3 October 2021

Heir to the Imperial throne of Russia marries

The religious wedding of the Tsesarevich of Russia, Grand Duke George, and the former Rebecca Virginia Bettarini, who took the name Victoria Romanovna following her conversion to the Orthodox faith in July 2020, took place in the St. Isaac Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia on 1 October 2021. The civil wedding took place on 24 September 2021 in the Moscow City Hall. 

Grand Duke George Mikhailovich is the only son of the head of the Russian Imperial House, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna and her former husband Prince Franz Wilhelm of Russia. Victoria Romanovna, b. Rome 18 May 1982, is the daughter of Roberto Bettarini and Carla Virginia Bettarini, née Cacciatore. The wedding was announced on 21 january 2021. As far as I understand it the head of the Russian Imperial House has declared the union not to be dynastic.

The wedding was attended by about 1500 people, while 500 attended the gala dinner afterwards. The wedding progran can be viewed at the website of the Russian Legitimist. Please see the blogs Netty Royal and Royal Musings for more details.

UK: Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi

Princess Beatrice of York announced on her Twitter account on Friday 1 October 2021 that her daughter, who was born in London on 18 September 2021, has been named Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi.

While we have to wait for the parents – Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi  to explain the name choice, most observers believe Sienna is a nod to Edoardo's Italian background. According to Wikipedia, the «original usage of the name is derived from the Italian city [Siena] and may also refer to the orange-red colour of its clay rooftops burnt orange». The baby girl Sienna's second name surely is a nod to her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.