Our very best wishes to HIH Grand Duke George Mikhailovich and his bride HSH Princess Victoria Romanovna Romanova. We will provide full coverage of the wedding events at the end of all the festivities.

Until then, congratulations to the happy couple from all of us at Russian Legitimist.

September 30, 2021

The Russian Legitimist

Members of Royal and Noble Houses begin to arrive in St. Petersburg.

September 30, 2021

The Russian Legitimist

The Rotunda of the legendary Astoria Hotel in St. Petersburg, where the many Royal guests are staying.

Royal historian Marlene Koenig noted early this morning that the wedding of HIH the Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia and Victoria Romanovna Bettarini appears to be the largest gathering of foreign royalty in Russia since before the First World War.

Koenig notes that HIH the Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia arrived in St Petersburg with her half sister Helène Bagration de Kirby, Countess Dvinskaya with a large group of Spanish guests.

Koenig also noted that although not yet officially confirmed, the Kings of Bulgaria and Egypt had already arrived in Russia, and members of the French, Italian, Greek, Yugoslav, Georgian, and Albanian royal houses were also in Russia, together with members of the princely house of Liechtenstein,

Further guests will be arriving in the next 24 hours before the wedding in St. Isaac’s cathedral. It is rumored that while more than 300 international guests are arriving, more than 1500 people will be attending the service.

For Marlene Koenig’s original article, click HERE

September 26, 2021

The Russian Legitimist

The Bride and Groom head to St Petersburg for October I Wedding

September 26, 2021

The Russian Legitimist

After celebrating their civil wedding in Moscow on the 24th, Grand Duke George, Victoria Romanovna, and members of their family headed to Russia’s “second capital” St. Petersburg.

The couple heads to St Petersburg. Photo detail from Instagram.

In St. Petersburg, the couple will meet the groom’s mother, HIH the Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, his father, HRH Prince Franz-Wilhelm of Prussia, other members of their extended families, and the wedding guests, who will be arriving in St Petersburg this week in advance of the wedding festivities, which are scheduled to begin Thursday, September 30.

September 24, 2021

The Russian Legitimist

HIH Grand Duke George and HSH Princess Victoria Romanoff wed in Moscow Civil Ceremony.

September 24, 2021

The Russian Legitimist

At 2:00pm in Moscow, HIH Grand Duke George Mikhailovich and HSH Princess Victoria Romanoff were civilly married at the Khamovniki Town Hall in Moscow.

The Grand Duke is the only child of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia and Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia. The princess is the only child of Ambassador Roberto Bettarini and his wife, the former Carla Virginia Cacciatore. Ambassador and Mrs. Bettarini attended the Civil Ceremony after meeting their children in advance before the religious wedding in St. Petersburg at St. Isaac’s Cathedral on Friday October 1st.

The dress worn by the new Princess Romanoff was created by Italian designer Chiara Boni in an ice-blue color, with Russian gold thread embroidery inspired by the traditional folkloric designs of Khokhloma. Pale blue is also the color of the Russian Imperial Order of Saint Andrew the First Called, the highest dynastic order of the House of Romanoff. The light blue ribbon of the Order served as an inspiration for the color of the dress for the civil marriage.

Grand Duke George and Princess Victoria will leave the capital shortly to celebrate their religious marriage in St. Petersburg next Friday, 1 October.

Photographs and full coverage by David Niviere available on Histoire Royales

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September 23, 2021

The Russian Legitimist

Reader Mail: A Letter from France

September 23, 2021

The Russian Legitimist

Here at the Russian Legitimist we have received numerous letters over the past few weeks relating to the upcoming wedding of Grand Duke George, as well as the recent religious ceremony of Rostislav Romanoff in Paris.

Herewith, a note from a reader:

Detail from Insta @Axenoff via thedailymail.co.uk

Dear Sirs,

Thank you for your news about the wedding of young Mr. Romanoff in Paris.

Relatives say that it was a pale imitation of the Romanoff weddings of the past in Paris, when our Russians lined the streets. We all understood that these were private events, and those who participated knew that there was no dynastic significance to these weddings.

I was surprised to see the gold-embroidered napkins and to read the diadem would be sold for charity afterwards. Пошлость!**

I wish these young people well. They would be wise to stop calling themselves “Imperial” as they will lose any sympathy they might have had.

We all know the last true members of the imperial house will be in St Petersburg next week.

Sincerely,

V. N. S., [France]

** This almost untranslatable Russian word is generally translated as “vulgarity” but it implies more than that; it implies a reach for elegance which has failed badly due to a lack of taste.

September 15, 2021

The Russian Legitimist

Vanitatis Interview with fiancée of Grand Duke George!

September 15, 2021

The Russian Legitimist

Victoria Romanovna Bettarini, Image courtesy Russian Imperial Chancellery.

A charming piece ran in Spanish society magazine “Vanitatis” containing an interview with Victoria Romanovna Bettarini, who, after her marriage to Grand Duke George of Russia will be known as HSH Princess Victoria Romanoff.

"The wedding is on October 1 in St. Isaac's Cathedral, which is very large and in which weddings have not been held for more than 100 years, because now, in addition [to being a church], it is a museum. In fact, there have been very few, the most relevant, that of Emperor Peter the Great." said Miss Bettarini in a telephone meeting.

Bettarini noted that all Covid-19 protocols will be followed to the utmost extent during the wedding and its ancillary events, and that all events have been carefully planned so that all participants, the guests and the events team, will be safe.

"There will be many people in the cathedral (1), but for the gala dinner the capacity will be more limited as a consequence of the current coronavirus prevention protocols. This dinner will be attended by about 400 people… The places are very large, but that does not mean that you do not have to ensure the safety of everyone. In fact, all guests, even if they are vaccinated, will have to have PCR tests. We are careful to apply all relevant restrictions so that everything goes well and there are no surprises,” Bettarini notes.

Regarding the Orthodox ceremony (which, it is rumored, will be performed by the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg himself), Miss Bettarini looks forward to the moment of the greatest symbolism:: "There is a crucial moment in the ceremony, in which there are people selected to hold the crowns over the heads of the bride and groom. There are several people to do it; they must be unmarried Orthodox men, and cannot be women. We are seeing which of our friends meet those characteristics and can fulfill that function."

For the original article in Spanish, click HERE

(1) The Cathedral of Saint Isaac’s has a capacity of 12,000. It has been published that the wedding guests at the ceremony may number as many as 2,500 keeping the event safe.