06.10.2021
THEIR MAJESTIES KING SIMEON AND QUEEN MARGARITA WERE AMONG THE OFFICIAL GUESTS OF THE WEDDING OF THE GRAND DUKE GEORGE MIKHAILOVICH IN THE FORMER IMPERIAL CAPITAL OF SAINT PETERSBURG
The church wedding took place on October 1, 2021 in St. Isaac’s Cathedral and was performed by the Metropolitan Barsanuphius of St. Petersburg. Grand Duke George Mikhailovich is the son of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna and is a descendant of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II, brutally murdered, along with his entire family after the October Revolution. His acquaintance with the Bulgarian Royal Family dates back to the years in exile in Madrid, where the two families live. In addition, Queen Giovanna is a godmother of Grand Duchess Mary. That is why H.R.H Grand Duke Boris was one of the bestmen at the wedding.
The bride, Rebecca Bettarini, is an Italian, a daughter of an Ambassador, after accepting the Eastern Orthodox faith, she also adopted the name Victoria Feodorovna.
This was the first Russian imperial wedding in more than 100 years. King Peter the Great was married in the same church in 1707.
After the newlyweds left St. Isaac’s Cathedral between guards of honor, they laid a wreath on the tomb of Peter the Great in the cathedral “St. Peter and St. Paul”.
At the wedding celebrations, together with King Simeon and Queen Margarita were H.R.H Princess Miriam and H.R.H Prince Boris of Tarnovo.
Among the guests were representatives of many Royal Families, including Albania, Egypt, Portugal, Italy, Georgia, Liechtenstein, Spain, France and others.
The King and the Queen attended all the events accompanying the wedding. The evening before the church ceremony, a reception was held at the Palace of Grand Duke Vladimir, now known as the House of Scientists in St. Petersburg, after the wedding the guests attended a gala dinner at the Ethnographic Museum, and on the next day lunch was held at the Constantine Palace in Strelna.
The Original article may be seen here [in Bulgarian].
