Leonida Georgievna, Grand Duchess of Russia

Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna of Russia, "Leonida Georgiyevna Romanova" ("Леонида Георгиевна Романова") (born 23 September 1914) is the widow of Grand Duke Vladimir Cyrillovich, Pretender to the Russian throne, as such she is the titular "Dowager Empress of Russia".

The Grand Duchess was born as Princess Leonida Bagration of Mukhrani (Russian: Princess Leonida Georgievna Bagration-Moukhranskaya; Georgian: Leonida Giorgis asuli Bagration-Mukhraneli) to Prince George Bagration of Mukhrani and Princess Helena, née Zlotnicki (1886-1979). She is descended from former Kings of Georgia. She first married Summer Moore Kirby, and had a daughter Helen, who was given the title Countess Dvinskaya by her stepfather. After divorcing Kirby, the Princess remarried Grand Duke Vladimir Cyrillovich, who claimed to be the Head of the Imperial Family of Russia and Titular Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russias from 1938 to his death, and used the title Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna. By him, she had another daughter, Maria, who claims to have succeeded her father as Titular Empress when he died. [ [http://www.imperialhouse.ru/eng/imperialhouse/chipdom/maria.html Website of Grand Duchess Maria] ]

The Grand Duke's marriage to Princess Leonida is controversial; some consider it to be morganatic (though the princess descended from a dynasty that had ruled as kings in Armenia and Georgia since the early Middle Ages, it had been reduced to the status of Russian nobility for over a century prior to the Russian Revolution — Leonida's branch had not been regnant in the male line as Kings of Georgia since 1505. [Cyril Toumanoff, "The Fifteenth-Century Bagratides and the Institution of Collegial Sovereignty in Georgia". Traditio. Volume VII, Fordham University Press, New York 1949-1951, pp. 169-221.] Because of this, the Romanov Family Association considers Maria to be unentitled to claim the throne. However, since Grand Duke Vladimir was at the time the Head he declared his marriage to be equal, legally his marriage would be considered equal Fact|date=July 2007. The Grand Duchess, despite these arguments, continues to use the title of Grand Duchess of Russia and the style of "Her Imperial Highness".

Titles from birth

* "Her Illustrious Highness" Princess Leonida Georgievna Bagration-Moukhransky (23 September 1914–13 August 1948)
* "Her Imperial Highness" The Grand Duchess of Russia (13 August 1948 - 21 April 1992)
* "Her Imperial Highness" The Dowager Grand Duchess of Russia (since 21 April 1992)

She has also used the title HIM The Dowager Empress Leonida and is often referred to as such on her daughter's official website, however, abroad she travels under the title of Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna of Russia.

Citations

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