Interviewed by Elena Chinkova
(for the Russian original, see: https://regnum.ru/article/3855132)
23 December 2023
On December 23, Grand Duchess Maria of Russia turned 70.
In this exclusive interview with Regnum.ru, the Head of the Imperial House of Russia describes how her life in the West has changed, and tells us if she plans to move permanently to live in Russia. She also shares rare photos from her personal archive, several of which have never before been published.
Regnum.ru: How was your recent visit to Russia on the eve of your 70th birthday? Was it a demanding itinerary, and how often do you come to Russia?
Grand Duchess Maria: Since 1992, when I first visited my homeland, I have made more than 100 trips to Russia. I have visited most regions of the Russian Federation as well as a number of other countries that were once part o the historical Russian Empire. Recently, because of the deteriorating international situation, it has become much more difficult to arrange for travel to Russia. But even so, I visit Russia at least once a year. On this trip, I limited myself just to St. Petersburg and Moscow.
When I was in the Northern Capital, I donated liturgical vessels to the chapel of the cruiser Aurora. They were accepted by Archpriest Alexander Tkachenko, who, in addition to being the head of the Circle of Kindness Foundation, which offers assistance to children with serious and rare diseases and their families, also serves as the priest of the restored St. Nicholas Chapel on board the ship.
In 2017, on the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, I attended a memorial service for all the victims of the Russian Civil War—both Reds and Whites. I think it is important that this tradition of peacemaking and reconciliation continue, and so I try to take an active part in the liturgical life of the Aurora’s chapel as much as I can.
For a long time, the Aurora was associated mainly with the Revolution. But she had a heroic record before that as a ship in the Russian Imperial Navy. And today the Aurora should be regarded as a symbol of patriotism and unity, not division and conflict, as I certainly regard it.
It was also interesting to learn during my visit from Metropolitan Barsanuphius of St. Petersburg and Ladoga about the Church’s efforts to support and engage retirees in social programs and projects. Often people who have retired are still full of energy but do not have ways to apply or direct that energy for the benefit of others. This can sometimes lead to feelings of loneliness and depression.
The Church offers retirees various ways to get involved in activities that need volunteers with precisely their knowledge and experience. I believe that this is an area where the Church can provide extremely useful service to society. We will be very interested to find ways to collaborate with the Church in this work.
And at the Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg I attended the ballet “La Bayadère.” I mention this because I was invited by the famous Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato, who has been the artistic director for the Theater’s ballet company since 2019. He deeply loves Russian culture and was not afraid to remain in Russia.
Regnum.ru: How will you be celebrating your birthday? Should we expect something grand, with the participation of European nobility, as at your son’s wedding in St. Petersburg in October 2021?
Grand Duchess Maria: My son’s wedding was grand only to the extent that it had to follow tradition. We reduced by quite a bit the historical ceremonial in order to bring it in line with modern sensibilities and requirements. And the wedding took place well before all the tragic events that we are now going through.
I don’t especially like lavish celebrations at all. I didn’t celebrate my 50th or 60th birthdays in any special way. Moreover, at this moment, during the special military operation in Ukraine and when so many families have experienced grief over the deaths of their loved ones, a large-scale celebration of my birthday would be completely inappropriate.
I would ask all those who want to acknowledge my birthday to do so in the form of charitable assistance to those in need, and prayer for me and my family.
Ordinary people aren’t infected with Russophobia
Regnum.ru: Has your life in the West changed at all since February 24, 2022? Are there those in your circles who are not infected with Russophobia, who understand Russia’s position?
Grand Duchess Maria: I can’t say that my life has changed because of anti-Russian feelings. In Spain, and in most other countries, ordinary people are not infected with Russophobia. Not because of any great love for Russia, but simply because they have enough problems of their own to worry about. So I don’t really experience issues in my daily life on account of that.
Western statesmen understand that, regardless of how they may feel about Russia, the Russian Imperial House will never become a tool of an anti-Russian policy. I therefore don’t sense any attempts to pressure me from that side of things, either.
Life has, nonetheless, changed. For understandable reasons, the level of anxiety has increased. My heart aches, because once again, as during the years of the Russian Civil War, blood has been shed among the fraternal nations that historically were part of the Russian Empire of the tsars, which extends spiritually and culturally far beyond what the current political borders would suggest.
There are people abroad, including politicians, who assess the situation sensibly and understand that Russia’s position cannot be ignored, that it is unfair to apply double standards to it and try to strangle it with sanctions. We engage in dialogue with everyone and try to explain the current international situation from the perspective of history.
As one European diplomat said about us: “We know the position of the Grand Duchess, we do not share it, but we understand it.” This is a good way of looking at the circumstances generally. It is absurd to expect that other nations would completely take our position and begin to defend our interests over their own. In the same way, it would be absurd not to put our own interests, Russia’s interests, first.
If we look back at history, we will see that conflicts almost never end with one side’s complete and total victory and the other’s complete and total defeat. And when it does, then a phase of revanchism inevitably follows.
But if there is dialogue, if there is mutual respect, then it is possible to reach a compromise that humiliates neither side and is acceptable to everyone, guaranteeing the security of each country and international security in general.
International politics should be like a chess tournament, not like a street fight without rules. Therefore, extremist actions and statements regarding our homeland, attempts to “cancel Russian culture” and other similar phenomena, are unacceptable not only to us, but also to all reasonable people, even if they are our rivals on the international stage.
I pray with all my heart that peace will return to Ukraine as soon as possible. But I am convinced that this peace cannot be established and, in any case, would not be lasting, unless it included assurances for the security of the Russian Federation. Many people in the West agree with me on this.
On moving to Russia and life’s outcomes
Regnum.ru: Do you envision yourself one day moving to Russia, closer to your son and grandson?
Grand Duchess Maria: I am delighted that my son and his family finally have built their own nest in their homeland. I hope that I too might have the same joy they have in this sense. But this is not an entirely simple question, either officially or personally. But there has already been some progress made in that direction. God willing, a living space will appear that can in every way be my Russian home.
Regnum.ru: As a rule, major birthdays like yours invite retrospection. What parts of your incredible life do you look back on with special warmth and pride, and what parts with regret?
Grand Duchess Maria: I feel both reverence and gratitude that my countrymen have kept their love and respect for our House, have shown compassion and understanding about our history and circumstances, and are willing to work together with us for the benefit of our peoples. I felt this even during my first visit to Russia, and since then I have not in any way been disappointed.
I regret that we do not have the means and capacities to do everything we have planned, that we are not able to help everyone who asks for it, that some good initiatives have not been developed due to bureaucratic indifference or because of our own limitations in resources and capabilities.
Even so, as I enter the next decade of my life, I look forward with hope, optimism and faith that God will help us serve and bring benefit to Russia.
Note: Grand Duchess Maria of Russia (born 23 December 1953 in Madrid) is the granddaughter of Emperor Nicholas II’s first cousin, Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich.
She studied at Oxford University. In 1976, she married Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia, the great-grandson of Kaiser Wilhelm II (who took the name Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich upon conversion to Orthodoxy before the marriage). In 1981, their son, George Mikhailovich, was born. In 1985, the marriage ended in divorce.
Grand Duchess Maria is related to all Europe’s royal dynasties. Some morganatic male-line descendants of the Romanovs dispute her dynastic rights.