna: June 2008-

[Marsel]

When Maria Vladimirovna visited Belarus in July, she was given a welcome well worth pretender to the Russian Throne and Head of the House of Romanov. You can read the details here and here.

However, more than 3 months after the visit, the Belarusian authorities (mainly, the administration of the Gomel region which she visited first) are still having problems connected with it. Apparently, the press, members of the Government and most Belarusian were not impressed by the lavish welcome Maria Vladimirovna received. In response to concerns raised by some Belarusians, an inquiry was made to understand just why Maria Vladimirovna was invited in the first place (her official spokesman had said that the visit was initiated by a personal invitation of the Belarusian Government and Gomel administration). The official response reads: “... Romanova M.V. has not been invited in any way. Her visit to Gomel was organized by Russian Fund “Our Heritage. As such, her visit was not an official but strictly private one”.

Russian-speaking members can read more in this article.


If it wasn't an official visit, why did they go through all that trouble of 'kissing hands', bowing and all other protocol stuff, not to mention the expenses connected with her security arrangements, stay and banquet in her honour?

 

[vsriCo]

First new : MW was at the re-burial of Empress Maria Fedorovna!!!

Niet. Next to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark there were the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Great Princesses Xenia and Olga her daughters and next to them..........Princes Dmitry and Nicholas.
In the Roskilde Cathedral and in ...Russia!
The Queen of Denmark invited them and their consorts and asked them (especially Dmitry) to mediate between the danish and russian governements.

In the pictures Maria was at the front with the other foreign representatives, if I remember correctly. Where are you getting this from?

 

[Rascal]

GD Maria finances

Please forgive my ignorance on this matter. I would appreciate any information on this question. After reading through this entire thread, I found the post concerning Maria's son Georgi's education and work history, including the most recent (I assume as it is the latest post) position with the company in Russia where he works. But what about GD Maria? Where does she derive income?

Certainly her inheritance from her father would be sizable and possibly an alimony/child support from her ex-husband (which would have long since ended as her son is well over 18 years old) would have provided funds. But how are her travel/accommodations/lifestyle financed? Even an inheritance is limited.

I'm not sure of the specifics but I have heard criticisms of the former King Constantine for not working, receiving regular money from pro-monarchy citizens of Greece and Greek ex-patriots. (I'm not sure if he even owns his residence in London, I think I saw a post somewhere that it was donated/given use of by a wealthy Greek supporter).

Does GD Maria have similar type of support? Where does she live? What is her private lifestyle (does she: fly coach or first class? have limousine service or take taxis/busses/subway? live in a grand house/apartment she owns or resides at the behest of a benefactor? have servants/maids or must do daily tasks of cooking/laundry/cleaning herself?)

With my limited knowledge about present-day Russia, I know that there is a host of "new" wealthy people, but that most of the Russians are similar to any other developed nation, middle-class, hard-working, regular folks. If there were ever a possibility about a restoration and I was one of them, I would wonder about the previously mentioned things.

Thanks again for any response/information.

Rascal

 

[Benjamin]

In light of the ninety-fifth birthday of Grand Duchess Leonida, the Imperial House issued a press release that included a letter of congratulations from Patriarch Cyril as well as the most recent pictures of the elderly Grand Duchess.

Imperial House - 95th Anniversary of the Widowed Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna

Thanks to Neville at Theodore Harvey's Monarchy Forum for originally posting this. I did not initially recognize the Grand Duchess, mostly due to the marked change in the colour of her hair.

 

[Benjamin]

Hi Rascal!

During the latter part of Grand Duke Wladimir's lifetime, the Romanovs owned Ker Argonid at St. Briac, a home in the exclusive Puerto de Hierro area of Madrid, and an appartment in Paris. Not too long ago Grand Duchess Maria apparently had to sell the villa in Brittany because the cost of upkeep was too high. Furthermore, Maria no longer has the appartment in Paris nor the Puerto de Hierro residence.

Grand Duchess Maria probably did not inherit a large amount from her father. It is her half-sister Helene Kirby, Leonida's daughter by American millionaire Sumner Moore Kirby, who has the money in the family. For decades the Romanovs were supported by Miss Kirby's fortune. However, Helene and Maria are not as close as they used to be so it is safe to say that whatever remains of Helene Kirby's $$$ is no longer at her imperial sister's disposal.

These days, Grand Duchess Maria lives in an appartment in Madrid.

As to her current source of income, your guess is as good as any. I recall reading that around the time of her marriage Maria briefly worked for Madame Grès, but I know nothing about her "work history" after that.

In more recent news, the Grand Duchess is slated to receive a nice sum following the sale of belongings of her great-grandmother Maria Pavlovna that were recently re-discovered in Sweden.

Sorry to be of so little help! You do raise an interesting topic.

 

[Rascal]

Thanks for the response, Benjamin! I wasn't sure if anyone had any information about my questions, but you were MORE than just a "little help". I had forgotten about GD Maria's half-sister and the Kirby $$$, and I didn't know anything about the properties in Spain and Paris.

I knew about Maria Pavlovna's items found in Sweden but I was never clear that GD Maria would be receiving them. Has a sale been scheduled? If so, through what auction house?

Perhaps you or anyone else that may read could provide more information about the other former ruling houses (Greece, Bulgaria, the former rulers of Germany, Austria, and France, etc.) I saw parts of a documentary about Farah Diba and while she does not seem to live extravagantly (in a Paris apartment, I think) her home is well-furnished, she has an expensive-looking wardrobe, and her lifestyle includes a lot of international travel - which was expensive even before the current world economy - and the extensive collection of Pahlavi jewels remain in Iran, so she couldn't have sold them to make money. That is really where my curiosity about former rulers funds started.

Benjamin, thank you again for your help. I really appreciate it.

Rascal

 

[Benjamin]

It was my pleasure, Rascal!

Maria Vladimirovna won't exactly be receiving the jewels, but she will receive a portion of the profits from the sale (as will other descendants of Maria Pavlovna). I think the auction is to be held by Sotheby's in November.

I will see what I can find about the finances, properties, etc of the former ruling houses you mention and let you know!

 

[Rascal]

Thanks again, Benjamin. I look forward to any info you may be able to turn up.

And I am definitely anticipating the Sotheby's sale next month. I wonder how many descendants of the Romanov family will receive a portion of the profits from the sale and how it will be divided. (I hope this has been determined before the sale, otherwise there will be yet another legal battle - and because of legal fees it would greatly reduce any amount that each of them would receive.)

Have a great Halloween weekend, Benjamin!

 

[Benjamin]

​

Imperial Visit to Turkey: 10-15 December 2009​

On December 10, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna will arrive in Istanbul for a visit that is to last five days.

The Grand Duchess will be participating in a charity ball held on December 12. The event is being organized by the Russian Consulate and local Russian community in commemoration of the 210th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Pushkin. The ball is expected to be attended by several Russian and Turkish parliamentarians as well as by Princess Neslişah Osmanoğlu, the granddaughter of the last two Emperors of the Ottoman Empire. Proceeds raised from the soiree will go towards establishing a Russian cultural center in the city.

A meeting between Grand Duchess Maria and the Grand Mufti of Istanbul is also scheduled.

Sources: New Dawn and Russian World

 

[Marsel]

Thank you very much for posting the information, Benjamin!
I look forward to the visit and the ball.

 

[Benjamin]

You're very welcome, Marsel!

The following article might be of interest to some. The topic is the trip that Her Imperial Highness took to Transnistria earlier this year. Whoever wrote the piece considers the possibility of Transnistria switching from its republican form of government to a principality with the Grand Duchess as its monarch. There's not a snowball's chance in hell of that happening, but nonetheless I enjoyed reading about such a scenario. Here is the link.

 

[Marsel]

Thanks for the link!

The article is interesting but I think you summarized the chances of it ever happening pretty accurately.
A bit if wishful thinking, especially since it was written on the official website...

 

[Benjamin]

Dynasties to meet in Istanbul
8 Dec 2009

The 210th birthday of one the greatest names in Russian literature, Pushkin, will be celebrated in Istanbul. Overcoming hundreds of years of conflict, Russian and Ottoman dynasties will come together for the first time, albeit symbolically. Grand Duchess of Russia Maria I Vladimirovna, who is a descendant of Czar Nicholas II, Sultan Abdülmecit’s granddaughter Neslişah Osmanoğlu and Hanzade Sultan will come together during the Czardom Charity Ball.

Full article: Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review

 

[Benjamin]

Romanovs Demand Russia Probe Last Tsar's Murder
15 Jan 2010

The self-proclaimed heir to Russia's imperial throne asked prosecutors on Friday to re-open an investigation into the murder of Tsar Nicholas II and his family, who were shot dead by the Bolsheviks in 1918.

The Russian Prosecutor-General's main investigative unit said it had formally closed a criminal investigation into the killing of Nicholas II because too much time had elapsed since the crime and because those responsible had died.

New York Times
________________________________________________

15 January 2010 - Romanovs want to return to Russia: RIA Novosti
________________________________________________

On December 23, 2009, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna celebrated her fifty-sixth birthday.

That same day, the Imperial House opened a representative office in Tiraspol, the capital of Pridnestrovie. The ceremony inaugurating the office was attended by the Head of the Imperial Chancellery Alexander Zakatov, Vice President Aleksander Korolev of the PMR, and Bishop Justinian of Tiraspol, among others.

See: Komsomolskaya Pravda and Tiras.ru
________________________________________________

19 December 2009 - Press Release from the Romanov House on Imperial Visit to Turkey

 

[Al_bina]

IMHO, it's all about the restitution process...

Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna is highly likely to get nothing from the Russian government, which may alienate her. The Romanovs can not just try to extract restitution from the Russian government by capitilising on demise of Nicholas II and his family. They ought know better than that.

 

[Hereditary Thane]

Nearly all democracies abide by the law of the land. Restitution is observed: if it isn't the bankers get the US to lean on that administration. Only Greece seems to have got around this one. A few estates may be handed back to the head of the Romanov family but you need a very large capital and/or income to run palaces and landed estats. This GD Maria does not have.

 

[Russophile]

Nearly all democracies abide by the law of the land. Restitution is observed: if it isn't the bankers get the US to lean on that administration. .

That would be waaaay waaaaay down on the list of things "To-do" for this administration, unfortunately.
I agree with AE: They were criminals.
Though, what does Maria know that we don't already know--if anything-- that she is reopening this?

 

[RJ TAYLER]

Peace of mind, could be the answer to that.

 

[Al_bina]

Peace of mind ..? The Russian government did whatever they considered appropriate in the situation surrounding the Romanovs' demise.

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

I was reading the bibliographical notes in a biography of Empress Alexandra and it mentioned that the Tsar reluctantly welcomed Grand Duke Cyril back to the family fold after he married the Empress' former sister-in-law, Ducky aka Victoria Melita. Despite that, the footnotes stated there was still legal impediments to Cyril and his descendants claim to the throne: Ducky was a divorcee; the two were first cousins, whose marriage was frowned on by the Orthodox Church, and she was not a member of the Orthodox Church.

 

[MAfan]

I've read the same points somewhere too, I think in Greg King's biography on Alix; if I don't mistake, it even suggested that Kirill and Victoria Melita's marriage was not only dynastically valid, but also maybe it wasn't even legally valid in Russia, because Russian Orthodox Church doesn't allow marriages between first cousins, and the only legal marriages in Russia at the time were the Orthodox marriages, or something similar.
But at the same time, some year after the wedding the Tsar recognised Victoria Melita as Grand Duchess, and this seems suggesting that the marriage was actually legally (and dynastically) valid. Any clarification on the matter?

 

[vsriCo]

Ultimately the Emperor decided whether or not a marriage was valid as far as I'm aware.

 

[Joseph LoPresti]

Does anyone have any more recent updates on the court ruling concerning whether to close or re-open the case?

 

[kell]

Interfax-Religion isnt much of a news but intersting read

 

[Benjamin]

YouTube - Николай 2 и Леонида Мария и Георгий Романов The Romanovs Today

YouTube - Романовы Св. Причастие в Петропавловском соборе Romanovs

 

[Benjamin]

Grand Duchess Maria and Grand Duke George visit Tsarskoe Selo

YouTube -

 

[Russophile]

Was this the first time she has been at Tsarskoe Selo?

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

I wish I understood Russian so I could answer your question, Dear Russo. From her facial expressions, it certain appears, at least to me, that this was her first visit. It must have been a surreal experience to walk where your ancestors once lived and ruled a country.

 

[nascarlucy]

I can't even imagine it. Must be quite an experience to be on the same ground that your ancestors were.

 

[Al_bina]

Based on the report, it is impossible to determine whether or not this visit is the first. Museum personnel showed Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirvna the halls and rooms, where Nicholas II and his family spent their last hours before being sent to Tobolsk.

On a different note, it would be deemed good for Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna to shed some weight.