October 09, 2021

A Rare Royal Romanov Wedding


A Rare Royal Romanov Wedding
The last Romanov wedding in St. Petersburg before last week. Public domain Hermitage painting

Grand Duke George Mikhailovich Romanov – yes, there are still Romanovs alive – married an Italian woman in St. Petersburg on Friday, October 1, 2021. Rebecca Virginia Bettarini was baptized in the Russian Orthodox Church last year and took on the new name Victoria Romanovna Bettarini, with the patronymic "Romanovna" strangely suggesting that her father's name is Roman.

The couple wed in St. Isaac's Cathedral in the center of St. Petersburg. It was a traditional church wedding, not a quick ZAGS affair – though they actually did register their marriage in Moscow prior to the big shindig.

There were about 1,500 guests, many of whom belong to the royal families of Europe. Romanov appears in many lines of succession: for example, he is 140th in line to the British throne. Man, a lot of people would have to die...

The royal rings were made by Fabergé. Their nuptial outfits will be donated to the Russian Museum.

The distantly-related-to-Tsar-Nicholas-II groom was born in Spain to Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna Romanova and Prussian Prince Franz Wilhelm of Hohenzollern. Maria Vladimirovna was the granddaughter of Nicholas II's first cousin, Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich. The groom, now 40 years old, grew up in Spain and France. Unsurprisingly, the groom only visited Russia for the first time in 1992 – after the Soviets, who assassinated the Nicholas II Romanov family, lost power in 1991.

Romanov has worked in the European Parliament and the European Commission. Bettarini is the daughter of the Italian ambassador to Belgium, and the couple met while Romanov was working in Parliament.

The couple resides in Moscow, though they probably have properties all over the place. They are now on a honeymoon to see the furthest reaches of Russia by train. We assume they are not traveling platzkart.

You Might Also Like

The Tsar with the Dragon Tattoo
  • May 04, 2021

The Tsar with the Dragon Tattoo

Something you probably did not know about the last Romanov: before he ascended the throne, he got a huge dragon tattoo in Japan.
The Emperor Has No Clothes
  • November 03, 2020

The Emperor Has No Clothes

Unexpected nude photos of Nicholas II appeared online last week, causing quite a stir, despite being more than a century old.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955