Count D. N. Wouytch and the Russian Nobility Association in Australia condemn as irresponsible and divisive the anti-legitimist statements made in Paris by several noblemen.

Published on the website Monarchist.

(See http://monarhist.info/news/3287 accessed 3.12.2015)

The leadership of the Russian Nobility Association in Australia and New Zealand have condemned as irresponsible and divisive the recent pronouncements of the “Paris Frondeurs” and have written a letter, which they have sent to all the governing councils across the world of the organization “Russian Compatriots” [Rossiiskie sootechestvenniki].  Below is the text of that letter:

August 8, 2015

Dear Colleagues,

You may have learned of a recent letter to President Putin, which was sent by several prominent members of the Russian community in Paris, including Prince A. A. Trubetskoi, Count P. P. Sheremetev, Prince Lobanov-Rostovsky, and Count S. A. Kapnist. The purpose of the letter was to caution President Putin against granting legal status in Russia to the descendants of the Romanov dynasty.

The aforementioned gentlemen dared to describe themselves “as representatives of the Russian nobility,” though having not the slightest legal right to do so.  This clearly ill-advised statement from a small group of aristocrats constitutes merely their own personal opinions and can in no way be construed as representing the voice of the Russian nobility as a whole or the official position of any of the international branches of the Russian Nobility Association.

The Board of the Russian Nobility Association in Moscow issued on July 28, 2015, an official statement unequivocally condemning the irresponsible and divisive statements by these noblemen as unseemly and groundless. (For that statement, in Russian, see: http://monarhist.info/news/3258.)

Many civic organizations in Russia, as well as the governing councils of the Russian Nobility Associations across the world, have learned about the deplorable antics in Paris of these scions of great noble families, and have expressed their indignation and their complete agreement with the resolute and clear position that has been adopted by the rest of the Russian nobility.

As your colleagues in the ruling bodies of the organization Russian Compatriots, we also want to call your attention to the unfortunate turmoil that this statement has incited among the Russian emigration, undoing our efforts always to prevent any sort of harmful internal divisions among ourselves. The propaganda disseminated by the aforementioned gentlemen is utterly absurd and groundless. It is based on libelous, slanderous, and unsubstantiated claims. Inasmuch as Prince Trubetskoi, Prince Lobanov-Rostovsky, and Count Sheremetev actively participate in the activities of the governing councils of the organization Russian Compatriots, and in order to avoid harming the interests of both the Russian and various foreign branches of this organization, we believe that the organization should condemn their actions and that they should be required to withdraw from all further involvement in it. We believe that you will agree that we should categorically avoid becoming involved in any way in disagreements that are rooted in personal animosity or hatred and in the personal interests of any single group or party, as is the case here. If we do not call a halt to this dissension, then we will only harm very deeply our common and essential mission of service to our nation and to society. The undersigned Dmitrii Nikolaevich Wouytch personally lived in Rome for some years near the residence of Prince-of-the-Imperial-Blood Roman Petrovich [Prince Roman of Russia], and I can attest that the entire feud from their point of view over seniority in the Imperial House was based completely on the personal rivalry at the time between their close relative, Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich the Younger, and the Head of the Imperial House, Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich. Some of these Paris noblemen are close relatives of the line descended from Nicholas Nikolaevich and are close friends of the recently deceased Nicholas Romanovich [Romanov] and his brother, Dmitrii Romanovich [Romanov].[1] This is the whole reason for their “revolt” against the current Head of the Imperial House: it is based entirely on solidarity between family and friends. Of course, each person has the right to his own opinion, but brazenly to impose that opinion on others is simply unacceptable. One must also understand that an attack like theirs on the Imperial House is an affront as well to all its supporters—honourable, noble, and patriotic people who do not deserve to be mocked for the loyalty they so deeply hold dear.

In fact, the unconscionable behaviour of the aforementioned noblemen in Paris besmirches the honour of many others as well, such as the President, the Patriarch, many Church hierarchs, military leaders, and ordinary citizens, who all, recognizing Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna as the Head of the Imperial House, naturally stand accused by association of some untoward and dirty business. Of course, all this produces a very negative general impression and a headache that none of us needs!

The General Council of the Russian Nobility Association in Australia and New Zealand are in full agreement with the stated opinions of the Moscow leadership of the Russian Nobility Association, and we hope there will be a broader discussion in the proper forum and at the proper time of these mind-boggling and disheartening statements of the gentlemen in Paris.

Count Dimitri Nikolaevich Wouytch

General Representative of the Russian Nobility Association in Australia and New Zealand

Igor Kazimirovich Savitskii

Deputy General Representative of the Russian Nobility Association in Australia and New Zealand

[1]  Count P.P. Sheremetev and his family are cousins of Nicholas and Dimitri Romanovich, whose mother, Countess Praskovia Dimitrievna Sheremetev was the morganatic wife of HH Prince Roman Petrovich of Russia, and Count P.P. Sheremetev's Aunt.