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

Civil Marriage date set for Grand Duke George Mikhailovich and Victoria Romanovna Bettarini

Banns signed at Moscow City Hall

On Thursday, August 5, 2021, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich and Victoria Romanovna Bettarini went to the City Hall of Moscow to finalize the administrative procedure of Civil Marriage by signing their banns. "In a month, we can get married civilly," explains the bride-to-be.

Histoires Royales revealed that the son of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia and Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia will marry the daughter of Italian Ambassador Roberto Bettarini on Friday, September 24, 2021 at 2 p.m. at Moscow City Hall, one week before their religious wedding at St. Isaac's Cathedral in Petersburg.

In the photograph, the bride and groom sign their wedding banns. (Photo: Instagram / rebecca_bettarini)

"The day will be followed by a party," says Victoria Romanovna. The location of the Civil reception is not yet known. The witnesses of the civil marriage "will be among close Russian friends" as well as others close to the Chancellery of the Imperial Household.

Name Day of the Head of the House of Romanoff

On July 22/August 4 the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast day of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene—the heavenly patron saint of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia.

In the morning of this very solemn day, Hieromonk Nikon (Levachev-Belavenets) served a Divine Liturgy at the church of the Entry of the Most Pure Mother of God at the Saltykov Bridge in Moscow, and that evening also an intercessory prayer service, or moleben, following royal rubrics, for the health of Her Imperial Highness, her son and heir, H.I.H. The Grand Duke George of Russia, and his fiancée, Victoria Romanovna Bettarini.

Hieromonk Nikon was joined at these services by Fr. Deacon Aleksei Kulikov of the Moscow Region Diocese.

Attending the moleben were H.I.H. The Grand Duke George; the Deputy Head of the Department of Civil Service and Personnel in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, A. M. Kovalev; the Chairman of the Public Council in the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, M. Iu. Lermontov; the advisor to the Moscow Patriarchate, A. V. Bugaevsky; members of the Chancellery of the Head of the Imperial House; members of the Russian Nobility Association, led by its President, O. V. Shcherbachev; members of the organization For Faith and Fatherland, led by the Deputy Chairman of its Governing Board, A. R. Karpov; the President of the National Foundation “Restoration of Russian Country Estate Houses,” V. I. Alyavdin; the former First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, F. V. Shelov-Kovedyaev; members of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society; members of the Orthodox motorcyclist association “Motorcyclist Brethren in Christ,” led by its President, A. P. Maslov; the President of the Russian-Georgian Friendship Society, “Dzalisi,” T. I. Dzhanieri; and parishioners of the church of the Entry of the Mother of God at the Saltykov Bridge.

At the conclusion of the moleben, Hieromonk Nikon (Head of the Department of Historical and Memorial Activities in the Chancellery of the Head of the Imperial House of Russia) greeted all those gathered, and noted the special nature of this year’s celebration of the Grand Duchess’s name day in that Grand Duke George was in attendance.

Then followed an investiture ceremony for those who have distinguished themselves in service to the nation, presided over by the King of Arms and Head of the Office of Heraldry in the Chancellery, S. V. Dumin, and the Secretary of the Knights’ Council of the Order of St. Anna, A. Iu. Korolev-Pereleshin.

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

Grand Duke George Mikhailovich Participates in Moscow Paschal Services

On the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ in 2021, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich and his fiancée Victoria Romanovna prayed during the all-night Easter service in the Church of the Presentation near the Saltykov Bridge. Victoria Romanovna's father, His Excellency Ambassador R. Bettarini, was also present for the services, which were followed by the Easter feast at home.

Grand Duke George and Miss Bettarini Wedding Location Revealed in Bunte!

German Journalist Sandra Heumann interviewed the couple about their upcoming wedding for “Bunte” in Germany.

Russian Legitimist is pleased to offer a translation of the article.

REBECCA BETTARINI & GRAND DUKE GEORGE ROMANOV

We will soon exchange rings and crowns.

If Russia were still a Tsarist empire, he would be the heir to the throne: Grand Duke George Romanov, 40, son of the Head of the Imperial House Grand Duchess Maria, 67, and the German Hohenzollern Prince Franz Wilhelm Prince of Prussia, 77. BUNTE spoke with his fiancée, the Italian Rebecca Bettarinl, 38, about the Royal Wedding 202l! The newlyweds have known each other through mutual friends since they were 16. "As adults, we met again at a reception in Brussels" at the Embassy. It didn't fly immediately, but the nobleman brought the smart lobbyist into his team for the Russian Imperial Foundation, which she now runs. "My parents knew and liked him, but they learned about our relationship from the press."

Eight years later, the first step of their relationship was the big step: "George asked me at the airport if I wanted to be his wife, because that's where all our adventures together have begun." Now the adventure is their marriage. The wedding ceremony on October 1st is historically significant: "It is the first Romanov marriage in Russia since the revolution in 1917." George's cousin George Friedrich Prince of Prussia, 44, is also invited.

The ceremony will take place in St. Petersburg's Saint Isaac’s Cathedral. There, rings (by Fabergé) and crowns held by the groomsmen are exchanged according to Russian Orthdox ritual.

Two are better than one!

Sandra Heumann (full copyright to the author and Bunte Magazine)

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.