Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia and Countess Sophie of Merenberg

[@cathyborrege5373]

Unlike the Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich's morganatic wife Sophie von Merenberg the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich's wife Natalia did not have royal connections and had been twice divorced. The Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich was also the brother of the Tsar, was 3rd in line to the Russian Throne after the sickly heir Alexis & had previously vowed to his brother Nicholas 11 that he would not marry Natalie Brasnova if she were permitted a divorce from her previous husband. The Grand Duke Michael Mikailovich's decision to remain in exile in Britain spared him the lethal consequences of the Russian Revolution which took the lives of dozens of his Romanov relations including two of his brothers the Grand Duke Serge and George Mikhailovich who were executed. The Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich's Great Great Grandson Hugh Grosvenor (godson of Prince William) is the Duke of Westminster, the richest man in the world under age 30 (6 billion) and the greatest landowner in Britain. The Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich's younger daughter Nada married George Milford Haven who was an uncle & sponsor of Prince Philip and who's younger brother Lord Mountbatten acted as a mentor to Prince Philip and Prince Charles.

[@mediocremaiden8883]

That exile saved their lives, though

[@hamishtrishmcdonald7768]

Duke & Duchess of Brasova are my GGG Grandparents by Marriage

[@joeadmire9582]

The Countess of Torby was a bit of a social climber, apparently. After the death of Edward VII, with whom the couple had been good friends, she pestered her husband to get her a British title (a duchy, I believe), which ultimately ended up in an exchange of letters between King George V and Tsar Nicholas II, who had to give permission for the Grand Duke and his family to accept foreign titles. Nicholas, calling Mikhail "that good fool", told his cousin that he had no objection to the couple being inducted into the British nobility. George, however, replied that he had no authority to grant titles to foreign nationals and wasn't looking forward to the interview he would have to have with Mikhail, as he'd have to turn down the Grand Duke's request. It's not recorded what the Countess' reaction was, but we do know that during the last few years of her life their marriage was stormy, causing Mikhail to act out unpleasantly in public.

[@ЮрийБакиев-н7и]

💘💘💘👍👧👍🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺

[@gilbertolara7137]

Nada his daugher was a so bizarre royal...his frenship whit gloria Vanderbilt sr....and her Grand son lord ivar mountbatten married a guy after had a wife...bingo!!