Paul "Kulikovsky"
On November 9, 2017, Interfax "North West" carried an article about Mr. Paul Kulikovsky, whose great-grandmother was a member of the Russian Imperial House. The article quoted Mr. Kulikovsky as stating that descendants of the Romanov family should not participate in any events marking the centenary of the Russian Revolution.
The article also referred to Mr. Kulikovsky as “the representative of the Romanov family.”
Mr. Kulikovsky is entitled to his point of view, but surely he only represents himself. He does not even speak on behalf of the Kulikovsky family, let alone the Romanov family.
Mr. Kulikovsky’s comments may have been meant as a criticism of the statement calling for national reconciliation that the Grand Duchess Maria, Head of the Russian Imperial House, recently issued. The Grand Duchess Maria has for many years stressed the importance of national reconciliation within Russia. Since succeeding as head of the Russian dynasty in 1992, the Grand Duchess has also made numerous trips to countries that once formed part of the Russian Empire. During her visits, she has emphasized the historical and cultural ties that link these many countries to Russia. Her comments have always been non-political and very much in line with the message of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The efforts of the Grand Duchess to further reconciliation are in some ways similar to the efforts of her cousin Queen Elizabeth II to build ties between Great Britain and its former colonies. One thinks, for example, of the wreath which, during her state visit to Ireland in 2011, Her Majesty placed at the memorial for those who had fought against Britain for Irish independence.
HIH Grand Duchess Maria at the pannikhida for all victims of the Revolution and litiya for the Imperial Family
The Russian Legitimist believes that the Head of the Russian Imperial House has struck exactly the right note in her recent statement about reconciliation. She obviously has every right to speak on behalf of the dynasty, because she is its head. For his part, Mr. Kulikovsky apparently said that “we” do not intend to use the anniversary “to draw attention to our personalities.” It is unclear to whom his pronoun “we” refers. It cannot include the Grand Duchess Maria, who (we trust) has no need of his advice. And it cannot include the Romanov family, because he is neither a member of this family nor is he closely related to it.
Maybe it is the “royal we”. If so, his using it would inevitably draw attention to his personality, something he doth protest so much against.
