Prince Andrew Romanov

Full name
	Andrew Andreevich Romanov

Andrew Andreevich
Andrew Andreevich
	Prince of Russia
Head of the House of Romanov (disputed)
Tenure	31 December 2016 –
Predecessor	Prince Dimitri Romanovich
Heir apparent	Prince Alexis Andreevich
Born	21 January 1923 (age 96); London, England
Spouse	Elena Dourneva; Kathleen Norris; Inez Storer (m.1987)
Issue	Prince Alexis Andreevich; Prince Peter Andreevich; Prince Andrew Andreevich
Full name
	Andrew Andreevich Romanov
House	Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
Father	Prince Andrei Alexandrovich of Russia
Mother	Donna Elisabetta Sasso-Ruffo, Princess of San-Antimo
Religion	Russian Orthodox Church

Last updated December 10, 2019

Prince Andrew Andreevich Romanov (born 21 January 1923) is a Russian American artist and author. He is a grand-nephew of Russia's last Tsar, Nicholas II. He is a great-great-grandson in the male line of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia.

Family bonds

Prince Andrew Andreevich belongs to the fourth branch of the Mikhailovich line of the House of Romanov. He is the great-great-grandson of Emperor Nicholas I and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna in a straight male line. Through his grandmother, Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, he is a great-grandson of Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna.

On the paternal side, Andrew Andreevich is related to the Danish Royal Family, the Greek Royal Family, the Leiningen Family and the House of Baden. On his mother's side, he is a descendant of the now-extinct line of the Dukes of Sasso-Ruffo (the former rulers of Bagnara),^{[ citation needed ]} and also a descendant of Russian noble families, including the Meshcherskys, Stroganovs and the barons von Vietinghoff.^[1] He is a distant relative of Queen Paola of Belgium, born princess Ruffo di Calabria.^{[ citation needed ]}

Childhood and education

Prince Andrew Andreevich was born on 21 January 1923 in London, England, in the family of Prince Andrei Alexandrovich of Russia (1897–1981) and his first wife Princess Elizabeth Fabricievna, née Duchess of Sasso-Ruffo and Princess of San-Antimo.^[2] His godfather was the future King Edward VIII.^[3]

The third child and youngest son in the family, Andrew Andreevich spent his childhood with his sister and brother in the guest house of Windsor Castle, granted to his family by King George V. Up to 12 years of age, Andrew Andreevich studied at home and received a private traditional education, characteristic for the House of Romanov. Then he studied at the Imperial Service College.

World War II

In 1942, at the height of World War II, he entered the British Navy. He refused to accept an officer's post, preferring to be a simple sailor. He served on the light cruiser HMS Sheffield under the command of Admiral Sir Cecil Harcourt. He took part in the Arctic convoys and often sailed to Murmansk, where he performed the duties of an interpreter. Prince Andrew Andreevich became the first of the Romanovs to visit Russia after the revolution and the overthrow of their dynasty. He also took part in the Battle of the Atlantic, the Operation Torch and the landing of the Allies in Normandy. At the end of the war, he was serving in the Pacific Ocean. After demobilisation in 1946, he returned to England.

Life in America

After the end of war, Andrew Andreevich became an intern on an English farm in Kent to obtain the profession of an agronomist. He also worked in a special garden near London. Finding no further prospects in Europe, after the invitation in 1949 of his uncle Prince Vasily Alexandrovich, along with his cousin Prince Nikita Nikitich, and having only 800 dollars in his pocket, he immigrated to the United States on a cargo ship carrying racehorses, pigeons and eight passengers.

After settling in California, he started working in a store, then worked with his uncle at California Packing, where he grew tomatoes on hydroponics and worked on the introduction of new varieties of vegetables.^[4] He studied sociology and criminology at the University of California at Berkeley. Then he worked as a broker in a shipping company and spent three years in Japan and Korea. Returning to San Francisco, Andrew Andreevich became an agent for the sale of real estate. He also worked as a simple employee and designer. He became a naturalised US citizen on 20 December 1954.^[1] After the death of his second wife, he moved to the city of Inverness, Marin County, California, where he worked as a carpenter and joiner and later was engaged in a jewellery business.

He began to draw as a primitive artist, without formal art education, drawing pictures by intuition and relying on imagination. Andrew Andreevich also engaged in artistic photography. After retirement, he devoted himself entirely to art. On his preferred medium of Shrinky Dinks (plastic sheets that shrink by two-thirds when cooked in an oven), he draws and paints, shrinks the inimitable scenes, then mounts them on painted panels. Andrew's artwork is firmly rooted in the traditions of American folk art. His work typically depicts personal memories, impressions of American news, culture, and scenes of domestic life.

Currently, Andrew Andreevich lives with his wife, the American painter Inez Storer, in Inverness. They reside in a house that is 110 years old, during which time it has been a tourist hotel and a private home. In 2007, he released an autobiography called The Boy Who Would Be Tsar, which is illustrated with his artwork. His work has been exhibited worldwide, including recent exhibitions at Gallery 16 in San Francisco.

Marriages and children

Prince Andrew has been married three times. He was married firstly in San Francisco on 9 September 1951 to Elena Konstantinovna Dourneva (5 May 1927, Tokyo – 31 May 1992, Oakland). She was the only daughter of Konstantin Afanasievich Durnev (1896–1970) and Felixa Stanislavovna Zapalsky (1903–2002). They had one son before divorcing in 1959:

Prince Alexis Andreevich Romanov (born 27 April 1953, San Francisco). He graduated from St. Mary's High School in San Francisco, and then studied at the University of California, Berkeley. Currently, he owns a company which provides accounting and fiduciary services to individuals. He married on 19 September 1987 in Oakland, California, to Zoetta "Zoe" Leisy (born 25 November 1956, Memphis, Tennessee), daughter of Robert Leisy and Ellen Telfer. No issue. Prince Alexis Andreevich is heir to his father for supremacy in the House of Romanov.

He was married secondly in San Francisco on 21 March 1961 to Kathleen Norris (1 March 1935, San Francisco – 8 December 1967, San Francisco). She was a granddaughter of American authors Kathleen Norris and Charles Gilman Norris. She died after pneumonia. They had two children:

Prince Peter Andreevich Romanov (born 21 November 1961, San Francisco). He worked as an auto mechanic. His current job is also related to cars. He married on 2 May 2009 in Marin County, California, to Barbara Anne Jurgens (born 1968). No issue. He is second in the line of succession to the title of the head of the Romanov Family.
Prince Andrew Andreevich Romanov (born 20 February 1963, San Francisco). He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley and works as a Project Manager. He married on 12 July 1986 in Point Reyes Station, California, to Elizabeth Flores (born 25 April 1964, San Francisco). She is a daughter of Armando Flores and Cecil Sherrod. He is third in the line of succession to the title of the head of the Romanov Family. They have one daughter:
- Princess Natasha Catherine Romanov (born 2 February 1993, Greenbrae, California). She graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2016 with honours in Psychology.

He was married thirdly on 17 December 1987 in Reno, Nevada, to the American artist Inez Storer (née Bachelin; born 11 October 1933, Santa Monica, California). She is a daughter of Franz Bachelin and Anita Hirschfeld.

Title and style

His Highness Prince Andrew Andreevich of Russia.

N.B. Since the Russian revolution members of the Imperial family have tended to drop the territorial designation "of Russia" and use the princely title with the surname Romanov.^[5] However this title, and even his right to the surname Romanov are disputed by some.^[6]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Prince Andrew Romanov

16. Nicholas I of Russia

8. Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia

17. Princess Charlotte of Prussia

4. Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia

18. Leopold, Grand Duke of Baden

9. Princess Cecilie of Baden

19. Princess Sophie of Sweden

2. Prince Andrey Alexandrovich of Russia

20. Alexander II of Russia

10. Alexander III of Russia

21. Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine

5. Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia

22. Christian IX of Denmark

11. Princess Dagmar of Denmark

23. Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel

1. Prince Andrew Andreyevich of Russia

24. Girolamo Ruffo, Duke of Bagnara

12. Girolamo Ruffo dei Duchi di Bagnara

25. Nicoletta Filangieri dei Principi di Cutò

6. Frabrizio Ruffo, Duke of Sasso Ruffo

26. Giacomo Filomarino, Prince of Rocca d'Aspro

13. Elena Filomarino dei Principi della Rocca d'Aspro

27. Rosa Cattaneo della Volta, Marquise of Montescaglioso

3. Elisabetta Ruffo dei Duchi di Sasso Ruffo

28. Prince Vasily Ivanovich Meshchersky

14. Prince Alexander Vasilyevich Meshchersky

29. Baroness Charlotte von Vietinghoff genannt Scheel

7. Princess Natalya Alexandrovna Meshcherskaya

30. Count Sergey Grigoryevich Stroganov

15. Countess Elizaveta Sergeyevna Stroganova

31. Countess Natalya Pavlovna Stroganova

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References

1 2 Lundy, Darryl. "The Peerage" . Retrieved 3 October 2007.
↑ Almanach de Gotha. Gotha: Justus Perthes. 1944. p. 113.
↑ van der Kiste, John; Coryne Hall (2004). Once A Grand Duchess. Sutton Publishing. p. 209. ISBN 0-7509-3521-9.
↑ Liberatore, Paul (22 January 2007). "Liberatore at Large: Shrinky Dink autobiography tells the storybook life of a Russian prince in Inverness". Archived from the original on 5 June 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
↑ Almanach de Gotha (186th ed.). 2003. p. 314. ISBN 0-9532142-4-9.
↑ "Dynastic Succession". imperialhouse.ru. Archived from the original on 9 June 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.

External links

Titles in pretence
Prince Andrew Romanov House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov Cadet branch of the House of Oldenburg Born: 21 January 1923
Preceded by Prince Dimitri Romanovich	Head of the House of Romanov (disputed) 31 December 2016 – present	Incumbent Heir: Prince Alexis Andreevich

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[Lundy-1] 1 2 Lundy, Darryl. "The Peerage" . Retrieved 3 October 2007.

[2] Almanach de Gotha. Gotha: Justus Perthes. 1944. p. 113.

[3] van der Kiste, John; Coryne Hall (2004). Once A Grand Duchess. Sutton Publishing. p. 209. ISBN 0-7509-3521-9.

[4] Liberatore, Paul (22 January 2007). "Liberatore at Large: Shrinky Dink autobiography tells the storybook life of a Russian prince in Inverness". Archived from the original on 5 June 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2007.

[5] Almanach de Gotha (186th ed.). 2003. p. 314. ISBN 0-9532142-4-9.

[6] "Dynastic Succession". imperialhouse.ru. Archived from the original on 9 June 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.

v t e Princes of Russia
1st generation	Prince Vladimir Kirillovich (later Grand Duke*) John Konstantinovich Gabriel Constantinovich Constantine Constantinovich Oleg Konstantinovich Igor Constantinovich George Konstantinovich Roman Petrovich Andrew Alexandrovich Feodor Alexandrovich Nikita Alexandrovich Dmitri Alexandrovich Rostislav Alexandrovich Vasili Alexandrovich
2nd generation	Vsevolod Ivanovich Nicholas Romanov* Dmitri Romanovich* Michael Andreevich* Andrew Andreevich* Michael Feodorovich* Nikita Nikitich* Alexander Nikitich* Rostislav Rostislavovich* Nicholas Rostislavovich*
3rd generation	Alexis Andreevich* Peter Andreevich* Andrew Andreevich* Michael Mikhailovich* Feodor Nikitich* Rostislav Rostislavovich* Nikita Rostislavovich* Nicholas Christopher* Daniel Joseph*
4th generation	Michael Rostislavovich* Cory Christopher* Jackson Daniel*
*right to title disputed

v t e Pretenders to the Russian imperial throne and heads of the House of Romanov since 1917
Nicholas II (1917–1918) vacant (1918–1924) Kirill (1924–1938) Vladimir (1938–1992)
Nicolaievich line	Nicholas (1992–2014) Dimitri (2014–2016) Andrew (since 2016)
Vladimirovich line	Maria (since 1992)
Leiningen line	Nikolai (since 2013)