The 35th Birthday of the Princess Napoléon

 

Today, Princess Olympia Napoléon celebrates her thirty-fifth birthday!

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Born on 4 January 1988 at Munich, Countess Olympia Elene Marie of Arco-Zinneberg was the third daughter of Count Riprand of Arco-Zinneberg (1955-2021) and Archduchess Maria Beatrix of Austria (b.1954). Riprand and Maria Beatrix were married in 1980 and became the parents of six daughters: Anna Theresa (b.1981), Margherita (b.1983), Olympia (b.1988), Maximiliana (b.1990), Marie-Gabrielle (b.1992), and Giorgiana (b.1997). The family lived between Germany and the United States, where Olympia's father Riprand had business interests.

Olympia graduated from Yale University in 2011 with a B.A. in Political Science. The countess went on to Columbia University in the City of New York, where she emerged in 2015 with a M.A. in Art History. Olympia played on the hockey teams of both Yale and Columbia. While at Yale, she was featured in a university publication wherein she elaborated on her educational experiences: "I am from Austria. I’ve also lived in Germany and Connecticut. I went to boarding school in the United Kingdom and took my gap year in Shanghai, China. Since coming to Yale, I did the Yale-Peking University program during my spring semester sophomore year. Next fall I will spend the semester in Paris." It was during this Paris sejourn that the countess and the prince made one another's acquaintance.

Countess Olympia of Arco-Zinneberg with her father Count Riprand

In March 2019, it became publicly known that Prince Jean-Christophe Napoléon, son of Prince Charles Napoléon and Princess Béatrice of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, had become engaged to Countess Olympia of Arco-Zinneberg, daughter of Count Riprand of Arco-Zinneberg and Archduchess Maria Beatrix of Autria. Jean-Christophe and Olympia have been in a relationship for some years. The prince had proposed to the countess in January 2019 in Switzerland. Jean-Christophe's grandmother, the Dowager Princess Napoléon, resides in Switzerland at Prangins. Jean-Christophe and Olympia married on 19 October 2019 at the Cathedrale Saint-Louis des Invalides in Paris.

Princess Béatrice, Prince Jean-Christophe, Princess Alix, and Princess Olympia.

Princess Olympia Napoléon gave birth to a son, Prince Louis Charles Riprand Victor Jérôme Marie Napoleon, on 7 December 2022 at Paris. Prince Louis is the first child for Prince Jean-Christophe Napoléon and Princess Olympia. The arrival of Prince Louis secures the continuity of the Bonaparte dynasty for another generation.

Our best wishes to the Princess Napoléon on her birthday!

Engagement in the Princely House of Leiningen!

 

Earlier this week, Prince Nicholas zu Leiningen proposed to his girlfriend Stephanie Paukner while the couple were on holiday in Puerto Rico. The proposal was met with a yes!

Born on 25 October 1991 at Philadelphia, Prince Nicholas "Nick" Alexander Karel Friedrich zu Leiningen is the only child of Prince Boris zu Leiningen (b.1960) and the late Millena Manov (1962-2015), who married in 1987. From his father's second marriage, Nicholas has two younger siblings. The paternal grandparents of Prince Nicholas are Prince Karl zu Leiningen (1928-1990) and Princess Marie Louise of Bulgaria (b.1933). The maternal grandparents of Prince Nicholas are Vladimir Manov (1933-2003) and Elly Nedeva Manov (b.1932). The great-uncle of Prince Nicholas is Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria. Nicholas, who attended Sacred Heart University, works as a Logistics Manager at the Interluxe Group. 

Born in 1992, Stephanie C. Paukner is the daughter of Richard W. Paukner (b.1956), a certified public accountant, and Catherine A. Papillo (b.1956), a home economist, who married in 1979. For several years, Stephanie has worked as an emergency room nurse. 

Our best wishes to the couple on their engagement!

Duke of Aosta Announces Return to Italy in NYE Address

Prince Aimone and Princess Olga of Savoy with the Honour Guard at the Basilica of Superga, 2022. Photo (c) Casa Reale di Savoia.

Prince Aimone of Savoy, Duke of Aosta, will be relocating to Italy early this year. In a recorded speech to members of the Unione Monarchica Italiana (Italian Monarchist Union) on 31 December, Prince Aimone, who has lived in Russia for decades, stated that he and his wife Princess Olga, as well as their three children, will be returning to live in Italy with their home being in Milan. The Duke of Aosta noted:

For me personally, next year [2023] will be a very important year because after living for almost 30 years in Russia, I will come back to Italy. My family will already be in Milan in January, so we will have more occasions to meet and organise monarchist events that you all already do, but now with my support and the support of my family. So really best wishes to you! May 2023 be a year of peace, since 2022 has been a tough year, may the international situation be more peaceful, and may Italy not suffer too many consequences because of the rising energy prices and all the problems we are facing, and that the government is trying to face. Hopefully, we will all overcome this together. I wish you and your families a Happy New Year. Thank you. Viva l'Italia!

The 2022 Christmas Card of the Savoy children. From left to right: Prince Amedeo, Princess Isabella, and Prince Umberto. Photo (c) Casa Reale di Savoia.

When Prince Aimone of Savoy and Princess Olga of Greece wed in 2008, their civil marriage was held in Moscow at the Italian embassy. Though the couple's two sons, Prince Umberto and Prince Amedeo, and their daughter, Princess Isabella, were all born in France, the family has made its home in the Russian capital up until now. Prince Aimone is the CEO of Pirelli Tyre's Nordic division, and since 2019 the prince has served as the Ambassador of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to Russia. 

Source: Youtube - Saluto di fine anno di S.A.R. il Principe Aimone di Savoia

Duke of Aosta Announces Return to Italy in NYE Address

 

Prince Aimone and Princess Olga of Savoy with the Honour Guard at the Basilica of Superga, 2022.
Photo (c) Casa Reale di Savoia.

Prince Aimone of Savoy, Duke of Aosta, will be relocating to Italy early this year. In a recorded speech to members of the Unione Monarchica Italiana (Italian Monarchist Union) on 31 December, Prince Aimone, who has lived in Russia for decades, stated that he and his wife Princess Olga, as well as their three children, will be returning to live in Italy with their home being in Milan. The Duke of Aosta noted:

For me personally, next year [2023] will be a very important year because after living for almost 30 years in Russia, I will come back to Italy. My family will already be in Milan in January, so we will have more occasions to meet and organise monarchist events that you all already do, but now with my support and the support of my family. So really best wishes to you! May 2023 be a year of peace, since 2022 has been a tough year, may the international situation be more peaceful, and may Italy not suffer too many consequences because of the rising energy prices and all the problems we are facing, and that the government is trying to face. Hopefully, we will all overcome this together. I wish you and your families a Happy New Year. Thank you. Viva l'Italia!

The 2022 Christmas Card of the Savoy children.
From left to right: Prince Amedeo, Princess Isabella, and Prince Umberto.
Photo (c) Casa Reale di Savoia.

When Prince Aimone of Savoy and Princess Olga of Greece wed in 2008, their civil marriage was held in Moscow at the Italian embassy. Though the couple's two sons, Prince Umberto and Prince Amedeo, and their daughter, Princess Isabella, were all born in France, the family has made its home in the Russian capital up until now. Prince Aimone is the CEO of Pirelli Tyre's Nordic division, and since 2019 the prince has served as the Ambassador of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to Russia. 

Source: Youtube - Saluto di fine anno di S.A.R. il Principe Aimone di Savoia

Margrave Max of Baden (1933-2022)

Margrave Max of Baden at the funeral of his first cousin Fürst Kraft zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

Max and Valerie of Baden at the memorial service of Kraft of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, 2004.

Yesterday, 29 December, Margrave Max of Baden died at Schloß Salem in Germany. The margrave was eighty-nine years-old. Margrave Max of Baden was a nephew of the Duke of Edinburgh, a second cousin of King Michael of Romania, a second cousin of King Constantine II of the Hellenes, and a second cousin of Duke Amedeo of Aosta.

Theodora and Berthold.

Margrave Berthold and Margravine Theodora with Prince Max and Princess Margarita.

Born on 3 July 1933 at Salem, Hereditary Prince Maximilian "Max" Andreas Friedrich Gustav Ernst August Bernhard of Baden was the first son and second child of Margrave Berthold of Baden (1903-1963) and Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark (1906-1969), who wed in 1931. Max joined an older sister, Princess Margarita (1932-2013; married Prince Tomislav of Yugoslavia) and he was followed by a younger brother Prince Ludwig (b.1937; married Princess Marianne von Auersperg-Breunner). After the end of the Second World War, Max attended the Gordonstoun boarding school in Scotland, under the administration of Dr. Kurt Hahn. At Gordonstoun, he was brought up according to the educational principles of the Salem school founded in 1919 by his grandfather, Prince Max of Baden. Max, his brother Ludwig, and his cousin Karl of Hesse attended the 1960 wedding of Princess Margaret to Antony Armstrong-Jones.

Archduchess Valerie of Austria and Margrave Max of Baden, 1966.

On 23 September 1966 at Salem, Margrave Max of Baden civilly married Archduchess Valerie of Austria. The couple celebrated their religious wedding on 30 September 1966 at Schloß Salem. Valerie was the ninth child and seventh daughter of Archduke Hubert Salvator of Austria (1894-1971) and his wife Princess Rosemary zu Salm-Salm (1904-2001). Margrave Max of Baden was a nephew of the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Margrave Max and Margravine Valerie of Baden, 1987. Photograph (c) Getty Images / Slim Aarons.

Margrave Max and Margravine Valerie of Baden had four children: Princess Marie Louise (b.1969; married Richard Baker), Hereditary Prince Bernhard (b.1970; married Stephanie Anne Kaul), Prince Leopold (b.1971), and Prince Michael (b.1976; married Christina Höhne). The late Margrave of Baden is survived by his wife, his four children, and his four grandchildren.

Valerie and Max of Baden at the wedding of Hereditary Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, 2003.

Valerie and Max of Baden in the 1960s. Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse.

The Margrave and Margravine of Baden with Duchess Donata of Oldenburg at the wedding of Duke Paul of Oldenburg in 2001. Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse.

Romanov Christenings Over the Generations

Grand Duchess Maria holding her grandson Prince Alexander at home before his christening.

Two weeks ago, on 6 December 2022, Prince Alexander Georgievich Romanoff was christened at the Transfiguration Church within the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour complex in Moscow. He is the first of his family line to be baptized in Russia (or a territory that formerly comprised the Russian Empire) since his great-grandfather Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich in 1917. 

The Christening of Grand Duke George Mikhailovich, 1981

Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia was baptised on Wednesday, 6 May 1981, at Madrid. Archbishop Antony Sinkevitch of Los Angeles officiated over the service. Grand Duke George received as his godparents King Constantine II of Greece (represented by Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich) and Helene Kirby, Countess Dvinskaya.

The baptism of the eventual heir of the Imperial House of Russia was attended by King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía of Spain, King Simeon II of Bulgaria, Princess Magdalena of Prussia (widow of Prince Hubertus), Infante Luís Alfonso of Spain, Princess Marisol of Bavaria, Prince Bagrat Bagration-Mukhransky, and Prince Georg-Dietrich von Schoenaich-Carolath.

The Christening of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, 1954

Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna was baptised on Wednesday, 3 February 1954, at Madrid, Spain. The Confessor of Grand Duke Vladimir and Grand Duchess Leonida, Father Hegumen Panteleimon, officiated over the service. Grand Duchess Maria received as her godparents Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich of Russia (represented by Prince Nicholas of Romania) and Queen Ioanna of Bulgaria (née Princess Giovanna of Savoy). 

Among the family members who were present for the christening of the grand duchess were the following: Helene Kirby, Prince Louis Ferdinand and Princess Kira of Prussia, Prince George and Princess Elena Bagration, Prince Irakly Bagration, Infante Fernando of Spain, Infante Luis of Spain, Infante Jose Eugenio of Spain and his wife (née Marisol Mesia y de Lesseps), the Dowager Duchess of Montpensier (née Maria Isabel González de Olañeta y Ibarreta Marquesa de Valdeterrazo), Princess Nicholas of Romania (née Dumitrescu-Doletti), Archduchess Ileana of Austria, and Princess Maria Luisa of Bulgaria. 

Several representatives of the Spanish government were also in attendance: don Fernando Suárez de Tangil y Angulo, Conde de Vallellano, Minister of Public Works; Señora de Martín-Artajo, wife of Foreign Minister don Alberto Martín-Artajo Álvarez; and doña Maria del Carmen Casanueva Navarro, wife of don Raimundo Fernández-Cuesta y Merelo, Secretary General of Movimiento Nacional. 

The diplomatic corps were also well represented: the Prince de Ligne, Belgian Ambassador to Spain, and the Princess de Ligne (née Philippine de Noailles); Mr Rubens Ferreira de Mello, Brazilian Ambassador to Spain, with Senhora Ferreira de Mello; Georgi Kyosievanov, former Bulgarian Prime Minister, and Madame Kyosievanov; Mr Collin, Danish Ambassador to Spain; Graaf Willem van Rechteren-Limpurg, Dutch Ambassador to Spain, with Gravin Fay Esmé van Rechteren-Limpurg (née Baroness van Heemstra); Jacques Meyrier, French Ambassador to Spain, with Madame Meyrier; Prince Adalbert of Bavaria, German Ambassador to Spain, with Princess Adalbert of Bavaria (née Gräfin Augusta von Seefried auf Buttenheim); Mr Kimon Diamantopoulos, Greek Ambassador to Spain, with Mrs Diamantopoulos (née Alberta Kirchhof); Ferenc Marosi, Representative of the Hungarian Government-in-Exile, with Mrs Marosi; don Francesco Maria Marchese Taliani de Marchio, Italian Ambassador to Spain, with the Marchesa Taliani di Marchio (née Archduchess Maria Margarethe of Austria); Mr Winter, Swedish Ambassador to Spain, with Mrs Winter; and Mr Lucovic, Representative of King Peter of Yugoslavia.

The Christening of Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich, 1917

Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich was christened on Tuesday, 18 September 1917, at Haikko near Borgo, Finland. Protopresbyter Alexander Dernoff, Head of the Court Clergy and Dean of the Cathedrals of the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg and of the Annunciation in the Kremlin of Moscow, officiated over the service. Grand Duke Vladimir received as his godparents Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich of Russia (his paternal uncle) and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia (née Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; his paternal grandmother). 

In his memoirs, In the Service of the Imperial House of Russia 1917-1941, Commander H.G. Graf, a loyal aide to Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich and Grand Duchess Victoria Feodovorna, recalled the events surrounding their only son's christening: 

"The baptism of Prince Vladimir Kirillovich took place on September 18, 1917, at Haiko. The parents wanted all the customary christening formalities of the Imperial family to be observed. They considered this precaution to be important so as to avoid future complications relative to the rights of Vladimir Kirillovich to the throne. With great difficulties, the Archpresbyter Father Alexander Dernov, head of the Court's clergy, was invited from Petrograd. He was also the father superior of the cathedral of the Winter Palace in Petrograd and the further superior of the 'Blagovestshenskii' (Annunciation) Cathedral in the Kremlin. He arrived with the cantor of the Peter and Paul Cathedral in Petrograd. They brought everything that was needed for the christening ceremony. The christening was recorded in the Book of Births of Members of the Imperial House which Archpresbyter Dernov had also brought with him."

Godmother of Prince Alexander Romanoff Shares Her Memories of His Christening

 

Two weeks ago today on 6 October, HSH Prince Alexander Georgievich Romanoff was christened at the Transfiguration Church within the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour complex in Moscow. Prince Alexander is the first child of HIH Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia and HSH Princess Victoria Romanovna Romanoff. Madame Oxana Girko, one of the godmothers of Prince Alexander, was kind enough to share with me her recollections of her godson's christening, as well as what the Romanoff dynasty means to her on a personal level.

I feel very honoured and blessed to have been chosen as a godmother of HSH Prince Alexander Romanoff. The Imperial Family of Russia has been always an example of dignity, and the highest personal qualities are exhibited by each member of the family. I hope that the imperial family will continue to carry out charitable works and good deeds within the former Empire, which included Russia, Ukraine, and many other nowadays independent countries, bringing peace, prosperity, stability, spirituality, and positive values for the people, regardless of whether the imperial family is on the throne or not. 

 

Oxana Girko and Grand Duchess Maria.

 

The imperial family has steadfastly been an example of important family values for the nation. And this is what I feel is truly vital, especially in our modern times. My ancestors were very close to the Romanoff dynasty during the time of the Russian Empire. And I believe that it is very significant that after the 1917 Revolution, after a few generations, our life paths have come together again. It is a sign of a healing and reconciliation for our world in many ways. I am very grateful to HIH Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia, who decided to return with her family to Russia, in spite of the political difficulties of the 1990s. She is a strong, wise person who exhibits the best qualities of the Romanoff dynasty's DNA.

 

A proud grandmother: Grand Duchess Maria and her grandson Prince Alexander.

 

I personally admire HIH Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna as a person who finds a kind word for every human being that she meets, who connects with and brings together amazing people around her, and who is beautiful and sage. I believe that even her name is a sign from God: the same name as the Holy Mother... The Romanoff dynasty made the Russian Empire one of strongest countries in the world in many aspects: science, culture, etc.

 

 

Grand Duke George of Russia and Princess Victoria Romanoff together with Oxana Girko and her husband Oleg Novachuk attend a soirée for the Assembly of the Russian Nobility in France (ANFR), Paris, 10 December 2021.
Photo (c) Alamy / David Nivière.

 

Today, the Romanoff dynasty helps to foster the traditions of the Orthodox religious institutions of the countries comprising the former Russian Empire, giving aid at different levels. HIH Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna raised her son, the HIH Grand Duke George Michailovich, in the same traditions in which she herself was raised: with love for the Russian Empire and all those peoples who comprised it, with a dedication of following historic traditions, and with a strong desire to care for and assist its peoples. HIH Grand Duke George Mikhailovich has been blessed by God: he met his love match in HSH Princess Victoria Romanovna, who is not only a beautiful and intelligent woman, but Princess Victoria has also been interested in Russian history and culture from her early childhood.

 

Princess Olga of Savoy, Duchess of Aosta, and Oxana Girko share an amusing moment during the christening of their godson, Prince Alexander.

 

Now the imperial family helps people through their charitable foundations. The Romanoff dynasty's goals are to help the sick and those suffering from food shortages, to encourage the endeavors of the creative intelligentsia, and to support many other projects of a spiritual and creative nature. I am blessed by God to have His Serene Highness Prince Alexander Georgievich as my godson. All my prayers are directed to the blessings of God on our planet, to all the peoples of the world, and, in particular, the peoples of the former Russian Empire, for the healing of all historical painful periods, for the restoration of peace and health, the well-being of people and creative processes in the entire global society.

Grand Duke George and Princess Victoria witness the christening of their son.

By becoming parents to our own children, God helps us understand the importance of building a healthy and sustainable future for our descendants, and by allowing us to be godparents, God blesses us with an even higher level of love and responsibility to the generation of our relatives and godchildren. At his christening ceremony, HSH Prince Alexander was very calm: all the godmothers and godfathers emphasized and noted this quality of the newborn Prince Alexander.

 

Prince Alexander at the baptismal font.

 

All of us, Prince Alexander's godparents and his family, rejoiced in the health and peace of mind that manifested itself through this calm behavior of the Prince, despite his baptism into holy water on a cold Winter day. Little Prince Alexander has been blessed by God, and all believers could see and rejoice at this miracle. As Father Michael from Australia, who led the baptism ceremony in English for foreign guests attending the ceremony, said: "Baptism is an opportunity for a person to become a Saint. Prince Alexander Georgievich has been blessed by God with this great opportunity. Let us rejoice and always help to do the will of God on our Planet through our earthly deeds and thoughts."

My upmost thanks to Oxana Girko for her generosity in giving her remembrances about this special and happy event in the life of her godson Prince Alexander Romanoff.

 

May God Bless Prince Alexander and the Imperial House of Russia!