Engagement of Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia & Nob. Rebecca Bettarini

[Benjamin]

Today, 20 January 2021, the Chancellery of the Imperial House of Russia announced the engagement of HIH Grand Duke George Mikhailovich and Nob. Rebecca Virginia Bettarini.

https://eurohistoryjournal.blogspot....ke-george.html

[JR76]

http://www.russianlegitimist.org/new...nova-bettarini

Victoria not becoming an Imperial Highness is quite something. Does this mean that their children won't be either?

[Blog Real]

That's good news!
The wedding is expected to take place in the fall of this year.

Official engagement photo:
http://imperialhouse.ru/media/k2/ite...ef092de2_L.jpg

Announcement on the official website of the imperial house:
http://imperialhouse.ru/en/allnews-e...bettarini.html

[Heavs]

Originally Posted by JR76

Announcement of the Engagement of the Tsesarevich and Grand Duke George to Victoria Romanova Bettarini — The Russian Legitimist

Victoria not becoming an Imperial Highness is quite something. Does this mean that their children won't be either?

Interesting. Perhaps it is because of her insistence that she and her son are the only correct heirs under the Pauline Laws? If she gives her daughter in law HIH when she isn't of "equal birth" she's abandoning that.

[JR76]

Originally Posted by Heavs

Interesting. Perhaps it is because of her insistence that she and her son are the only correct heirs under the Pauline Laws? If she gives her daughter in law HIH when she isn't of "equal birth" she's abandoning that.

That's probably it but with her son contracting a morganatic marriage in contradiction to the Pauline laws the claim of the Vladimirovich line would end with Maria anyway.

[Heavs]

Originally Posted by JR76

That's probably it but with her son contracting a morganatic marriage in contradiction to the Pauline laws the claim of the Vladimirovich line would end with Maria anyway.

True. I suppose I admire her putting her money where her mouth is and sticking with what she's been saying all her life. Many people, including me, assumed she'd change her tune if/when her son got engaged to Rebecca.

Not that it particularly matters because Russia isn't becoming a Romanov monarchy any time soon and even if it did Putin/whoever wouldn't pick the claimants based on Pauline Laws.

[An Ard Ri]

Is his fiancé name Rebecca Virginia or Victoria as both links above give different first names?

https://eurohistoryjournal.blogspot....ke-george.html

Announcement of the Engagement of the Tsesarevich and Grand Duke George to Victoria Romanova Bettarini — The Russian Legitimist

[Somebody]

In Eurohistory's biography of the couple I read that the two of them have been together for 10 years (at least is states 'for ten years she provided constant support'); which makes you wonder why they are only getting married when the groom is 40 and the bride 39 - while at least his mother wishes for grandchildren... I sincerely hope they'll have them but while it is never a given, the likelihood of that wish being fulfilled is much lower now than if they had married 5 years ago or so (or was Maria still hoping that her son would find a more suitable bride?).

[Heavs]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

Is his fiancé name Rebecca Virginia or Victoria as both links above give different first names?

https://eurohistoryjournal.blogspot....ke-george.html

Announcement of the Engagement of the Tsesarevich and Grand Duke George to Victoria Romanova Bettarini — The Russian Legitimist

She took the name Victoria Romanova when she converted to Russian Orthodoxy.

In Eurohistory's biography of the couple I read that the two of them have been together for 10 years (at least is states 'for ten years she provided constant support'); which makes you wonder why they are only getting married when the groom is 40 and the bride 39 - while at least his mother wishes for grandchildren... I sincerely hope they'll have them but while it is never a given, the likelihood of that wish being fulfilled is much lower now than if they had married 5 years ago or so (or was Maria still hoping that her son would find a more suitable bride?).

Wasn't it speculated that his mother was trying to find a way around the Pauline Laws that she herself had been pushing? That could have been a reason to wait and see. But since that appears to have been unsuccessful they decided that it was now or never as a "morganatic" unequal marriage.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

Is his fiancé name Rebecca Virginia or Victoria as both links above give different first names?

https://eurohistoryjournal.blogspot....ke-george.html

Announcement of the Engagement of the Tsesarevich and Grand Duke George to Victoria Romanova Bettarini — The Russian Legitimist

Her name since birth is Rebecca Virginia (Bettarini) but her 'new name upon conversion to the Russian Orthodox church' (in August last year) is Victoria Romanova.

[Somebody]

Is the below how her father and Rebecca became a 'nobile'? Or was she a 'nobile' from birth? Given that her father seems to be the first 'nobile' in the family, it looks like she might not have been.

Rebecca's father, Ambassador Roberto Bettarini, provided significant support for the construction of the Orthodox Church of St. Catherine in Rome. For his assistance to the Russian Orthodox Church and his efforts to develop and strengthen relations between Russia and Italy, the Head of the Imperial House of Russia, Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, made him a Knight of the Imperial Order of St. Anna First Class, an award which carries with it membership of the historical hereditary nobility of the Russian Empire.

Source: Eurohistory

I also noticed that the grand duchess mentioned "his chosen bride, the hereditary noblewoman Rebecca Virginia Bettarini" in her statement. So, is this a reference to the above?

[carlota]

i had not spotted that victoria wouldn't be a HIH. i guess it will be Her Serene Highness Victoria Romanoff, Princess of Russia following marriage?

I also noticed that the grand duchess mentioned "his chosen bride, the hereditary noblewoman Rebecca Virginia Bettarini" in her statement. So, is this a reference to the above?

good question - i'd assume they are referring to the title given to them by GD Maria as otherwise her father and mother would be referred to by their original titles throughout the announcement?

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Heavs

Wasn't it speculated that his mother was trying to find a way around the Pauline Laws that she herself had been pushing? That could have been a reason to wait and see. But since that appears to have been unsuccessful they decided that it was now or never as a "morganatic" unequal marriage.

Some years ago it was said that she was trying to change the Pauline Laws. But it seems witout success.

[REAL COUNTESS]

Congratulation to the couple. It took a long way to get here. I will be looking forward to this wedding, this will be a grand occasion. I am not surprised that the GDss uses the third person and by the Grace of God. Lovely photos.

[Heavs]

Originally Posted by Somebody

Is the below how her father and Rebecca became a 'nobile'? Or was she a 'nobile' from birth? Given that her father seems to be the first 'nobile' in the family, it looks like she might not have been.


Source: Eurohistory

I also noticed that the grand duchess mentioned "his chosen bride, the hereditary noblewoman Rebecca Virginia Bettarini" in her statement. So, is this a reference to the above?

I imagine the Nob. does refer to the titles his mother gave her father, otherwise there would be an essay on the illustrious Bettarini family and not just her father's career as an Ambassador.

http://stcaterina.com/

This is the church he helped with, which is very interesting as the first Orthodox church in Rome for 950 years.

[Blog Real]

The official photo was taken at what location?
Does the Grand Duchess and her son have a home in Russia? Do hes have any palace at your disposal?

[Marengo]

What process would be needed to change the Pauline laws? One would think that the grand duchess could decide over that by herself but considering the bride will not be an HIH it appears that it is more complicated than that.

Some extra information of the bride-to-be:

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blog...ges-bride.html

[Biri]

Hooray! Finally!

Congratulations to the couple!

[Heavs]

Originally Posted by Marengo

What process would be needed to change the Pauline laws? One would think that the grand duchess could decide over that by herself but considering the bride will not be an HIH it appears that it is more complicated than that.

Some extra information of the bride-to-be:

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blog...ges-bride.html

Apparently she was talking with the Patriarchs of the Church to see if they could decree the Pauline Laws invalid, I suppose to give it weight. Which obviously didn't happen.

The problem with she herself just declaring them invalid means that she goes back on what she had her father have been saying for decades. That they are the only true dynasts of the House because they married equally and thus the heirs. If she says they don't matter any more then there are several other branches of the family she has to say are ahead of her or that her claim is more disputed.

So it seems that Georgi and Rebecca just decided to go ahead and get married anyway and his mother stuck to her beliefs and decided that her non royal daughter-in-law won't get the HIH courtesy title.

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by Blog Real

Announcement on the official website of the imperial house:
Russian Imperial House - 2021-01-20 Announcement of the Upcoming Wedding of His Imperial Highness The Heir, Tsesarevich, and Grand Duke George of Russia and Nob. Victoria Romanovna Bettarini

Interesting how although the marriage is to be morganatic in terms of titles the bride will "have the right to use the dynastic surname" Romanoff. I wonder what the coat of arms in the image gallery represents.

Originally Posted by Heavs

The problem with she herself just declaring them invalid means that she goes back on what she had her father have been saying for decades. That they are the only true dynasts of the House because they married equally and thus the heirs. If she says they don't matter any more then there are several other branches of the family she has to say are ahead of her or that her claim is more disputed.

The problem hasn't dissuaded many other heads of ex-royal families from doing exactly that. For instance, the Hohenberg branch from Archduke Franz Ferdinand could claim to be the true dynasts of the House of Austria if one consistently applies the changes the junior branch made to the house laws.