ACM Home
HH Prince Michael Andreevich Romanov
Written by Professor David Flint AM
Monday, 22 September 2008
[ Sotirios Mourtzas, the President of the Pan Maniot Union of Australia, Lou Bougias, Nick Triantafillou, HH Prince Michael of Russia - Royal Protector and Sovereign Grand Prior of the Sovereign Order of the Orthodox Knights Hospitaller of Saint John of Jerusalem , Peter Stefanidis and George Bougias at an Investiture Dinner in Melbourne, 2008. ]
HH Prince Michael Andreevich Romanov of Russia, who lived in Sydney, passed away on Sunday, 21 September, 2008.
Prince Michael served in the Royal Navy in the Second World War, including a period in Australia with the Fleet Air Arm.
On the conclusion of the war he settled permanently in Australia and became an aviation engineer. A member of the Russian Imperial Family, and Vice President of the Romanov Family Association, Prince Michael was born on the 15th of July, 1920 in Versailles.
The second child and eldest son of Prince Andrei Alexandrovich of Russia and Donna Elisabetha Ruffo, he was the grandson of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia and a great nephew of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia.
Prince Michael lived with his parents and his grandmother Grand Duchess Xenia in exile at Frogmore Cottage on the grounds of Windsor Castle and later at Wilderness House.
....Russia finally reconciled......
He was the Royal protector and Sovereign Grand Prior of the Orthodox Order of Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem, formerly under the protection of his father Prince Andrei and uncle Prince Vasili.
Earlier this year, Prince Michael presided at the Investiture of new Knights and Dames into the Order. The picture above was taken at the dinner following the Investiture.
On 28 September 2006, in scenes recalling the splendour of Imperial Russia, Prince Michael was an honoured guest at the interment of the Danish born mother of the last Tsar of Russia, Her Imperial Majesty, The Tsaritsa Maria Feodorovna, in the sombre Fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul in the great imperial city of Peter the Great, St. Petersburg.
This was in many ways a final reconciliation of Russia to the terrible wrongs visited upon the Romanov Family and the Russian people for the evils of Boshevism. Their promise of paradise on earth had, as Fyodor Dostoevsky long ago predicted, resulted in a time of madness.
And it was a madness portrayed not as the monstrosity it was, but as something beautiful.
The Prince would have been deeply moved when , just as they did when she had first come to Russia as a young Princess, cannon from the Fortress boomed out in a solemn imperial salute in honour of the Empress as she made her final journey home to her beloved Russia.
...tributes pour in.....
Prince Michael was a dignified and reserved man, with a strong sense of duty, as evidenced by his enlistment in the Royal Navy.
Tributes are pouring in from those who are mourning a great man.
He will be greatly missed.
Mr Bryan Stertern-Gill, the Deputy Bailiff Prior of the OOSJ, Chairman of the Australian Monarchist League (Victoria) and ACM supporter, said:
"HH Prince Michael will be very, very sadly missed. He was our Royal Protector and Sovereign Grand Prior, a committed Orthodox Christian and Constitutional Monarchist. He was a person of great strength, support and love.
" Personally, he was like a mentor to me and a very close and personal family friend. Every time he visited Melbourne he stayed with us and we considered him part of our family. His loss will be greatly felt by all who knew him."
George Bougias ,OOSJ, International Convenor of ACM and member of the AML said:
"HH Prince Michael was one of those rare individuals that reminded us it is possible – and indeed necessary – to live the great ideals in the modern age.
"He was a man of deep faith, tradition and honour but also gracious and joyful. He was always willing to spend time with people and help those in need. His love for both Australia and Russia was immense.
"I consider myself extremely fortunate to have known him and will miss him greatly. OOSJ members and all Monarchists will always remember him, through both our prayers and actions."
The Prince is survived by his widow, Princess Michael, to whom we offer our most sincere sympathy.
It is anticipated, subject to confirmation, that the funeral will be held at 430pm on Monday, 29 September, 2008 at St. Vladimir's Russian Orthodox Church, 31 Robertson Road Centennial Park NSW 2121 Russian Orthodox Church.
