TASS Press service announces marriage of Grand Duke George Mikhailovich and Rebecca Bettarini at St. Isaac’s Cathedral.

The Russian National Press service has reported that George Mikhailovich Romanov and Rebecca Bettarini’s wedding location has been confirmed and scheduled for October 1 at St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg. 

“This was announced to TASS on Thursday by the press secretary of the state museum-monument "St. Isaac's Cathedral" Igor Staheev. “The wedding of a Spanish citizen, Georgy Mikhailovich Romanov, and an Italian citizen, Rebecca Bettarini, is scheduled for October 1," the agency's interlocutor said. 

According to the Chancellery of the Russian Imperial House, Georgy Romanov is a citizen of the Russian Federation.

Georgy Mikhailovich Romanov is the son and heir of the head of the Russian Imperial House, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna - the only child from the marriage of Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov, the head of the Russian Imperial House in exile (the son of the Russian Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich, who declared himself emperor in exile in 1924) and Princess Leonida Georgievna Bagration-Mukhranskaya. The question of the legality of her use of the title of Grand Duchess is a subject of dispute with other descendants of the Romanovs (an association of members of the Romanov family) belonging to the Nikolaevich branch, which traces its history from the grandson of Nicholas I, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich the Younger.

On July 12, 2020, Rebecca Bettarini converted to Orthodoxy in the Peter and Paul Cathedral of St. Petersburg with the assumption of the name Victoria Romanovna. The wedding of Grand Duke George Mikhailovich and Bettarini "will be the first full-fledged, open, socially significant and decorated in full accordance with modern state laws of the Russian Federation and, at the same time, with the current norms of historical Russian dynastic law, the marriage of a member of the Russian Imperial House on the territory of Russia after the 1917 revolution," Alexander Zakatov, director of the Chancellery of the Russian Imperial House, candidate of Historical Sciences, told TASS.

According to him, after the revolution of 1917, "during the beginning of the troubles and the Civil War, marriages several junior members of the Russian Imperial House took place on Russian territory."  In April 1917, Prince of the blood imperial Gavriil Konstantinovich was married to his first wife, in June 1918, Prince of the blood imperial Andrei Alexandrovich entered into his first marriage. "However, since the members of the Romanov dynasty were then discriminated against, were separated from one another, and were unable to contact the Head of the Russian Imperial House, the abdicated Emperor Nicholas II, who was in prison, these weddings were held in a purely private manner, and were not taken in accordance with dynastic law, did not receive any public notice," Zakatov noted.

The building of St. Isaac's Cathedral was built by the architect Auguste Montferrand and opened in 1858, it is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. The cathedral became a museum in 1928, since 1990 Orthodox services have been resumed in it.”

TASS neglected to note that this will be the first wedding of any Romanov at St. Isaac’s since Emperor Peter the Great married Catherine (Marfa) Skavronskaya at the first St Isaac’s in 1707.

Source: TASS. https://tass.ru/obschestvo/12287797

Grand Duke George Mikhailovich Interview: "I was raised to serve my country,"

A fascinating and informative interview was recently published in an international magazine out of Hungary known as “Gentleman’s Review.” The Grand Duke answered a number of important questions about his life, his history, his new life in Russia, and his upcoming marriage. One of the early questions is regarding his status not as a Prince of Prussia (his father’s family) but as a Grand Duke of Russia, and heir to the Headship of the House of Romanov:

“I am glad that you ask this question because there is a lot of incorrect and misleading information online about this subject, and you give me the opportunity to clarify. I am first of all Grand Duke of Russia and my surname in my official documents is Romanov in virtue of the fact that before the marriage of my parents a dynastic agreement was drawn up, according to which my father converted to Orthodoxy, received the title and name of Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich of Russia, and pledged to raise his children in the Orthodox faith and in the consciousness of belonging to the Russian Imperial House. The title of Prince of Prussia is also among my historical titles, but only after the Russian ones. It should be remembered that all the emperors of Russia, starting with Peter III, who reigned in 1761-1762, are Romanovs through the female line, and in the male line they belong to the Holstein-Gottorp line of the House of Oldenburg. But all of them were Romanovs. This is a common practice of all dynasties that allow inheritance through the female line. It’s the same principle that makes Prince Charles of Wales be a member of the Windsor dynasty and that prevailing upon the name of his father, Prince Philip, God rests his soul.”

For a link to the original article (in English) CLICK HERE.

For a link to an article about the Grand Duke’s special status on Russian Legitimist, CLICK HERE

Moscow "Tatler" covers the birthday of Grand Duke George Mikhailovich

This article appeared in Moscow’s Tatler magazine. Russian Legitimist is pleased to post an English translation to this article. A link to the original Russian piece is here.

Descendant of the Romanov family, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich celebrates his 40th birthday

In accordance with all traditions.

15 MARCH 2021

TATLER

On March 13, a milestone was celebrated by the heir of the Romanov family, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich, whose ascent in Moscow society began in April 2019 with the Tatler Easter tea. His Imperial Highness celebrated his 40th birthday as a groom - his wedding with his longtime girlfriend, Rebecca Virginia Bettarini, who, after the adoption of Orthodoxy, was named Victoria Romanovna, is planned for the fall.

The Grand Duke at the Novospassky Monastery.

The celebration took place in accordance with all traditions - before the main celebrations, a prayer service was held in the Novospassky monastery, and onlyafterwards did George Mikhailovich begin to accept congratulations at the Smirnov House on Tverskoy Boulevard, dance to the performance of a gypsy choir, and solemnly cut the birthday honey cake with berries. Gifts were also very traditional - sabers, knives, books, and icons. The future wife of the prince was there of course - she recieved the guests in a black velvet dress.

George Mikhailovich was born in Madrid into the family of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna and Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich (Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia). The prince spent his early childhood in the Breton village of Saint-Briac, and then moved to Paris. After, he lived in Madrid, where he graduated from college. 

George Mikhailovich visited his historical homeland for the first time in 1992. For three years now, the Grand Duke has been living in Russia and is actively involved in charitable initiatives.