Prince Nicholas Romanov facts for kids

Nicholas Romanovich Romanov (Russian: Николай Романович Романов; 26 September 1922 – 15 September 2014) was a member of the House of Romanov, the former ruling family of Russia. He was considered by many to be the head of the Romanov family after 1992. He also served as the president of the Romanov Family Association.

Nicholas was a direct descendant of Nicholas I of Russia, who was an Emperor of Russia. However, some people did not agree with his claim to be the head of the family. They believed his parents' marriage did not follow the old rules of the Russian Imperial House.

Early Life and Family History

Prince Nicholas was born on September 26, 1922, in Cap d'Antibes, France. He was the oldest son of Prince Roman Petrovich of Russia and Princess Praskovia Dmitrievna. His mother was born Countess Sheremeteva. Nicholas had one younger brother, Prince Dimitri Romanovich.

His family had a long history connected to the Russian emperors. His grandfather, Grand Duke Peter Nicolaievich, was the son of Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich. This Grand Duke Nicholas was a younger son of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia. So, Nicholas Romanovich was part of the "Nikolaevichi branch" of the Romanov family.

Nicholas grew up in France. His family still used the old Julian calendar for their traditions. He learned to speak both Russian and French very well from a young age. His home life was very Russian, with a Russian priest at their local church and Russian staff, including a nanny.

Education and Dreams of the Navy

Prince Nicholas received his education at home in France. His studies followed the old Russian school curriculum. In 1936, his family moved to Italy because they thought the schools there were better.

From the age of 12, Nicholas dreamed of becoming a naval officer. Since there was no longer an Imperial Russian Navy (it was replaced by the Soviet Navy), he decided to join the Italian Navy. His family was close to the Italian Royal Family. His grandmother, Militza, and Queen Helena of Italy were sisters. Both were daughters of King Nicholas I of Montenegro.

Because of these connections, Nicholas began studying with a retired Italian Naval officer. He hoped to attend the Naval Academy in Livorno. However, his dream ended when he developed near-sightedness, which meant his eyesight wasn't good enough for a naval career. He finished his general education in Italy, graduating from a classical high school in 1942.

World War II and Life After the War

During World War II, Prince Nicholas and his family lived at the home of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, the Italian King. When the King left Rome, Nicholas and his family had to hide for nine months. During the German occupation of Rome, Nicholas's grandmother, who was at risk, found safety in the Holy See (Vatican City).

In 1942, the Italian Fascist government offered Prince Nicholas the throne of Montenegro. He refused this offer.

After the war, Nicholas wanted to study engineering at the University of Rome. But the war made this impossible. So, he worked for the Allies in a division that dealt with public information and communication.

In 1946, following advice from King Umberto II, Nicholas and his family moved to Egypt. There, he worked in buying and selling Turkish tobacco and also for an insurance company.

He returned to Europe in 1950 and worked for the Austin Motor Company in Rome until 1954. After his brother-in-law passed away, Nicholas took over managing his wife's farm and business in Tuscany, Italy. He managed this large farm for 25 years, from 1955 to 1980. On the farm, he raised Chianina cattle and produced wine. He sold the farm in 1982 and moved to Rougemont, Switzerland.

Nicholas was born a refugee and was a stateless person for many years. This meant he didn't have a country's citizenship. He traveled using a special letter from the King of Greece. He finally became a citizen of Italy in 1988.

In June 1992, Prince Nicholas visited Russia for the first time. He often appeared in the media to talk about the Romanov family. He gave over 100 television interviews and was in several documentaries.

The Romanov Family Association

Nicholas's father, Roman Petrovich, first thought of creating a family association for the Romanovs in the 1970s. After his father died in 1978, Nicholas found his father's plans for the association. He then contacted other Romanov family members, and they all agreed to create it.

In 1979, the Romanov Family Association was officially formed. Prince Dmitri Alexandrovich of Russia was the first president, and Nicholas was the vice-president. When Prince Vasili Alexandrovich of Russia became president in 1980, Nicholas remained vice-president.

After Vasili Alexandrovich died in 1989, Prince Nicholas was chosen as the new president of the Romanov Family Association. Most male descendants of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia are members of this association. However, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia and her father, Vladimir Kirillovich, Grand Duke of Russia, never joined.

Claims to the Head of the Romanov Family

The Romanov Family Association believes that the family's rights to the Russian Throne were put on hold after Emperor Nicholas II of Russia gave up his throne in 1917. He did this for himself and his son, Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich of Russia. He passed the throne to his brother, Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia. Michael then decided not to become emperor until a special assembly could confirm his rule. Michael's "reign" ended when he was executed in 1918.

When Grand Duke Vladimir Cyrillovich died in 1992, Prince Nicholas believed he was the rightful head of the House of Romanov. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, Vladimir's daughter, also claimed to be the head of the imperial house. She argued that her father was the last male Romanov who followed all the old rules, and others were excluded because their parents' marriages were not considered "equal" by old imperial laws.

Most of the Romanov family recognized Prince Nicholas as their head, except for Grand Duchess Maria. The Almanach de Gotha, a book about royal families, stated in 1944 that Nicholas's parents' marriage did not follow the old family laws.

Prince Nicholas led the Romanov family at the funeral of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II of Russia and his family in Saint Petersburg in July 1998. As the head of the family, he was also present when the remains of the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna were reburied in Russia in September 2006. Nicholas and his brother, Prince Dmitri, had worked hard to convince the Danish royal family and Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow the Dowager Empress's remains to be moved to Russia. This allowed her to be buried next to her husband, Alexander III of Russia.

Marriage and Children

Coat of arms of the House of della Gherardesca

In 1950, Prince Nicholas met Countess Sveva della Gherardesca at a party in Rome. Sveva was born on July 15, 1930. She came from the noble Della Gherardesca family in Tuscany, Italy. She is a direct descendant of Count Ugolino della Gherardesca.

Nicholas and Sveva were married in Florence in a civil ceremony on December 31, 1951. They had a religious ceremony on January 21, 1952, at the Russian Cathedral in Cannes.

Prince Nicholas and his wife had three daughters:

• Princess Natalia Nikolaevna Romanova (born December 4, 1952). She married Giuseppe Consolo. Their daughter is the Italian actress Nicoletta Romanoff.
• Princess Elisaveta Nikolaevna Romanova (born August 7, 1956). She married Mauro Bonacini.
• Princess Tatiana Nikolaevna Romanova (born April 12, 1961). She married Giambattista Alessandri and later Giancarlo Tirotti.

Prince Nicholas and his wife spent seven months each year, usually in winter, in Rougemont, Switzerland. The rest of the year, they stayed in Italy with their daughters. Nicholas continued to use the Julian calendar for family traditions. He was fluent in French, Russian, Italian, and English, and could also read Spanish.

Prince Nicholas passed away in Tuscany on September 15, 2014, at the age of 91. He was survived by his wife, their three daughters, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Titles and Names

Prince Nicholas was known as His Highness Prince Nicholas Romanovich of Russia.

After the Russian Revolution, many Romanov family members stopped using "of Russia" in their titles. They often used a princely title with the surname Romanov. However, his right to this title and even the surname Romanov was sometimes debated.

He was also known as Prince Nicholas Romanov, Prince Nicholas of Russia, Prince Nicholas Romanoff, and Prince Nikolai Romanov.

Awards and Honors

Prince Nicholas received several honors:

• Knight of the Order of Petrovic Njegos
• Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Danilo I
• Knight of the Order of Saint Peter of Cetinje

See also

In Spanish: Nicolás Románovich Románov para niños