Messages

436

Balkan Royal Families / Re: Tzar Ferdinand of Bulgaria and his family

« on: February 26, 2005, 06:47:38 PM »

Any idea where he IS buried? I saw his brother's burial place, I guess his sisters are buried abroad, I think one married a Wurttemburg prince, and the other died a spinster. Any photo of Kyrill?

437

The Imperial Family / Re: Grand Duke Konstantin (KR) and his family- discussion and pictures, Part I

« on: February 26, 2005, 06:45:14 PM »

Could anyone tell me about Princess Catherine (Ekaterina) Ivanovna Romanova, daughter of Ivan Konstantinovich and Helena Petrovna of Serbia, only daughter and second child of the marriage. I understand she married an Italian nobler in 1937 and is still alive. Could she be the last Grand Duchess born in Royal Russia? I take it she was born in Pavlosk in 1915 so that might make her the last Grand Duchess born there, right? Any idea what she did during her lifetime, where she lives and if she attended the Royal Family's burial in 1998 for example?

438

The Imperial Family / Re: Grand Duke Gavriil Konstantinovitch

« on: February 26, 2005, 06:05:06 PM »

I beg your pardon, obvious mistake But it doens't change my opinion, the question is: Why Gavril? Why no one else?

439

The Imperial Family / Re: Grand Duke Gavriil Konstantinovitch

« on: February 26, 2005, 05:54:00 PM »

I don't know if he was close with Kyrill, but he became a Grand Duke during Kyrill's "reign" (not literally of course, he just claimed to be the reightful heir/tsar), but if they got along well I wouldn't be surprised that Kyrill "paid" him back with the title. Certainly Gavril had no legal right as far as I know, no more than the rest, anyway, but since there was no real tsar to nominate new Grand Dukes, I frankly doubt of the validity of his title. Comments please?

440

Balkan Royal Families / Tzar Ferdinand of Bulgaria and his family

« on: February 26, 2005, 05:35:53 PM »

I have a morbid interest in murdered royals. I know very little on Prince Kyrill, brother of Boris III who was regent for his nephew Simeon II and was finally executed by Communist forces in Sofia in 1945. Can anyone forward any information of his personal life, his political actions..anything?
Thanks
Daniel zu Castell

441

Balkan Royal Families / Re: Queen Marie of Romania--alleged affairs & questioned paternity of children

« on: February 26, 2005, 05:32:13 PM »

As far as I know, only Prince Mircea's paternity is questioned (I think he was born a few years after the rest of his elder siblings and by the time his mother and the King were not on such good terms, thus the question of his paternity. Whoever it was, he died at the age of 3 so genealogically speaking it is not, I think, a very important matter. I cannot say nothing about the others, they all had blue eyes like their parents (except Mircea) and looked like each other really (Princess Ileana certainly had a nose like her sisters!).
Daniel zu Castell

442

Balkan Royal Families / Re: King Simeon II of Bulgaria and his family

« on: February 26, 2005, 05:29:08 PM »

I was in Bulgaria twice three years ago and asked what they think of the whole Monarchy thing. Though all or most of the Bulgarians I met with (which were of all ages and ethnic groups) manifested their hope and admiration for Simeon of saxe-Coburg, none of them wish a return of the monarchy; I think they just see it as an anticuated institution. However, it's good that Simeon's quite popular (he's quite popular here in Spain, where he's lived most of his life). In any case, I think it's interesting that he's now Prime Minister. The memory of his (possibly assassinated) father is also very much alive, and there's always candles lit next to his grave in the fabulous Rila Monastery, buried at the foot of some mountains south of Sofia.

443

Having Fun! / Re: The Romanov You Dislike

« on: February 26, 2005, 05:21:40 PM »

I meant drop in here* Izvinitie  

444

Having Fun! / Re: The Romanov You Dislike

« on: February 26, 2005, 05:19:37 PM »

Wonderful I hope to drop in her often  
Daniel zu Castell

445

Rulers Prior to Nicholas II / Empress Anna Ioannovna

« on: February 26, 2005, 04:50:05 PM »

How did Tsaritsa Anna I Ivanovna's husband, Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Kurland, die of? I know they were married in 1710 in Petersburg but he died on their way back to Kurland the following year on January 21st, which seems very suspicious. I believe Anna I remained in Kurland for a few more years till her accession in 1730.  Can anyone help me to find out what happened to him on their trip back?

446

Having Fun! / Re: The Romanov You Dislike

« on: February 26, 2005, 04:23:16 PM »

It has often been said that "behind a Romanov man there was a Romanov woman"... that is to say, behind every male in the family, there was a woman manipulating him. I think this is extendable to Nicholas II certainly, for he was well and truly under Alexandra's thumb, and to his brother Michael, but especially to the Vladimirovichi (I believe "Aunt Miechen" too frivolous). Andrew and Boris I consider a pair of wasters. Kyrill also fell to Ducky's grip, and if he had had any sense of duty he would have dropped his feelings for her (she was, at any rate, married to her cousin Ernst Ludwig at the time, and her marriage to Kyrill only brought mayhem to the family). Ducky was also one of the worst women in the family. In general however it is hard to say which Romanovs were in any way popular. I'm a true monarchist but I see Nicholas II and most of his predecessors as tyrants, and whatever they did good, they did badly ten times more often. The children I cannot comment on, they had no time to prove themselves as human beings really. In general I think they all liked to indulge in whatever they found amusing, and quite frankly, it's not surprising there's no monarchy in Russia today. However, I'd agree any of the Vladimirovichi is the most disagreeable of all Romanovs, but I don't like Sergei Alexandrovich nor Uncle Bimbo any the more likeable.
NOTE: This is my first message, did I do too badly?