Direct descendants of the Romanovs, their photos and biographies

The House of the Romanovs celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2013. In the distant past there was a day when Michael Romanov was proclaimed king. For 304 years the descendants of the Romanov family ruled Russia.

For a long time it was believed that the execution of the imperial family of Nicholas II was over with the entire royal dynasty. But even today the descendants of the Romanovs live, the Imperial House exists to this day. The dynasty gradually returns to Russia, to its cultural and social life.

Who belongs to the dynasty

The Romanov family originates in the 16th century, with Roman Yuryevich Zakharin. He had five children who gave a large number of offspring that have survived to this day. But the fact is that most descendants no longer carry this name, that is, they are born on the maternal line. Representatives of the dynasty are only descendants of the Romanov family in the male line, who bear the old surname.

Boys in the family were born less often, and many were childless. Because of this, the royal family nearly broke off. The branch was revived by Paul I. All the living descendants of the Romanovs are heirs of Emperor Pavel Petrovich, the son of Catherine II.

Branching of the genealogical tree

Paul I had 12 children, of whom two were illegitimate. There are ten legitimate ones - four sons:

• Alexander I, in 1801, joined the Russian throne, did not leave behind the legitimate heir to the throne.
• Konstantin. He was married twice, but marriages were childless. He had three illegitimate children who were not recognized as descendants of the Romanovs.
• Nicholas I, All-Russian emperor since 1825. He had three daughters and four sons from a marriage with Prussian princess Frederika Louise Charlotte, in Orthodoxy Anna Fedorovna.
• Michael, married had five daughters.

Thus, the dynasty of the Romanovs was continued only by the sons of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. So all the remaining descendants of the Romanovs are his great-great-great-grandsons.

Continuation of the dynasty

Sons of Nicholas I: Alexander, Constantine, Nicholas and Michael. All of them left their progeny. Their lines are unofficially called:

• Alexandrovichi - the line went from Alexander Nikolaevich Romanov. Now live direct descendants of the Romanov-Ilyinsky Dmitry Pavlovich and Mikhail Pavlovich. Unfortunately, they are both childless, and with their passing away this line will be suppressed.
• Konstantinovichi - the line originates from Konstantin Nikolaevich Romanov. The last direct descendant of the Romanovs in the male line died in 1992, and the branch stopped.
• Nikolayevichi - descended from Romanov Nikolai Nikolaevich. To this day, live and alive direct descendant of this branch, Dmitry Romanovich. He does not have heirs, so the line fades.
• Mikhailovich - the heirs of Mikhail Nikolaevich Romanov. It is to this branch that the other Romanov-men who now live belong. This gives hope to the Romanov family for survival.

Where are the descendants of the Romanovs today?

Many researchers were interested in whether the descendants of the Romanovs remained. Yes, this great kind has heirs along the male and female lines. Some branches have already been interrupted, other lines will soon be extinguished, but the hope for survival of the royal family still exists.

But where do the descendants of the Romanovs live? They are scattered around the planet. Most of them do not know Russian and have never been to the homeland of their ancestors. Someone's surnames are completely different. Many got acquainted with Russia solely from books or news programs. And yet some of them are in their historical homeland, they are engaged in charity here and consider themselves Russians in the soul.

When asked whether the descendants of the Romanovs remained, one can answer that today there are only about thirty well-known offsprings of the royal family in the world. Of these, only two can be considered purebred, because their parents marriages under the laws of the dynasty. These two can consider themselves full-fledged representatives of the Imperial House. In 1992, they were issued Russian passports to replace the passports of refugees, for which they lived abroad before that time. Funds received as sponsorship from Russia allow family members to pay visits to their homeland.

It is not known how many people live in the world who have "Romanov" blood in their veins, but they do not belong to the genus, as they happened on the female line or from extramarital affairs. Nevertheless, genetically they also belong to an ancient family name.

Head of the Imperial House

Prince Romanov Dmitry Romanovich became the Head of the House of Romanovs after Nikolay Romanovich, his elder brother, passed away.

The great-grandson of Nicholas I, great-grandson of Prince Nikolai Nikolaevich, the son of Prince Roman Petrovich and Countess Praskovia Sheremetyeva. He was born in France on May 17, 1926.

Since 1936 he lived with his parents in Italy, later - in Egypt. In Alexandria he worked at the automobile factory Ford: he worked as a mechanic, he sold cars. On his return to sunny Italy he worked as a secretary in the shipping company.

In Russia I visited for the first time in the distant 1953 as a tourist. When he was married in Denmark with his first wife, Johann von Kaufman, settled in Copenhagen and there for more than 30 years he served in a bank.

All the numerous members of the royal family call him the Head of the House, only the branch of the Kirillovichs believes that he has no legitimate rights to the throne because his father was born in an unequal marriage (Kirillovich, the heirs of Alexander II is Princess Maria Vladimirovna, who herself claims To the title of the head of the Imperial House, and her son Georgy Mikhailovich, claiming the title of a crown prince).

Dmitri Romanovich's long hobby is the orders and medals of different countries. He has a large collection of awards, about which he writes a book.

The second time was married in the Russian city of Kostroma with Dorrit Reventrow, a Danish interpreter, in July 1993. He has no children, therefore, when the last direct descendant of the Romanovs leaves the world, the branch of the Nikolaevichs will be suppressed.

The legal members of the house, the fading branch of Alexandrovich

Today such true representatives of the royal family are alive (on the male line from legal marriages, the direct descendants of Paul I and Nicholas II, who bear the royal name, the title of prince and belong to the Alexandrovich line):

• Romanov-Ilyinsky Dmitry Pavlovich, born in 1954; - the direct heir of Alexander II in the male line, lives in the US, has 3 daughters, is all married and has changed his surnames.
• Romanov-Ilyinsky Mikhail Pavlovich, born in 1959 - half-brother of the younger brother of Prince Dmitry Pavlovich, also lives in the US, has a daughter.

If the direct descendants of the Romanovs do not become fathers of sons, the Alexandrovich line will be interrupted.

Direct descendants, princes and possible successors of the Romanov family are the most prolific branch of Mikhailovich

• Alexey Andreevich, 1953 b. - a direct descendant of Nicholas I, married, no children, lives in the US.
• Petr Andreevich, 1961 b. - also a thoroughbred Romanov, married, childless, lives in the USA.
• Andrey Andreevich, 1963 b. - legally belongs to the house of the Romanovs, has a daughter from a second marriage, lives in the USA.
• Rostislav Rostislavovich, 1985 b. - a direct successor of the genus, yet unmarried, lives in the United States.
• Nikita Rostislavovich, born in 1987. - a legitimate descendant, while not married, lives in the UK.
• Nicholas-Christopher Nikolaevich, born in 1968, is a direct descendant of Nicholas I, lives in the USA, has two daughters.
• Daniel Nikolaevich, 1972 b. - a legal member of the Romanovs' house, married, lives in the US, has a daughter and a son.
• Daniil Danilovich, 2009 b. - the youngest legal descendant of the royal family in the male line, lives with his parents in the United States.

As can be seen from the genealogical tree, the hope for the continuation of the royal family is given only by the Mikhailovich branch - the direct heirs of Mikhail Nikolaevich Romanov, the youngest son of Nicholas I.

The descendants of the Romanov family, who can not inherit the royal family name, and the controversial applicants for the Imperial House membership

• The Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, 1953 b. - Her Imperial Highness, claims the title of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, the legitimate heiress of Alexander II, belongs to the Alexandrovich line. Until 1985, she was married to Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia, from whom in 1981 she gave birth to the only son of George. At birth, he was given the patronymic Mikhailovich and the surname Romanov.
• George Mikhailovich, 1981 b. - the son of Princess Romanova Maria Vladimirovna and the Prince of Prussia, claims the title of a Crown Prince, however, most representatives of the Romanovs' house rightly do not recognize his right, since he is not a descendant in a straight male line, but the right of inheritance is passed through the male line. His birth is a joyful event in the Prussian palace.
• Princess Elena Sergeevna Romanova (for her husband Nirot), born in 1929, lives in France, one of the last representatives of the Romanovs' house, belongs to the Alexandrovich line.
• Georgy Alexandrovich Yuryevsky, 1961 b. - the legitimate heir of Alexander II, now lives in Switzerland. His grandfather George was an illegitimate son from the connection of the Emperor with Princess Dolgorukova. After the relationship was legalized, all the children of Dolgorukova were recognized as legitimate by Alexander II, but the name was given to Yuryevsky. Therefore, de jure Georgi (Hans Georg) does not belong to the Romanovs' house, although de facto he is the last descendant of the Romanov dynasty in the male line of the Alexandrovichs.
• Princess Tatiana Mikhailovna, born in 1986. - belongs to the house of the Romanovs on the line of Mikhailovich, but as soon as he marries and changes his name, he will lose all rights. Lives in Paris.
• Princess Alexander Rostislavovna, 1983 b. - also the hereditary descendant of the branch of Mikhailovich, unmarried, lives in the USA.
• Princess Karlayna Nikolaevna, born in 2000. - is a legitimate representative of the Imperial House in the line of Mikhailovich, is not married, lives in the US,
• Princess Chelli Nikolaevna, 2003 b. - a direct descendant of the royal family, not married, a US citizen.
• Princess Madison Danilovna, 2007 р. - on the line of Mikhailovich, the lawful member of the family, lives in the United States.

Association of the Romanov clan

All other Romanovs are children from morganatic marriages, therefore they can not belong to the Russian Imperial House. All of them are united by the so-called "Association of the Romanov family", which was headed by Nikolai Romanovich in 1989 and fulfilled this duty until his death, in September 2014.

Below are descriptions of the most prominent representatives of the Romanov dynasty of the 20th century.

Romanov Nikolay Romanovich

The great-grandson of Nicholas I. Painter-watercolor artist.

I saw the light on September 26, 1922 near the French city of Antibes. There he spent his childhood. In 1936 he moved with his parents to Italy. In this country in 1941, directly from Mussolini received an offer to become the king of Montenegro, from which he refused. Later he lived in Egypt, then again in Italy, in Switzerland, where he marryed the Countess Svevadelle Garaldeski, then again returned to Italy, where in 1993 he took citizenship.

"Association" headed in 1989. On his initiative in Paris in 1992, a congress of the Romanov men was convened, at which it was decided to establish a Fund for Assistance to Russia. In his opinion, Russia should be a federal republic, where the central power is strong, its powers are strictly limited.

He has three daughters. Natalia, Elizabeth and Tatiana created families with Italians.

Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich

He was born on August 17, 1917 in Finland, in emigration to the Emperor Kirill Vladimirovich. He was raised by a truly Russian person. He perfectly mastered Russian, many European languages, knew the history of Russia well, was a well-educated erudite person and experienced true pride that belongs to Russia.

At twenty, the last direct descendant of the Romanovs in the male line became the Head of the Dynasty. It was enough for him to conclude an unequal marriage, and by the 21st century the legal members of the imperial family would not have remained.

But he met Princess Leonid Georgievna Bagration-Muhran, daughter of the Head of the Georgian Tsar's House, who became his lawful wife in 1948. In this marriage the Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna was born in Madrid.

He for several decades was the Head of the Russian Imperial House and with his own decree announced the right of his daughter, born in a lawful marriage, to inherit the throne.

In May 1992, he was buried in St. Petersburg in the presence of many family members.

The Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna

The only daughter of Prince Vladimir Kirillovich, a member of the Imperial House in emigration and Leonid Georgievna, the daughter of the Head of the Georgian Imperial House of Prince George Aleksandrovich Bagration-Muhran. Born in a lawful marriage on December 23, 1953. Parents have provided her with good upbringing and excellent education. At the age of 16, she swore allegiance to Russia and her people.

After graduating from Oxford University she received a diploma in philology. Freely speaks in Russian, many European and Arabic languages. She worked in administrative positions in France and Spain.

In the ownership of the imperial family has a modest apartment in Madrid. The house in France was sold because it was impossible to maintain it. The family supports an average standard of living - by the standards of Europe. He has Russian citizenship.

After reaching the age of majority in 1969, according to the dynastic act issued by Prince Vladimir Kirillovich, she was proclaimed the guardian of the throne. In 1976, married with the Prince of Prussia, Franz-Wilhelm. With the adoption of Orthodoxy, he received the title of Prince Mikhail Pavlovich. The current applicant for the Russian throne, Prince George Mikhailovich, was born of this marriage.

Tsarevich Georgiy Mikhailovich

He claims to be the heir to the title of His Imperial Highness Sovereign.

The only son of Princess Mary Vladimirovna and Prince of Prussia, born in marriage on March 13, 1981 in Madrid. Direct descendant of the German Emperor Wilhelm II, the Russian Emperor Alexander II, the British Queen Victoria.

He graduated from the school in St. Briac, then continued his studies in Paris at St. Stanislaus College. He lives in Madrid since 1988. He considers the native language French, Spanish and English fluently, the Russian language knows a little worse. First saw Russia in 1992, when he accompanied the body of his grandfather Prince Vladimir Kirillovich together with his family to the burial place. His independent visit to his homeland took place in 2006. He worked in the European Parliament, the European Commission. He is single.

In the jubilee year for the House, he established a research fund to combat cancer.

Andrey Andreevich Romanov

The great-grandson of Nicholas I, great-grandson of Alexander III. Born in London on January 21, 1923. Now he lives in the United States, California, Marin County. He knows the Russian language perfectly, because always and all in his family spoke Russian.

He graduated from the London College of the Imperial Service. During World War II he served on the naval ship of the British Navy as a sailor. It was then, accompanying cargo vessels to Murmansk, he first visited Russia.

Has been an American citizen since 1954. In America he was engaged in agriculture: farming, agronomy, and agricultural engineering. At the University of Berkeley he studied sociology. He worked in the shipping company.

Among his hobbies are painting and graphics. Creates works in the "childish" manner, as well as color drawings on plastic, which later undergoes heat treatment.

It is in the third marriage. From the first marriage has a son Alexei, from the second two: Peter and Andrew.

It is believed that neither he nor his sons have rights to the throne, but as candidates can be considered by the Zemsky Sobor alongside other descendants.

Mikhail Andreevich Romanov

The great-grandson of Nicholas I, the great-grandson of Prince Mikhail Nikolaevich, was born in Versailles on July 15, 1920. He graduated from Windsor Royal College, London Institute of Aeronautics Engineers.

Served in the Second World War in Sydney in the British Navy's Air Force volunteer reserve. Was demobilized in 1945 in Australia. There and remained to live, engaged in the aviation industry.

He was an active member of the Maltese Order of the Orthodox Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, even he was elected Protector and Grand Priest of the Order. He was one of the participants in the movement "Australians for a constitutional monarchy".

He was married three times: in February 1953 by Gil Murphy, in July 1954 - by Shirley Krammond, in July 1993 - by Julia Crespi. All marriages are unequal and childless.

He passed away in September 2008 in Sydney.

Romanov Nikita Nikitich

The great-grandson of Nicholas I. Born in London on May 13, 1923. Childhood was in the UK, then in France.

He served in the British Army. In 1949 he moved to the United States. At the University of Burkeley in 1960 received a master's degree in history. To study and live, he earned himself, working as an upholsterer of furniture.

At Stanford University, and later in San Francisco was engaged in teaching history. He wrote and published a book about Ivan the Terrible (co-author - Pierre Paine).

His wife - Janet (Anna Mikhailovna - in Orthodoxy) Shonvald. Son Fedor committed suicide in 2007.

Repeatedly visited Russia, visited the estate of his business Ai-Todor in the Crimea. The last forty years he lived in New York until he died in May 2007.

Brothers Dmitry Pavlovich and Mikhail Pavlovich Romanov-Ilyinsky (sometimes under the surname Romanovskie-Ilyinsky)

Dmitri Pavlovich, born in 1954, and Mikhail Pavlovich, born in 1960

Dmitry Pavlovich is married to Martha McDowell, born in 1952, has 3 daughters: Katrina, Victoria, Lelu.

Mikhail Pavlovich was married three times. The first marriage with Marsha Mary Lowe, the second - with Paula Gay Mair and the third - with Lisa Mary Shisler. In the third marriage, the daughter Alexis was born.

At present, the descendants of the Romanov dynasty live in the United States, recognize the legitimacy of the rights of members of the Imperial House to the Russian throne. Princess Maria Vladimirovna recognized their right to be called princes. Dmitri Romanovsky-Ilyinsky was recognized by her as the senior representative of the masculine gender of all the descendants of the Romanovs, regardless of the marriages that they are made.

Finally

About a hundred years in Russia there is no monarchy. But to this day someone is breaking spears, arguing about who exactly from the living descendants of the royal family has a legitimate right to the Russian throne. Some still today demand resolutely the return of the monarchy. And let this issue is not easy, because laws and decrees concerning issues of succession to the throne are treated differently, disputes will continue. But they can be described by a Russian proverb: the descendants of the Romanovs, whose photos are presented in the article, "divide the skin of an unfortunate bear".