We are pleased to provide an English translation of the excellent recent article from Hola! Magazine by Martin Bianchi, which may be accessed in the original HERE. The photographs are all courtesy of the Russian Imperial House in Moscow.
WE SPOKE WITH VICTORIA ROMANOFF, RUSSIAN PRINCESS AND “GODMOTHER”
TO ORPHANED BEARS IN MOSCOW: ‘I AM NOT AFRAID’
The wife of George Mikhailovich Romanov, Tsesarevich and Grand Duke of Russia, visited an orphanage that is home to these wild animals and tells us about her experience first-hand.
George and Victoria Romanov made history in October by orchestrating the first royal wedding held in St. Petersburg in more than a century: a three-day event in three separate palaces, with more than 1,500 guests from all parts of the world. Almost five months later, the Tsesarevich and Grand Duke of Russia and his wife, a writer and a now a princess since the day of the wedding, they are now one of Moscow’s fashionable couples. “People treat me with more formality, but the affection that they had for me before my change in status has not changed,” admits Victoria in conversation with HELLO!. The consort of the Grand Duke has just received a new title: that of “godmother” to orphaned bears in the Russian capital, wild animals that draw close to towns in search of food, putting human lives at risk.
A few days ago, the princess visited a centre for bear recovery on the outskirts of Moscow. The orphanage is dedicated to raising abandoned cubs that have lost their mothers, and to provide medical assistance to animals that are sick, or have suffered abuse or ill-treatment. The aim of this institution is to return the animals to freedom in the wild once they have been cured. “Unfortunately, it is not always possible because some of these bears have been too close to human beings for too long, and that hurts their reintegration into the wild. Bears abandon their cubs when a human gets too close to the den. It is a very common problem,“ she explains.
The princess, daughter of an Italian diplomat, visited the bear orphanage in her capacity as a director of the Imperial Foundation, an NGO that was created in 2013 by her husband, the Grand Duke. The Foundation, with more than 10,000 volunteers from across the country, develops solidarity projects and varied programs: from assistance for Russian children with developmental difficulties to projects that protect animals and ecosystems that are threatened by global warming and human incursions. Victoria also serves as the Director of External Relations for FoodbankRus, the first food bank in Russia, which distributes food and provides assistance to more than 1.5 million people in need each year.
Animals are a weak spot for the new Princess Romanov. Asked the question of whether she was afraid to be so close to a 250 kilo bear, her answer was no. “Animals are so strong and yet so vulnerable,” she says. “I was lucky to be born into a family that loves animals and respects their dignity. So I knew that the bear had to evaluate me first, and that, only if I was accepted, was I going to be able to take photos with him. I also must add that this bear is accustomed to human presence because he grew up in a private zoo. Unfortunately, this prevents him from returning to a life in the wild,“ she laments.
“It is important that people understand that these animals are not toys, but beings who feel and suffer when they are abused or caged. And that not all animals can be pets,” says the director of the Imperial Foundation, who counts on the support of her husband, George of Russia, to carry out these campaigns and projects. Five months after her wedding to the Grand Duke, Victoria has a very positive view of her marriage. “We are fortunate because we have known each other for many years and our relationship has never changed,” she says. “We have a healthy relationship in which we support each other, we share the same values, and we laugh a lot”. Have the royal couple already given thought to forming a family? “Of course we want to have a family. It is the foundation of all our values,” she responds emphatically. For now, though, and until the time she becomes a mother, Victoria Romanov is thrilled with her role as godmother to these orphaned bears.
