Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia
| George Mikhailovich | |
|---|---|
|
Grand Duke of Russia Prince of Prussia | |
 | |
| Born |
13 March 1981 Madrid, Spain |
| House | Romanov-Hohenzollern |
| Father | Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia |
| Mother | Maria Vladimirovna, Grand Duchess of Russia |
| Religion | Russian Orthodox |
Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia (Russian: Георгий Михайлович Романов; born 13 March 1981) is the heir apparent to Maria Vladimirovna, Grand Duchess of Russia, a claimant to the disputed Headship of the Imperial Family of Russia.[1] She attributes to him the title of Tsesarevich and he bears, as a title of pretence, the prefix of "Grand Duke" with the style of Imperial Highness; as a cadet member of the branch of the House of Hohenzollern which formerly ruled the German Empire and Kingdom of Prussia he is also traditionally entitled "Prince of Prussia" with the style of Royal Highness.[2]
Early life
| Russian imperial family |
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HIH Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna HH Prince Andrew
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Extended imperial family
HSH Princess Kristia
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HRH Prince Christian-Sigismund
Extended family
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George was born in Madrid in 1981, the son of Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia (at the time styled HIH Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich of Russia) and Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia,[3][1] only child and heir of Vladimir Cyrillovich, Grand Duke of Russia.[4][2] Grandparents on his father's side were Prince Karl Franz of Prussia and Princess Henriette von Schönaich-Carolath. George was baptised on 6 May 1981, in Madrid; his godfather is Constantine II of Greece. Also present at the baptism were King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain and Simeon II and Queen Margarita of Bulgaria.[5] George was given the title Grand Duke of Russia by his maternal grandfather,[6] prompting Prince Vasili Alexandrovich, then president of the Romanov Family Association, to respond in writing that "The Romanov Family Association hereby declares that the joyful event in the Prussian Royal House does not concern the Romanov Family Association since the newborn prince is not a member of either the Russian Imperial House or of the Romanov family".[7]
In anticipation of his eventual succession as pretender and with his maternal grandfather's approval, his mother applied for a change of name with the French authorities as "Grand Duke George of Russia" instead of "Prinz von Preußen".[7] This was refused by the French Minister of Justice. His parents separated in 1982 and divorced in 1985. His father, who stopped using his Russian title after his separation, has said of his son, "I have his German passport right here; I always carry it with me. It says he is Prince George of Prussia".[7]
George spent the first years of his life in France before moving to Spain.[8] There he and his mother lived, along with his maternal grandmother, in the home of his maternal aunt, Helen Kirby, who inherited a significant fortune from her father, Sumner Moore Kirby.[9]
Education and career
George was educated at Runnymede College in Madrid, D'Overbroeck's College, Oxford and at St Benet's Hall, Oxford.
In Brussels, he worked at the European Parliament where he was an assistant to Loyola de Palacio, former European Commissioner for Transport and Energy. Later he moved to Luxembourg where he was employed at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Atomic Energy and Security.
On 12 December 2008, he was appointed an aide to the Director General of MMC Norilsk Nickel, a major Russian nickel-mining company.[10]
In 2012 he was nominated chief executive of Metal Trade Overseas, the main sales hub for Norilsk Nickel in Switzerland.[11]
In 2014 he started his own company, Romanoff & Partners, in Brussels.[12]
Heir to his mother
On 21 April 1992, upon the death of his maternal grandfather Grand Duke Vladimir Cyrillovich, George's mother claimed to have succeeded as the sovereign and Curatrix of the Throne of Russia,[13] making him, to supporters of his mother, heir-apparent and tsarevich. He visited Russia for the first time shortly thereafter to attend the funeral of his grandfather.[8] His claim to the throne is contested, for reasons detailed in the article on the line of succession to the Russian throne.
In 1996, when he, his mother, and his grandmother Leonida returned to Russia after living in Madrid, one of President Boris Yeltsin's former bodyguards was assigned as tutor to the 15-year-old prince. He was also set to study at a Russian Naval college but these plans were dropped out of concern that he would be bullied.[14]
Distinctions
Titles, styles, and coat of arms
| Styles of George Mikhailovich of Russia | |
|---|---|
|
| |
| Reference style | His Imperial and Royal Highness |
| Spoken style | Your Imperial and Royal Highness |
| Alternative style | Sir |
- 13 March 1981 – present: His Imperial and Royal Highness Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia, Prince of Prussia
N.B. However this title and his claim as heir to the Romanov Imperial House of Russia is disputed.
Orders
Russian dynastic orders
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House of Romanov: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Andrew - House of Romanov: Knight of the Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky
- House of Romanov: Knight of the Order of the White Eagle
- House of Romanov: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Anne
- House of Romanov: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Stanislaus
Foreign dynastic orders
-
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Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta[15] -
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House of Bragança: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Michael of the Wing -
House of Bagration: Knight of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia -
.svg.png)
House of Solomon: Knight Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of the Holy Trinity
Ancestry
References
- 1 2 de Badts de Cugnac, Chantal. Coutant de Saisseval, Guy. Le Petit Gotha. Nouvelle Imprimerie Laballery, Paris 2002, p. 99, 111, 799 (French) ISBN 2-9507974-3-1
- 1 2 Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser, Band XIV. "Haus Preußen". C.A. Starke Verlag, 1991, p. 153. (German) ISBN 3-7980-0700-4.
- ↑ Eilers, Marlene. Queen Victoria's Descendants. Rosvall Royal Books, Falkoping, Sweden, 1997. pp.82-84, 127, 152, 173. ISBN 91-630-5964-9
- ↑ Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd (1973). Burke’s Guide to the Royal Family. London: Burke's Peerage. pp. 297, 302. ISBN 0-220-66222-3.
- ↑ [http://www.riuo.org/SUCCESSION_ENGLISH.pdf Succession to the Imperial throne of Russia.
- ↑ Massie p. 264
- 1 2 3 Massie, 270.
- 1 2 "Georgii Mikhailovich". imperialhouse.ru. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
- ↑ http://www.haaretz.com/a-long-memory-for-murder-1.67852
- ↑ "Georgy Romanov appointed as Advisor to General Director of MMC Norilsk Nickel".
- ↑ http://www.nornik.ru/en/about-norilsk-nickel/sales/our-sales
- ↑ http://www.romanoffpartners.com/
- ↑ Dynastic Succession
- ↑ Slater, Wendy (2007). The Many Deaths of Tsar Nicholas II. Routledge. p. 56. ISBN 0-415-34516-2.
- ↑ http://www.imperialhouse.ru
Further reading
- Massie, Robert K. (1995). The Romanovs The Final Chapter. Jonathan Cape. ISBN 0-224-04192-4.
External links
- Official website of his mother
- Official (English-language) website of the German Imperial and Royal Family
| Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia Born: 13 March 1981 | ||
| Titles in pretence | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna as Empress of Russia (Titular) |
— TITULAR — Tsesarevich 21 April 1992 – present Reason for succession failure: Russian Revolution leads to Abolition of monarchy and Dissolution of Russian Empire |
Incumbent |
| Lines of succession | ||
| First | Line of succession to the Russian Throne 1st position (disputed) |
Succeeded by Prince Karl Emich of Leiningen |
| Preceded by Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia |
Line of succession to the German throne 11th position |
Succeeded by Prince Franz Friedrich of Prussia |
| Preceded by Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia |
Line of succession to the British throne descended from Victoria, German Empress Frederick, daughter of Queen Victoria) |
Succeeded by Prince Franz Friedrich of Prussia |