For the original article in French, CLICK HERE. The original article is by Nicolas Fontaine all rights to the original french article belong to the author and to “Histoires Royales” online
Russian Legitimist is pleased to provide an English translation.
Grand Duke George and Princess Victoria present their son at home.
The little prince was born on October 21, 2022. Prince Alexander Georgievich Romanov completes the genealogical tree of the imperial family of Russia and, above all, fills his young parents, the hereditary grand Duke George and Princess Victoria, with happiness. The Tsarevich and his wife present their child for the very first time, welcoming us to their home in Moscow.
First official photo shoot for Prince Alexander Georgievich
A little more than two weeks after his birth, Prince Alexander Georgievich Romanov, first child of Grand Duke George Mikhailovich Romanov and Princess Victoria Romanovna, is entitled to his first official photos. So far, we had only seen the child in some photos taken on his departure from the maternity hospital.
Georges and Victoria open the doors of their home in Moscow to introduce us to the places that will quickly become very familiar to the young Alexander, born a little more than a year after their lavish wedding in St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg.
Grand Duchess Maria's grandson is making his mark in his household
The child bears the name of his ancestor, the Emperor Alexander II, a name of course so evocative in Russia. How can we not also think of Prince Alexander Nevsky, a Russian medieval hero whose authorities celebrated his 800th birthday with great fanfare throughout the year 2021. It was also on the occasion of Alexander Nevsky's birthday festivities, in September 2021, that Grand Duke George had presented his fiancée to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. Rebecca Bettarini had just converted to Orthodoxy in the Trinity Cathedral of the St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra, then adopting the name of Victoria Romanovna
Prince Alexander, who rarely leaves his mother's arms and his father's proud gaze, begins the visit to his new home by posing in his room. The walls of the room are painted in baby blue and covered with children's paintings, a teddy bear's head and other framed drawings that alternate with portraits of famous Romanovs and other family photos. We also recognize here and there baby accessories bought this summer in Rome, when the couple went shopping in Italy, while they were spending their holidays in the country of origin of the princess.
Georges and Victoria present their child to us at their home
In the living room, the only son of the Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, current head of the Imperial House of Russia, sits on his sofa with his wife and their son. Around them, we cannot ignore the frames with the images of his ancestors. George's grandfather, Cyrille Vladimirovich, poses with all of his decorations, including the ribbon of the Order of St. Andrew. Under its frame, we recognize the slender silhouette of Tsar Nicholas the 1st, father of Alexander II and ancestor of Grand Duke George
Zhong, Kali and Busia take their place around little Alexander
Next to the sofa, the decoration is more exotic, with a large vase and a replica of the Taj Mahal. An ideal location to have Zhong, the couple's faithful Japanese spaniel, and Busia, the newly adopted Japanese chin, sit down. We also notice the replica of the imperial coronation crown of Catherine II. This priceless crown, made by a Swiss-born jeweler, was then worn by six emperors who followed Catherine II, up to Nicholas II. On the wall, above the crown, protective religious icons are displayed.
Prince Alexander then ascends the grand staircase, without leaving his mother's arms. The young parents are joined by Roberto and Carla Bettarini, the parents of Princess Victoria. The newborn's maternal grandfather, the Italian ambassador, tenderly holds his wife's arm, just as George holds Victoria's.
Finally, little Prince Alexander leaves his mother's arms to come and curl up in his father's, once installed in a warm room of the house. At their feet, Kali, a 5-year-old female husky, has also settled down, who is also finding her footing [in the new household].. Just before Alexander was born, George and Victoria adopted Kali and Busia after a visit to a shelter. Busia was a breeding dog in a puppy mill and Kali lived on the street before they were both taken in by the shelter.
These first photos of Prince Alexander, hoping that the next ones will be those of his baptism, allow us to better appreciate the environment in which he will grow up with a lot of love and respect for traditions.
