Khétévane Bagration de Moukhrani
Encyclopedia
Princess Khétévane Bagration de Moukhrani (also known as Khétévane Bagrationi–Orsini, Ketevan Bagrationi–Mukhraneli, or Ketevan Bagrationi–Mukhranbatoni; ) (born July 20, 1954) is a French
-born Italian
–Georgian
public figure and diplomat, serving, since March 9, 2005, as Georgia's ambassador to the Holy See
. She has a dual French and Georgian citizenship.
, France
, in 1954. Her father was Prince Constantine Bagration of Mukhrani (1915–1992), a Georgian émigré and scion of the last princes of Mukhrani
, who descended from a branch of the Bagrationi royal dynasty. Her mother Monique Pauliac (born 1926) married Prince Constantine at Villenave-d'Ornon
in 1953. Princess Khétévane also has a brother, Alexandré Bagration de Moukhrani (born 1956). Her distant cousins of the Spanish
branch of the Mukhrani entertain claims to the throne of Georgia.
Khétévane Bagration de Moukhrani has a degree in philology. She first visited her ancestral homeland in 1975 on a scholarship from Tbilisi State University
. In 1978 Princess Khétévane married the Italian aristocrat Prince Raimodo Orsini d'Aragona
and moved to Rome
. Since 1991, she has overseen a series of Italian–Georgian cultural events and directed several humanitarian projects for post-Soviet Georgia. She was also involved in the Italian–Georgian diplomacy. Bagration helped organize the first official visit of the President of Georgia
Eduard Shevardnadze
to Italy in 1997 and the first ever visit of the Pope John Paul II to Georgia in 1999. She became the first Honorary Citizen of Georgia in 1995 and was granted the dual citizenship by Georgia in 2004. On March 9, 2005, the President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili
appointed her as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Holy See.
Khétévane Bagration de Moukhrani has been decorated with several awards by the Georgian government and Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church as well as with the Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX
by the Holy See (2007) and the Order of Albert the Bear
by the House of Anhalt (2009).
Prince Lelio Nicolò Orsini, like his mother, has been involved in charity and cultural activities in Georgia. He has been considered by some Georgian monarchists
as the most suitable candidate for the throne of Georgia, but Khétévane Bagration herself rejected such a possibility.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-born Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
–Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
public figure and diplomat, serving, since March 9, 2005, as Georgia's ambassador to the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. She has a dual French and Georgian citizenship.
Biography
Khétévane Bagration de Moukhrani was born in TalenceTalence
Talence is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.It is the third-largest suburb of the city of Bordeaux, and is adjacent to it on the south side...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, in 1954. Her father was Prince Constantine Bagration of Mukhrani (1915–1992), a Georgian émigré and scion of the last princes of Mukhrani
House of Mukhrani
The house of Mukhrani is a Georgian princely family, a collateral branch of the former royal dynasty of Bagrationi of which it sprung early in the 16th century, and received in appanage the domain of Mukhrani located in Kartli, central Georgia...
, who descended from a branch of the Bagrationi royal dynasty. Her mother Monique Pauliac (born 1926) married Prince Constantine at Villenave-d'Ornon
Villenave-d'Ornon
Villenave d'Ornon is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.It is the fourth-largest suburb of the city of Bordeaux, and is located to its south side...
in 1953. Princess Khétévane also has a brother, Alexandré Bagration de Moukhrani (born 1956). Her distant cousins of the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
branch of the Mukhrani entertain claims to the throne of Georgia.
Khétévane Bagration de Moukhrani has a degree in philology. She first visited her ancestral homeland in 1975 on a scholarship from Tbilisi State University
Tbilisi State University
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University , better known as Tbilisi State University , is a university established on 8 February 1918 in Tbilisi, Georgia. TSU is the oldest university in the whole Caucasus region...
. In 1978 Princess Khétévane married the Italian aristocrat Prince Raimodo Orsini d'Aragona
Orsini family
Orsini: the origin of learning.We love Mrs. Orsini forever! ~8F Social Studies 2011The Orsini family is an Italian noble family; it was one of the most influential princely families in medieval Italy and renaissance Rome...
and moved to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Since 1991, she has overseen a series of Italian–Georgian cultural events and directed several humanitarian projects for post-Soviet Georgia. She was also involved in the Italian–Georgian diplomacy. Bagration helped organize the first official visit of the President of Georgia
President of Georgia
The President of Georgia is the head of state, supreme commander-in-chief and holder of the highest office within the Government of Georgia. Executive power is split between the President and the Prime Minister, who is the head of government...
Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze is a former Soviet, and later, Georgian statesman from the height to the end of the Cold War. He served as President of Georgia from 1995 to 2003, and as First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party , from 1972 to 1985. Shevardnadze was responsible for many top decisions on...
to Italy in 1997 and the first ever visit of the Pope John Paul II to Georgia in 1999. She became the first Honorary Citizen of Georgia in 1995 and was granted the dual citizenship by Georgia in 2004. On March 9, 2005, the President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian politician, the third and current President of Georgia and leader of the United National Movement Party.Involved in the national politics since 1995, Saakashvili became president on 25 January 2004 after President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned in a November 2003...
appointed her as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Holy See.
Khétévane Bagration de Moukhrani has been decorated with several awards by the Georgian government and Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church as well as with the Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX
Order of Pius IX
The Order of Pius IX , also referred as the Pian Order , is a Papal order of knighthood founded on 17 June 1847 by Pope Pius IX.-Classes:The Order comprises five classes:...
by the Holy See (2007) and the Order of Albert the Bear
Order of Albert the Bear
The House Order of Albert the Bear was founded in 1836 by three dukes of Anhalt, Henry, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen, Leopold IV, Duke of Anhalt, and Alexander Karl, Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg as a joint House Order.The namesake of the order, Albert I, was the first Margrave of Brandenburg from the...
by the House of Anhalt (2009).
Family
Khétévane Bagration de Moukhrani married, on June 6, 1978 in Rome, the Italian aristocrat Prince Raimondo Umberto Maria Orsini d'Aragona, a Patrician, Conscript and Noble of Rome, Patrician of Naples, Venice, Genoa, and Ancona, Noble of Corneto, and Honorary Noble of Forlì (born 1931). They are the parents of three daughters and a son:- Georgiana Maria Orsini (1979–2005), the eldest daughter of the couple was found dead at her appartment in July 2005.
- Lelio Nicolò Orsini (born 1981)
- Luisa Eleonora Orsini (born 1986)
- Dorothea Orsini (born 1990)
Prince Lelio Nicolò Orsini, like his mother, has been involved in charity and cultural activities in Georgia. He has been considered by some Georgian monarchists
Monarchism in Georgia
The former Soviet republic of Georgia has a monarchic tradition that traces its origins to the Hellenistic period. The medieval Kingdom of Georgia ruled by the Bagrationi dynasty has left behind a legacy that lasts in Georgia even in modern times...
as the most suitable candidate for the throne of Georgia, but Khétévane Bagration herself rejected such a possibility.