Prince Dimitri Romanov
Encyclopedia
Prince Dimitri Romanovich Romanov (born 4 March 1926) is a Russian prince, philanthropist and author. He is also the heir to the prerogatives of Nicholas Romanov, Prince of Russia a claimant to headship of the Imperial House of Russia.
in France, the second son of Prince Roman Petrovich of Russia
and his wife Countess Praskovia Sheremetev
a. Prince Dimitri has an older brother Prince Nicholas Romanovich. Their father Prince Roman Petrovich was the only son of Grand Duke Peter Nikolaevich of Russia and his wife Princess Milica of Montenegro. Prince Dimitri's grandfather was the younger son of Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia and Duchess Alexandra of Oldenburg. His great grandfather Nicholas Nikolaevich, a younger son of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia
and his Empress, Princess Charlotte of Prussia
, founded the Nikolaevichi branch of the Russian Imperial Family.
Prince Dimitri spent the first ten years of his life in Antibes, France where he received a traditional Russian education. In 1936 his family moved to Italy
where he continued his education and for a time he lived at the Royal Palace
in Rome. His family moved again in 1946 this time to Egypt
where they lived for a number of years before returning to Italy. In 1960 he moved to Denmark
where he worked for a number of banks including the Danske Bank
where he was an executive until his retirement in 1993.
Prince Dimitri has been married twice. His first wife was Johanna von Kauffmann (1936–1989) whom he married in Copenhagen
on 21 January 1959. After being widowed in 1989, Prince Dimitri married Dorrit Reventlow (born 1942) in Kostroma
on 28 July 1993. His second marriage was the first time a Romanov had been married in Russia since the fall of the dynasty. Prince Dimitri has no children from either marriage.
Prince Dimitri is fluent in Russian, French, English, Danish
and Italian.
Prince Dimitri is also the Chairman of the Prince Dimitri Romanov Charity Fund which he founded in 2006.
since 1979 the year of its creation and currently serves as a committee member. In July 1998, he joined other members of the Imperial family in St. Petersburg to attend the funeral of the last Russian Emperor, Nicholas II
and his family. In March 2003 the then Bulgarian Prime Minister, and former Tsar, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
invited Prince Dimitri to attend events celebrating the liberation of Bulgaria
from Ottoman rule during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878.
In September 2006 after a successful lobbying campaign of the Danish royal family
and President Vladimir Putin
of Russia, Prince Dimitri arranged for the remains of Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna to be moved from Denmark
, where she died in exile, to Russia so she could be buried alongside her husband Emperor Alexander III
. After attending the divine service for Maria Feodorovna at the Roskilde Cathedral
in Denmark, Prince Dimitri accompanied her remains on the Danish naval ship that transferred them to Russia. After their arrival, Prince Dimitri with other members of the Imperial family attended the reburial service in Russia.
As a descendant of the Electress Sophia of Hanover he is also in the Line of succession to the British throne
.
N.B. Since the Russian revolution members of the Imperial family have tended to drop the territorial designation “of Russia” and use the princely title with the surname Romanov while keeping the appropriate style. However this title, and even his right to the surname Romanov are disputed by some.
Prince Dimitri has been awarded the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
, and the Montenegrin orders of Saint Peter of Cetinje
, Petrović-Njegoš
and Prince Danilo I
. He has also been decorated with Bulgarian orders and a Russian medal in honour of the 300th Anniversary of St Petersburg. On 20 June 2011 the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
presented him with the Order of Friendship
.
Early life, career and marriages
Prince Dimitri Romanovich was born in Cap d'Antibes near AntibesAntibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
in France, the second son of Prince Roman Petrovich of Russia
Prince Roman Petrovich of Russia
Prince Roman Petrovich of Russia was a member of the House of Romanov.-Russian prince:Prince Roman Petrovich was born in the Peterhof Palace in St. Petersburg the only son of Grand Duke Peter Nikolaevich of Russia and his wife Princess Milica of Montenegro...
and his wife Countess Praskovia Sheremetev
Sheremetev
The Sheremetev family was one of the wealthiest and most influential noble families of Russia.The family held many high commanding ranks in the Russian military, governorships and eventually the rank of Count of the Russian Empire...
a. Prince Dimitri has an older brother Prince Nicholas Romanovich. Their father Prince Roman Petrovich was the only son of Grand Duke Peter Nikolaevich of Russia and his wife Princess Milica of Montenegro. Prince Dimitri's grandfather was the younger son of Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia and Duchess Alexandra of Oldenburg. His great grandfather Nicholas Nikolaevich, a younger son of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia
Nicholas I of Russia
Nicholas I , was the Emperor of Russia from 1825 until 1855, known as one of the most reactionary of the Russian monarchs. On the eve of his death, the Russian Empire reached its historical zenith spanning over 20 million square kilometers...
and his Empress, Princess Charlotte of Prussia
Alexandra Fyodorovna (Charlotte of Prussia)
Alexandra Feodorovna, born Princess Charlotte of Prussia , was Empress consort of Russia. She was the wife of Tsar Nicholas I, and mother of Tsar Alexander II.-Princess of Prussia:...
, founded the Nikolaevichi branch of the Russian Imperial Family.
Prince Dimitri spent the first ten years of his life in Antibes, France where he received a traditional Russian education. In 1936 his family moved to Italy
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...
where he continued his education and for a time he lived at the Royal Palace
Quirinal Palace
The Quirinal Palace is a historical building in Rome, Italy, the current official residence of the President of the Italian Republic. It is located on the Quirinal Hill, the tallest of the seven hills of Rome...
in Rome. His family moved again in 1946 this time to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
where they lived for a number of years before returning to Italy. In 1960 he moved to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
where he worked for a number of banks including the Danske Bank
Danske Bank
Danske Bank is a Danish bank. The name literally means "Danish Bank" It was founded 5 October 1871 as Den Danske Landmandsbank, Hypothek- og Vexelbank i Kjøbenhavn ....
where he was an executive until his retirement in 1993.
Prince Dimitri has been married twice. His first wife was Johanna von Kauffmann (1936–1989) whom he married in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
on 21 January 1959. After being widowed in 1989, Prince Dimitri married Dorrit Reventlow (born 1942) in Kostroma
Kostroma
Kostroma is a historic city and the administrative center of Kostroma Oblast, Russia. A part of the Golden Ring of Russian towns, it is located at the confluence of the Volga and Kostroma Rivers...
on 28 July 1993. His second marriage was the first time a Romanov had been married in Russia since the fall of the dynasty. Prince Dimitri has no children from either marriage.
Prince Dimitri is fluent in Russian, French, English, Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
and Italian.
Charity work
Since his retirement Prince Dimitri has been involved in a number of charitable endeavours. In June 1992 he was one of seven Romanov princes who met in Paris where they decided to create the Romanov Fund for Russia with the task of carrying out charitable acts in post communist Russia. He visited Russia in July 1993 on a fact finding mission to decide on what areas the charity should focus on. Prince Dimitri has served as Chairman of the Romanov Fund for Russia since its creation.Prince Dimitri is also the Chairman of the Prince Dimitri Romanov Charity Fund which he founded in 2006.
Russian prince
Prince Dimitri has been a member of the Romanov Family AssociationRomanov Family Association
The Romanov Family Association, Obyedineniye Chlenov Roda Romanovykh , is an organization for male-line descendants of Emperor Paul I of Russia...
since 1979 the year of its creation and currently serves as a committee member. In July 1998, he joined other members of the Imperial family in St. Petersburg to attend the funeral of the last Russian Emperor, Nicholas II
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
and his family. In March 2003 the then Bulgarian Prime Minister, and former Tsar, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
Simeon Borisov of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Tsar Simeon II or Simeon II of Bulgaria is an important political and royal figure in Bulgaria...
invited Prince Dimitri to attend events celebrating the liberation of Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
from Ottoman rule during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878.
In September 2006 after a successful lobbying campaign of the Danish royal family
Danish Royal Family
The Danish Royal Family includes the Queen of Denmark and her family. All members except the Queen hold the title of Prince/Princess of Denmark with the style of His/Her Royal Highness or His/Her Highness. The Queen is styled Her Majesty. The Queen and her siblings belong to the House of...
and President Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
of Russia, Prince Dimitri arranged for the remains of Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna to be moved from Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, where she died in exile, to Russia so she could be buried alongside her husband Emperor Alexander III
Alexander III of Russia
Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov , historically remembered as Alexander III or Alexander the Peacemaker reigned as Emperor of Russia from until his death on .-Disposition:...
. After attending the divine service for Maria Feodorovna at the Roskilde Cathedral
Roskilde Cathedral
Roskilde Cathedral , in the city of Roskilde on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheran Church of Denmark. The first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick, it encouraged the spread of the Brick Gothic style throughout Northern Europe...
in Denmark, Prince Dimitri accompanied her remains on the Danish naval ship that transferred them to Russia. After their arrival, Prince Dimitri with other members of the Imperial family attended the reburial service in Russia.
As a descendant of the Electress Sophia of Hanover he is also in the Line of succession to the British throne
Line of succession to the British Throne
The line of succession to the British throne is the ordered sequence of those people eligible to succeed to the throne of the United Kingdom and the other 15 Commonwealth realms. By the terms of the Act of Settlement 1701, the succession is limited to the descendants of the Electress Sophia of...
.
Title, styles and honours
- His Highness Prince Dimitri Romanovich of Russia
N.B. Since the Russian revolution members of the Imperial family have tended to drop the territorial designation “of Russia” and use the princely title with the surname Romanov while keeping the appropriate style. However this title, and even his right to the surname Romanov are disputed by some.
Prince Dimitri has been awarded the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
, and the Montenegrin orders of Saint Peter of Cetinje
Order of Saint Peter of Cetinje
The Order of Saint Peter of Cetinje is the first dynastic of the Royal House of Petrović-Njegoš. The Order was introduced by King Nikola I of Montenegro in 1869....
, Petrović-Njegoš
Order of Petrovic Njegos
The Order of Petrović Njegoš was founded by King Nikola I of Montenegro in 1896 to commemorate the 200 years of rule of the Royal House of Petrović-Njegoš....
and Prince Danilo I
Order of Prince Danilo I
The Order of Prince Danilo I of Montenegro was an order of the Principality, and later Kingdom, of Montenegro...
. He has also been decorated with Bulgarian orders and a Russian medal in honour of the 300th Anniversary of St Petersburg. On 20 June 2011 the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
presented him with the Order of Friendship
Order of Friendship
The Order of Friendship is a state decoration of Russia established by decree # 442 of March 2, 1994 of the President of the Russian Federation....
.