Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna: June 2008-

[Benjamin]

Grand Duchess Maria of Russia and Infanta Pilar of Spain are briefly interviewed while participating at last year's El Rastrillo, an annual event that raises money for the Nuevo Futuro charity~

YouTube - D'Noe pregunta sobre el rastrillo navideño de Madrid

 

[BeatrixFan]

LOL. Maria looks like fun. What a giggle!

 

[Benjamin]

I know, totally thought the same thing!

More news:

Tsar's slain relatives victims of political repressions - human rights activists
31 March 2009

Russia's oldest human rights organization, Moscow Helsinki Group, has supported the House of Romanov's plans to seek rehabilitation of all members of the imperial family, who were executed by Bolsheviks after the revolution.

"I do not see any reason for rejection. No doubt, they must be recognized as victims of political repressions," MHG chief Lyudmila Alexeyeva told Interfax.

Link: Interfax-Religion

 

[Benjamin]

Grand Duchess Maria visited Russia, Ukraine, and Pridnestrovie in early May. In Pridnestrovie, the Grand Duchess was greeted by a guard of honor, met several times with President Igor Smirnov, and commemorative stamps were issued to mark her visit.

Three press releases from the Russian Imperial Union Order about the trip:
4 May: Grand Duchess is visiting Russia
7 May: Grand Duchess visited the Ukraine and Pridnestrovie
16 May: Public activity of Grand Duchess

 

[Alberto2244]

Romanovs say want to come back to Russia

"The Russian Imperial House wants to return to Russia to promote civil society and the development of legal bodies, a representative said on Friday in Moscow."

Full article is here:
Romanovs say want to come back to Russia | Top Russian news and analysis online | 'RIA Novosti' newswire

 

[MAfan]

I fear that Princess Ekaterina has died in 2007...

 

[Alberto2244]

I fear that Princess Ekaterina has died in 2007...

oh dear, I just took a limpse at the article and when I saw "Uruguay" mentionned I thought they were making mention of the children of the late princess...
Anyway, if these Romanovs want to live in Russia why didn´t they go more than 10 years ago??

 

[branchg]

Maria has been saying this for years. The Government isn't interested in the return of the Romanovs nor in promoting civil society or democracy.

She is only concerned with a throne and has not been consistent in her support of democracy or a free press. She remained silent even when Russia launched a major military action on Georgia, her mother's homeland and part of her heritage as well.

 

[Marsel]

I'm inclined to agree with you. She has done little in regards to 'spreading democracy', or frankly speaking, anything at all connected to Russia.
In short, she is 'irrelevant' for most Russians; if she, or other members of the Imperial Family put more effort into actually doing something for their (former) Motherland, they might have been appreciated. As it is, most simply don't care about them.

 

[Al_bina]

Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna tends to come to Russia and whine about the execution of Nicholas II and his family, thereby rubbing salt into wounds, as well as lay down conditions of her return. This reinforces the fact that Russians are not eager to embrace the constitutional monarchy in the face of the current Romanov pretender. Comments of usual Russians about her visits to Russia show little or no enthusiasm about the restoration.
Although I understand that she should do something more tangible in improving democracy in the Russian Federation, I am not sure as to what exactly she can do.

 

[jonnydep]

whats sad about all this, is the fact that if the russian royals was not desposed of etc, maria wouuld not be in the postition to whine etc. she should think herself lucky !!.
but saying that, is there a dispute as she should be the head of the family or not according to the family laws etc......!!

 

[Russophile]

Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna tends to come to Russia and whine about the execution of Nicholas II and his family, thereby rubbing salt into wounds, as well as lay down conditions of her return.

She WHINES about it and her great grandfather swore allegiance to the Reds????

 

[COUNTESS]

Why is she responsible for what her great-grandfather did?

 

[Marsel]

Why is she responsible for what her great-grandfather did?

If she doesn't take responsibility for what her great-grandfather did, then it might have been logical to assume that she wouldn't try to take advantage of who her great-grandfather was.

The Grand Duchess has done little to nothing for Russia. Despite her best efforts to maintain a pretence she actually cares for Russia, I, for one, never actually believed she feels anything for the country or its people. Everything she's done so far was (or seemed to be) for publicity, not for Russia or Russians.

 

[windsorbrides1]

Prince Nicholas Romanovich Romanov is considered the Head of the Russian Imperial Family by the British and Germans - who are the two most important families in Europe as far as recognition is concerned. Both Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother have bowed to Nicholas.

Below Information by Wikipedia:

Nicholas considers following the death of Grand Duke Vladimir Cyrillovich in 1992 that he is now head of the House of Romanov and his rightful successor.On the basis that Vladimir Cyrillovich was the last male dynast and all other Romanovs are excluded due to their parents' unequal marriages, Vladimir's daughter Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna also put forward a claim to the headship of the imperial house on her father's death. With the exception of Grand Duchess Maria, Prince Nicholas is recognized by the rest of the family as head of the Imperial House.The new London-based publishers of the Almanach de Gotha also recognised him as head of the house.However, the final edition of the Almanach de Gotha published by Justus Perthes, in 1944, stated that the marriage of Nicholas's parents was "not in conformity with the laws of the house" although some previous editions had listed him as a dynastic member of the Imperial House. Prince Nicholas has said regarding unequal marriages in the Imperial Family:
“ Our parents married commoners. So what? We have married commoners. Again, so what? There was nobody to ask us to renounce our rights, so we married without renouncing them, and we and our children still have rights to the throne of Russia. ” Prince Nicholas led the Romanov family at the funeral in St. Petersburg of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II and his family in July 1998. As head of the family he was also present at the reburial of the remains of the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna in Russia in September, 2006. Prince Nicholas and his brother Prince Dmitri had been responsible for lobbying the Danish royal family and the Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow the transfer of the Dowager Empress’s remains to Russia so they could be buried alongside her husband Emperor Alexander III

 

[Marsel]

The matter of who's the rightful Head of the Imperial Family is arguable and, I'm sorry to say, quite irrelevant; it is not as though the Russians are going to have a revolution tomorrow reinstating the Monarchy.
It is a quest for those proficient in Imperial and succession laws (especially those concerning legality of the marriages) to establish the ‘rightful’ Heir, although I doubt that a compromise will ever be reached; law can be interpreted in so many ways.

As far as I am concerned, if Monarchy is ever reinstated in Russia, the people aren't really going to be all that fussed about legality of marriages and Imperial Laws; the one who deserves it most (as in, has done most for the country and people) will get the Crown, regardless of the legality or weight of his claims.
There are a lot of precedents in Russian History: it was not singular to bypass the rightful Heir in favour of someone more deserving (and unfortunately, in some cases less deserving too).

So I’d strongly suggest that both the Grand Duchess and Prince Nicholas stopped worrying about ‘universal’ recognition and started actually doing something for their former Motherland: it is not as though British or German Royals are going to put them back on the Throne, so their 'recognition' is not all that important.

Of course, it may be that the Grand Duchess and Prince Nicholas are interested more in money than Russia, in which case their fight is more understandable: after all, the one who gets to be officially recognized as the Head of the Imperial House and successor to the late Emperor Nicholas, will get a considerable (as in very considerable) boost to their finances from certain Swiss accounts.

 

[Al_bina]

I fully share your opinion. I am not sure how Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna and Prince Nicholas are going to gain an access to the late Nicholas' II certain Swiss bank accounts. Is there any money left? Government of respective countries tried to settle these issues with the Soviet government and then with the government of the Russian Federation.

 

[Marsel]

The situation with the Swiss accounts of the Imperial Family is a bit vague.
Most sources I had read, insisted that the current sum would be not in millions but in billions (of US dollars).
However, I have also read a public denial by the consortium of Swiss banks that there are any accounts belonging to the Imperial Family.
Since not all Swiss banks denied the possible existence of the money, the issue is still open.

It was always assumed that the reason no one has (successfully) tried to claim the money, is that the conditions under which the accounts were open are very precise. The stipulations are not known and it is, for example, obscure whether one has to be the closest surviving relative of the late Emperor (in which case it is essential to prove that all of Nicholas’s children had actually died), or next Head of the Imperial House, or both. It may well be possible that the conditions are such that they can no longer be fulfilled and the accounts are basically ‘frozen’.

I wouldn’t like to speculate about the possible existence of the money (in Swiss or other banks) without substantial proof; however it is quite certain that the late Emperor transferred large sums in paper money and gold shortly before the Revolution.

 

[Al_bina]

Thanks for explanations!
Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna's really really vigorous actions related to the late Nicholas II and his family start making more sense to me now. ... "noble" intentions that may possibly give her an access to funds ... It is all about money after all. However, I do not see Swiss banks giving up money without a good fight.

 

[Warren]

Prince Nicholas Romanovich Romanov is considered the Head of the Russian Imperial Family...Both Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother have bowed to Nicholas.

Whatever the merits of Prince Nicholas I find it highly unlikely that the British Monarch and the former Queen Consort would bow to a Romanov Prince. When this little story was repeated in another thread and the source (a Peter Kurth book?) consulted last year, the truth turned out to be more commonplace.
The Queen stood up to greet Prince Nicholas when he entered a function she was attending. My response was that the Queen is hardly likely to greet someone while remaining seated.
The Queen standing has morphed into the Queen bowing, and now the Queen Mother has been added to the mix.

I can't locate the posts in which the "EIIR bowed to Prince Nicholas" myth was debunked (possibly the dreaded Anna-was-Anastasia mega-thread) but see the 2nd last paragraph of this post by branchg.

 

[Michael HR]

Very unlike the Queen to bow to anyone except heads of state (and then I cannot recall if and when), the Pope or a crowned sovereign such as the king of Greece or Queen Beatrix) . I cannot see her bowing to Prince Nicholas but he of course would bow to her as a crowned sovereign. Just my thoughts

 

[branchg]

The Queen stood to greet Nicholas Romanov at an event in London some years ago, which is a simple mark of courtesy and good manners. I wouldn't read too much into it since she does that all the time.

Nicholas Romanov is not the Head of the Imperial House nor is he a Prince of Russia with the style of Highness. He is a morganatic descendant of a dynast, Prince Roman, who married unequally and without the consent of Grand Duke Vladimir. As such, his children have no princely style or imperial rank.

 

[Marsel]

Well put and explained.

Very unlike the Queen to bow to anyone except heads of state (and then I cannot recall if and when), the Pope or a crowned sovereign such as the king of Greece or Queen Beatrix) . I cannot see her bowing to Prince Nicholas but he of course would bow to her as a crowned sovereign. Just my thoughts

Queen Elizabeth never has to (and never did) bow to another Head of the State.
Some elected Heads of the State may bow to Reigning Monarchs (especially female ones) or their Consorts as a courtesy gesture, however as a rule, Heads of the States don't have to bow to each other.

Prince Nicholas Romanovich Romanov is considered the Head of the Russian Imperial Family by the British and Germans - who are the two most important families in Europe as far as recognition is concerned. Both Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother have bowed to Nicholas.
<>

The story of the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and/or Queen Elizabeth ever bowing to Prince Nicholas have no foundation, as can be seen from Warren's and branchg's posts.

I am not sure where did you get the idea that Prince Nicholas is acknowledged as Head of the Imperial Family by the British Royal Family; I've never heard of it.
In any case, he is certainly not the most widely accepted and acknowledged one and certainly not in Russia, where very few have actually heard about him at all.

 

[Russophile]

Why is she responsible for what her great-grandfather did?

Because the rest of the family holds her to it.

 

[Russophile]

When this little story was repeated in another thread and the source (a Peter Kurth book?) consulted last year, the truth turned out to be more commonplace.

No Warren, my darling Peter did not write that, that came from Robert Massie's "The Romanovs: The Final Chapter" and it is, like you said, HM bowed out of courtsey and not to acknowledge him as head of the IF.

 

[Madame Royale]

Prince Nicholas Romanovich Romanov is considered the Head of the Russian Imperial Family by the British and Germans - who are the two most important families in Europe as far as recognition is concerned. Both Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother have bowed to Nicholas.

Below Information by Wikipedia:

Nicholas considers following the death of Grand Duke Vladimir Cyrillovich in 1992 that he is now head of the House of Romanov and his rightful successor.On the basis that Vladimir Cyrillovich was the last male dynast and all other Romanovs are excluded due to their parents' unequal marriages, Vladimir's daughter Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna also put forward a claim to the headship of the imperial house on her father's death. With the exception of Grand Duchess Maria, Prince Nicholas is recognized by the rest of the family as head of the Imperial House.The new London-based publishers of the Almanach de Gotha also recognised him as head of the house.However, the final edition of the Almanach de Gotha published by Justus Perthes, in 1944, stated that the marriage of Nicholas's parents was "not in conformity with the laws of the house" although some previous editions had listed him as a dynastic member of the Imperial House. Prince Nicholas has said regarding unequal marriages in the Imperial Family:
“ Our parents married commoners. So what? We have married commoners. Again, so what? There was nobody to ask us to renounce our rights, so we married without renouncing them, and we and our children still have rights to the throne of Russia. ” Prince Nicholas led the Romanov family at the funeral in St. Petersburg of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II and his family in July 1998. As head of the family he was also present at the reburial of the remains of the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna in Russia in September, 2006. Prince Nicholas and his brother Prince Dmitri had been responsible for lobbying the Danish royal family and the Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow the transfer of the Dowager Empress’s remains to Russia so they could be buried alongside her husband Emperor Alexander III

Yet in 2006 it was the Grand Duchess that stood pride of place alongside the visiting Danish, English and Greek entourages at the service of reburial.

I may be wrong, but isn't Maria considered by the Russian Orthodox Church to be the rightful claimant?

 

[Benjamin]

I may be wrong, but isn't Maria considered by the Russian Orthodox Church to be the rightful claimant?

You are correct, Madame Royale. The Grand Duchess met several times with the late Patriarch Alexis. Grand Duchess Maria attended the funeral of the Patriarch as well as the enthronization of his successor, Patriarch Cyril.

Maria was also present at the 2007 ceremony to mark the unification of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. This is perhaps not surprising as the Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich and his family had enjoyed friendly relations with the ROCOR throughout the years.

 

[Warren]

No Warren, my darling Peter did not write that, that came from Robert Massie's "The Romanovs: The Final Chapter" and it is, like you said, HM bowed out of courtsey and not to acknowledge him as head of the IF.

Massie it is then.
At the risk of repeating myself, HM did not "bow", she stood. What actually occurred was established when this urban myth was first raised in the Russian Forum last year.

 

[Russophile]

Massie it is then.
At the risk of repeating myself, HM did not "bow", she stood. What actually occurred was established when this urban myth was first raised in the Russian Forum last year.

That's right! You set me straight on the "bowing" thing too. This is what happens when you're a Yankee!

 

[Marsel]

The Grand Duchess visited Belarus recently (from July 16 to July 22). It marked the very first official visit made by a member of the Russian Imperial Family after the collapse of the Russian Empire.
She visited cities, as well as several villages: Maria Vladimirovna seemed to be most impressed with the innovative technologies used at Belarusian farms.

All the Belorussian officials she was presented to, had to strictly follow protocol details (kiss her hand, bow/curtsy, address to her as “Your Highness” and speak only when asked to).

The Grand Duchess also gave an interview, during which she discussed the question of identification of the remains found last year, presumably of the members of the Imperial Family (maintaining that the “Imperial Family will certainly recognize the results of the tests if they are beyond reasonable doubt) and her dearest wish: to live in Russia (although she did note that 'arrangements have to be made', as the Imperial Family must live up to ‘certain standards’). Maria Vladimirovna said that she still 'awaits proposals from the Russian Government on the matter'.

Member of one of Belarusian nationalist parties stirred a minor controversy when he maintained that Maria Vladimirovna (and other Romanovs) should apologize to the people of Belarus for 'years of oppression' (during the Russian Empire) and only then they should be allowed to enter the country.
Others questioned just in what capacity the Grand Duchess visited the country and what exactly she has to do with Belarus in any way.


Two pictures from the visit:
*picture 1* *picture 2*

For Russian-speaking members, here are two articles about the visit (summary was given above):
*Article 1* *Article 2*