Who is the Head of the Imperial Family?

[BeatrixFan]

I have to disagree. Maria's claim can't be made void because of the actions of a relative, even if it's from that relative that her claim stems. That was monarchy is, you don't get a choice whether the ancestor to the successor is a good person or not. I think Maria's been more than accomodating to the other Romanovs, she simply doesn't like them pretending to be things they're clearly not. Let's face it; Maria undertakes world-wide official visits, she's accepted by a fair few Royal Families worldwide, she's extremely active in Russian life, she's very proud of her heritage and promotes Russian culture, she does a vast amount of charity work, she isn't in the least opportunistic, she realises that any return of a monarchy to Russia needs the Russian people's support and she's a good Orthodox Christian accepted by the Russian Church as the real head of the family. Now let's measure that against Elizabeth II - she undertakes official visits, she promotes British culture, she's proud of heritage etc etc. In my view Maria is definately monarch material and she puts herself head and shoulders above the other pretenders by refusing to get involved in family arguments and making Russia her priority. When you measure up Nicholas against Maria, there's simply no question of who is the Head of the family. He does sweet FA for Russia, his only priority is to accumulate titles and medals and swank about at foreign weddings. So practically he isn't nearly as right for the position as the Grand Duchess and as has been said here numerous times, his claim lineage wise is inferior to Maria's.

[NotAPretender]

Originally Posted by Michael HR

My view has always been that we need to go back to the manifesto of Grand Duke Michael when he decided not to accept the throne and passed the Imperial power to the Duma until such time as there was a vote on the dynasty. As he handed power to the Duma this brought the dynasty to an end and power lay with the Duma from that time on. It was his wish that they debate and vote both on government in general and the Crown and therefore it is a matter for the Russian people if the Crown is restored and also in my view that would wear the Crown.

That was very well put. I also feel that GD Kyrill forfeited his right to sucession by his treasonous acts. Maria V, by virtue of descent from a traitor, cannot hold the throne that her ancestor betrayed.

However, I really haven't seen the Russian people clamoring for a royal family.

[bbb]

since Alexander III decreed in 1886 that the title of Grand Duke be restricted to the sons and grandsons of the tsar, the titles died with murdered tsar IMO. The correct style would be princes and i assume share equal rank.

"It was his wish that they debate and vote both on government in general and the Crown and therefore it is a matter for the Russian people if the Crown is restored and also in my view that would wear the Crown. "
i agree michaelHR, thank you for your thoughtful post

i quote Prince Rostislav Romanoff in 1992
"The Romanoff family today consists of some twenty nine members. We are a family all of whom, except for Vladimir Kyrilovitch, his heirs and his father before him, have respected the wishes of my great-grandmother, the Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna, that there should never be a question of a pretender or successor to the throne of Russia by the Romanoff family in exile. The questions could and should only be decided by the Russian people in Russia at the time appropriate to them"


"GD Kyrill forfeited his right to sucession by his treasonous acts

I've always thought this, Not a Pretender, he's always been a vile example of a traitor, when he was Commandant of the Palace Guard in 1917, he quickly sold out his birthright marching under a red flag through the streets of Petrograd!

[Russophile]

Most likely bbb, Kyril did it to save his arse what with the purge of Romanovs going on around him. But it doesn't speak well of his courage, or lack of . . .

[Michael HR]

GD Kyril and courage and not words that I would place in the same sentance. He was a traitor to the Tsar and his Country by his actions in 1917 and nothing can erase that. There are other reasons why I do not feel his line can assend the Throne such as his Mother's religion, his marriage and of course his son's marriage and thr fact that George is a Prussian Prince and I am not convinced that Russia wants to put a member of the German Imperial family on their throne after all that has happended.

As I said earlier I feel in light of GD Michael's wish that the matter go to the russian people. If they vote for a crown then so be it. If they vote Maria then so be it but if they vote for someone else then so be it.

I find it slightly offensive that Princess Maria Romonova spends part of her time handing out titles that no longer exsist and have not done so since 1917 and, as we have seen, tries to trash every other member of the family to ensure that she and only she is seen as a possible sucessor to Nicholas II when there are other persons who may have a claim.

She is in the same position as other members of the family with regard to marriage due to her parents and is not in a position to throw stones.

If her son George does not make an "equal" marriage or does not marry at all that will be the end for her line once and for all.

I feel the Russian people should decide how their country is run and by whom and in what fashion.