Exclusive interview with His Imperial Highness
Grand Duke George of Russia

Despite the fact that you are a Prince of Prussia by birth, you bear your mother’s surname – Romanov. Now there are a large number of films and TV series, including documentaries about the Romanov family. People are very interested in their luxurious lifestyle and outstanding personalities. Of particular interest is the family of the last czar and their tragic death. How do you feel about this?

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.

There is certainly still nowadays a lot of interest and fascination about the Romanovs. I think this is because the Romanovs ruled over Russia for more than 300 years and left a significant mark on the history of our country and all mankind. The tragic fate Emperor Nicholas II and his family have shocked and marked deeply people around the world, so I believe this interest is quite natural. Moreover, in Russia, our relatives who were executed by the revolutionaries have been canonized, and are venerated in the Orthodox Church, as well as by many families. Certainly, for me it is an honor to bear such an important name and to be a descendant of extraordinary people such as Catherine the Great and Peter the Great who made history. I have been brought up from an early age with the knowledge of the great duties and responsibility that stands before me and how to keep on serving my country and pass this legacy down to the next generation.

Your grandfather gave you the title of Grand Duke of Russia. This means that if Russia remained a monarchy, you would be the heir to the throne after your mother, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, who bears the title of “Empress of All-Russia de jure”. How does this affect your daily life?

Yes, my grandfather granted me the title of Grand Duke of Russia. When he died, according to our dynastic laws, my mother became the Head of the Russian Imperial House, and I became heir (tsarevich in Russian). In general, this role which is part of my life (titles, coats of arms, orders, etc.) is important from a historical and cultural point of view and there are still nowadays many people who are passionate monarchists, who see in us a model or a continuity. But one should be very balanced in keeping his role as Grand Duke separate from his professional life, because to be a member of a royal family means to be the guardian of certain traditions, culture and history. But this does not mean that as many other cousins form other royal ruling or non-ruling families, we don’t live a normal life and work. If one day the monarchy shall be restored the people will always find in our Houses someone that has been educated and prepared to the best of his capacity to perform our duties. Under the present conditions, our activities are completely apolitical and are aimed at developing charitable work, strengthening inter religious and civil peace in Russia, preserving its historical, cultural and natural heritage, patriotic education of young people, and protecting the image of Russia in the international playing field. We see our strategic goal in ensuring continuity in history, combining traditions with the requirements of modernity, as well as to help the causes of the less fortunate. My grandfather Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich and my grandmother Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna, were invited for the changing of the name of Leningrade into Saint Petersburg by the government and the local authorities because they believed it was only right to have the descendants of the Russian imperial family present at such an occasion. Following the death of my grandfather in 1992, we travelled to many of the regions of Russia upon the invitation from the authorities, where we have worked actively to restore Russia’s cultural identity, as well as helping in cultural, historical and charitable projects.

You were born in Madrid. After your parents’ divorce, you lived with your mother and her parents. Your grandmother Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Leonida came from the Georgian royal family of the Bagration-Mukhrani family.

My grandfather, Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich, had a great influence in my formative years, taking the position of a father figure. Unfortunately, he passed away when I was still very young although I can still remember a lot of the moments we shared and the lessons I learnt from him. He was a man of high principles, brilliantly educated, and very dedicated. And most importantly, he selflessly loved Russia and passed this love on to others. My grandmother Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna, who lived much longer than my grandfather and died in 2010, was a model of wisdom and tact. She had the ability to communicate with a variety of people. She knew more about life in post-revolutionary Russia, as she left her homeland only in the early 1930s. Therefore, she helped my mother and me to better understand many aspects of the mentality and life of our compatriots.

From my childhood I was brought up in deep devotion to the Orthodox Church and in the consciousness of my duty to Russia. In our family, there was never a sense of alienation from our compatriots living in the USSR. Even in those years when it was inconceivable to pay a visit to our country, we were always ready for a comeback. And when the opportunity arose, we immediately began organising the path of return, without experiencing any difficulties in communicating with our fellow citizens of Russia as well of countries that became independent but were part of the former Russian Empire. We are helpful in ensuring continuity in history, combining traditions with the requirements of modernity, and be good representatives of Russia abroad.

After your studies you worked for EU Institutions in various positions. Later you became member of boards at different large Russian companies. What have you learnt as a top manager?

After finishing my time in Oxford where I was studying an undergraduate degree in law I was given the opportunity to work in Brussels at the European Parliament. Where at first I was an aide to a member of parliament Ana de Palacio. She was at the time the president of the judicial commity of the EP until the time she was named Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain. Following this I continued my time at the EP with Mrs. Pilar Ayuso who was a member of the commities for environment and industry. Needless to say, quite a change for a law student although this gave me the opportunity to broaden my horizons and understand the inner workings of the European legislative process and the inner workings of the institution.

Eventually I made my way to the cabinet of the Vice President of the European Commission Loyola de Palacio in charge of transport and energy. The European Commission being the executive branch of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation and implementing decisions. This gave me an even deeper understanding of the Institutions and as well as opportunities to develop contacts and bilateral discussions on a variety of projects including partnerships with Russia.

Following my time in the cabinet of the vice president I went on to work with EUROATOM Supply Agency which ensures the regular and equitable supply of nuclear fuels to EU users. Which recently celebrated its 60^th anniversary as one of the oldest standing agencies of the European Union. In the department of safety inspections and technical information I worked on a project to reestablished the exchange of technical information with the Russian state agency ROSATOM.

After this experience as a civil servant in various branches of the European institutions I decided to have a look of the other side of the looking glass so to speak. To understand how the civil society organizations and different industries interacted with the various institutions and the difficulties that arose for some sectors to get there point across or the synergies between the industry and the legislative bodies working together to develop new strategies and legislations. This eventually led me to work for Norilsk Nickel, one of the major Russian companies and a top worldwide nickel producer. First as advisor to the CEO on subjects relating to European integration and relation to the European institutions followed by a presidency of Norilsk Nickel Europe Limited developing further relations with European markets and institutions and developing strategies to develop partnership with the European Union. Later I furthered my commercial development at Norilsk Nickel metal trade overseas in Switzerland as director of their international trade operation, giving me a commercial and trade experience.

My time with Norilsk Nickel was invaluable as it gave me a greater understanding of the workings of one of the largest Russian companies. It helps me to understand the Russian business mentality, their great appreciation of the country and its natural resources in all aspects of operations from the bottom of 4 km mines shaft in the northern city of Norilsk to the top offices in Moscow, London or Hong Kong.  I learnt the importance of being involved with all kinds of employees from the miners to the traders and to the CEO. The company developed cultural and social programs to involve the staff in all areas of its operation because at the end of the day it is like being a member of a great family. What is really important it’s not just the business side or the money but the people and their families.

Now you run your own public relations consulting firm in Brussels: Romanoff and Partners. What is the main profile of your firm?

After all this experience it drove me to open my own firm in Brussels to try and bring together all the elements that I learnt building a bridge between Europe and Russia we began to develop activities on a variety of initiatives for various sectors of Russian business. Unfortunately, shortly after the beginning of this project came into effect the European sanctions against Russia. These made the relations between the Russian industry and the European institutions very complicated to say the least. We still cooperate on different cultural and historical projects. However, after a wile through different contacts and friends I started coming to Moscow more and more often. I still advise on occasions on matters of European institutions and I hope that in the near future more peaceful relations can be restored. In the mean time I  was asked to head some charitable projects in Russia notably FondRus now the largest food bank in Russia with whom we have been very active during the current pandemic and has evolved into a multi-regional affair reaching from the major cities to the Ural and beyond.

I also created my own charitable organization the Russian Imperial Foundation under the patronage of my mother the Grand Duchess Maria. We work closely with the Russian Orthodox Church and various medical centers in Russia and abroad from cancer research to exchange of knowledge and technology. We also work closely with the hospices for palliative care for children in the Russian Federation a difficult and often overlooked side of the medical profession.

A few months ago, you announced your engagement to your fiancée Ms. Rebecca Bettarini. Could you talk about your upcoming wedding and its preparation? How is the COVID-crisis affecting your plans? 

The situation in Russia thanks to the Sputnik V vaccine and to the very good way the pandemic has been handled by the authorities, we have returned to a close resemblance of normality. Restrictions are being softened, and thanks to this we were able to celebrate the ceremony of the conversion of my fiancée Rebecca to Orthodoxy in July 2020 in the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Paul. It was very touching for both of us because that cathedral is the mausoleum where all the czars of Russia and my grandparents rest. We got officially engaged in a really solemn ceremony in January 2021 in the Ipatiev Monastery in Kostroma which is also has significance for Russia and our family. The first czar of the Romanov dynasty was a monk in this monastery before he was elected czar of Russia. The wedding preparation is ongoing. Of course, everyone who organized a wedding knows that there is a lot of preparation, a little agitation, lots of decisions to make. In our case this is even more complicated, because of the pandemic, because of the high number of foreigners, members of royal families, our extended family and friends, which means a lot of protocol is involved. We are glad to receive kind messages of encouragement and congratulations from all our family and friends. Inspite of the general COVID situation we have high level of interest for participation from our guests. We are very thankful to the authorities who are helping us with the organisation of this event and also deeply touched by all the enthusiastic reactions and genuine affection we are receiving from the Russian people. It’s very touching. We will tie the knot in Saint Petersburg, which is a dream come true for me and Rebecca Victoria. We are really glad to show to our very international group of guests the beauty of our country most particularly the magnificence of Saint Petersburg that is called the Venice of the North. The wedding ceremony will be a traditional Russian orthodox ritual, followed by a solemn protocolar reception and dinner in which we hope to showcase the beauty of the Russian traditional arts such as ballet and musical talents.

Your mother gave the title of Her Seréne Highness to your fiancée, who converted earlier to Russian orthodoxy with the name Victoria Romanovna. Originally she is an Italian noblewoman who is your long-time colleague as well as the Director of the Russian Imperial Foundation. She is also a writer with several novels. Is there anything else we should know about her?

Rebecca, or Victoria as she is now called in Russia and I, have known each other since our days in Brussels. We have many friends in common and we coincided at many dinners and events. We were both invited to a reception at the French Embassy in Brussels, while we worked as lobbyist at the European Union. She was there as lobbyist for a well know aerospace company and was working on the European Union’s GPS called “Galileo”. Since then, we became very close friends. At that time her father was the Italian ambassador to Belgium and so she used to invite me to all the receptions. After sometimes I have decided to create a foundation (the Russian Imperial Foundation) and seen how skilled and professional Rebecca was, I asked her to help me out. This brought us even closer and soon we realized that we had a lot of affinities, especially common values, and the similar education. Today thanks to her work and dedication, the foundation has expanded and it’s growing day by day. Rebecca is smart, humble and a highly educated woman who speaks 5 languages and has lived all over the world. She has an incredible open mind and always thinks ahead. Her Italian temper makes her a warm and welcoming person, who is always in a good mood and always thinking positive. I have never heard her complain about anything. This is why everyone loves her. She is also incredibly professional at everything she does and I am always impressed by how resourceful she is. She is extremely brilliant and determined, as an example when the lockdown started, she said: I want to write a book. Of course, I knew she loves writing and for years she did as a hobby, but during quarantine two entire novels were materialized. As the lockdown kept going on, she even translated them into different languages and found a way to publish one (Beauty Queen by Europe Books). As for her duties I mentioned earlier she comes from a family of diplomats which made her grow with a high sense of duty and protocol. Rebecca has shown a great interest in Russian culture and traditions and she has been learning Russian to prepare herself for her role as my future wife. I consider myself extremely lucky to have such a great person at my side, to face the inevitable challenges and also the good times that are ahead of us.

You are really dedicated to charity as well. What are the main goals of the Russian Imperial Foundation? 

The Russian Imperial Foundation is a charitable organization registered in Russia and in Belgium. The foundation is active in several fields such as financing oncological research, we collaborate with the first Russian center for palliative care for children as well as cooperating in various projects with the Russian Orthodox Church including feeding the poor and people in need. We cooperate with other institutions in the area of autism and also help cultural projects in Russia and abroad. We also put in place an emergency fund through which we have been providing support to Russian communities abroad during the pandemic. We also helped the reconstruction of the orthodox hospital in Beirut after the explosion. We have financed hospitals that were struggling to expand their intensive care capacity in the early stage of the pandemic. We have also established a joint cooperation with the foundation of the royal family of Albania to buy shelter houses after the earthquake. The goal is to expand our foundation to a variety of other projects in the near future and collaborate with different foundations worldwide.

We also both work with the Food Bank Rus the first and most important Russian food bank. During the pandemic the Food Bank Rus has helped thousands of families all across Russia by distributing food and basic necessity products to persons in distress. Thanks to our donors such as Unilever, Kentucky Fried Chicken and many more, we managed to provide help. We have expanded to include animal shelters in the target audience of the food bank. This foundation has had an important role during COVID that even President Vladimir Putin has addressed us in a special recognition. I also wish to thank all our volunteers for their continued work and dedication during these difficult times of the pandemic.

Because of the coronavirus you could celebrate your engagement just via online with both of your families. But you have a very extended circle of relatives in other royal courts too. Do you keep in touch with them regularly?

As I mentioned above we have celebrated our engagement in a traditional solemn ceremony in Kostroma. That ceremony was incredibly beautiful and moving. Our parents couldn’t unfortunately be with us because at the time, the frontiers between Russia and the EU where closed and there were no flights in and out. The situation has since improved and we hope that in October our life will be fully re-established and that the frontiers will be open. We have a very extended circle of relatives, yes, and we are related with all the European royal families. As in every family we try to keep in touch with our relatives, some we see more often than others. For example, here in Moscow I see a lot my cousin Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta and his wife Princess Olga of Greece who have been living here for many years and whom I rarely had a chance to see before.

When you are not working or doing your representational duties, how do you spend your days? Do you have any hobbies for example?

I do have to separate my professional life and my duties as a member of the imperial family. However when I have time to relax me and Rebecca really enjoy travelling. We have been to many places including Antarctica, it was one of our most beautiful trips that brought us down to Argentina and then board a ship to spend 12 days cruising around the white continent. I love the sea. Being an avid scuba diver, I have dived in on the coasts of Spain and Italy, in Jordan, and as unusual places like in Easter Island. One of the places I really would love to dive is Egypt to discover the amazing wrecks that can be found there. I also really enjoy practical shooting and target practice. I am an avid reader when I actually find the time to do so mainly on holidays and planes being engrossed in a good novel like the ones Rebecca writes. I also enjoy cinema; I have a great knowledge of American cinema and I am getting quite interested in Russian cinema. Particularly some of the recent big productions and historical movies such as Soyuz 7. I have also started collecting vinyls, as I am a big music fan with a diverse range of music taste, ranging from classical music and opera to rock and roll and heavy metal. We also both enjoy going to antique fairs and markets looking for a good deal like the Ismaelovsko vernissage in Moscow.

Photos: Press Service of H.I.H. Grand Duke Georgiy Romanov of Russia, Chaumet
29th of April, 2021