The Russian Imperial Union Order (RIUO) has prepared a video of the visit of HIH the Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna's visit to the United States in 2010.

© Russian Imperial Union Order. 16 December, 2011

A monument to Emperor Alexander III was erected in the Siberian city of Irkutsk marking the end of construction on the Trans-Siberian Railroad. This monument was originally unveiled on 30 August, 1908. The sides of the monument were decorated with bronze sculptural portraits of historic figures who left their mark on the history of Siberia, as well as the tsar's edict on the construction of the Trans-Siberian, the coat of arms of Siberia and Irkutsk. In 1920, the statue was removed from its pedestal by the Bolsheviks. In 2003, the statue was reinstated marking the centenary of the historic rail line that connected the vast Russian empire.

© Royal Russia. 15 December, 2011

A pair of gold cufflinks decorated with photos of the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich at different ages (about 1888 and 1898) were sold this week at a Geneva auction for 66,000 CHF (Swiss Francs).

The unique set of cufflinks, decorated with diamonds and peridot, were from the collection of Ferdinand Thormeyer, Swiss tutor to the children of Emperor Alexander III.

On his return to Switzerland, Thormeyer took with him many gifts and photographs of the Russian Imperial family.

© Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia. 14 December, 2011

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More than 300 rare photographs of the Romanov family went under the hammer in Geneva on Monday, fetching 1.6 million Swiss Francs or 1.73 millions USD.

Experts attribute the auction's success to the fact that the photos had never been published before, and that many had been signed by members of the Russian Imperial family.

© Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia. 13 December, 2011

A unique photographic exhibition, Charity Under the Auspices of the Romanov Dynasty opened last week in Moscow.

The exhibit includes more than 100 photographs that show members of the Russian Imperial family involved and working with various charities for the benefit of the people.

Among the most actively involved were the Empresses Maria Alexandrovna, Maria Feodorovna and Alexandra Feodorovna, as well as Grand Duchesses Olga Alexandrovna and Elizabeth Feodorovna.

Many members of the Russian Imperial family built and founded charities, orphanages, almshouses, at their own expense and became active patrons of these institutions. As the ruling dynasty, many felt a moral obligation to reach out to those less fortunate.

The photographs depict the Romanovs at charity functions, including bazaars and concerts; working at clinics, hospitals, hospital trains, hospitals and orphanages. Many portraits are also featured, including members of the Russian Imperial family, doctors, medical staff, honourary trustees, hospital and hospice employees, teachers, etc.

The exhibition runs until 22 December, 2011 at the Moscow School No. 1573.

© Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia. 12 December, 2011

A memorial plaque in honour of  Carl Faberge was unveiled yesterday in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev.

The plaque was unveiled at 15 Khreschatyk Street, the former location of the Faberge shop, by Russia's Ambassador to the Ukraine, Mikhail Zurabov.

The Kiev branch of the House of Faberge was opened in 1905 and closed in 1910 believing the branch superfluous in light of the already well established and older Odessa branch.

There are plans to erect similar plaques in other Russian cities connected with Faberge leading up to the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty in 2013.

© Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia. 7 December, 2011

The Livadia Palace-Museum have published two new books as part of their ongoing celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the famous residence of Tsar Nicholas II in the Crimea.

The first book, The Romanovs in Livadia: At Home With the Family of Nicholas II, 1911-1914, provides a photographic history of the last Russian tsar and his family during their stays at Livadia, while the second, Livadia in Watercolours, offers a beautiful collection of watercolours of the palace, its interiors and surrounding park by a variety of Russian artists. Both are richly illustrated with text in Russian.

© Royal Russia. 6 December, 2011

 St. Andrew's Church in Moscow

Moscow's only Anglican church opened its doors 127 years ago to meet the needs of the city's growing British population.

Seeing as the Scots were the wealthiest members of the community at the time, the church was dedicated to the patron saint of Scotland.

The architect, Richard Knill Freeman, never came to Russia, sending the drawings of the building (a replica of hundreds of Victorian Anglican churches) and his recommendations by post.

St. Andrew's Church in 1884 

The first church service was held in 1884. During the October Revolution in 1917 the church tower was used as a machine gun post by the Bolsheviks. The church was confiscated in 1920 and the chaplain expelled from Russia.

For 70 years, the building was put to various uses: a warehouse; a hostel; it even housed a recording studio for the famed Melodiya label.

Church services resumed on July 15th 1991, and during the visit of Queen Elizabeth II on October 19th, 1994, the Russian government agreed to return the building to religious use. Melodiya vacated the premises in 2001. Today, St. Andrew's parish is once again the centre for Moscow's British community.

© Royal Russia. 5 December, 2011

The Museum of Fine Arts in the Siberian city of Omsk will host a major exhibition marking the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty in 2013.

The museum is housed in the former palace of M.A. Vrubel, the former Governor General of the region. It was nationalized by the Bolsheviks in 1924 and today boasts a collection of some 22,000 items.

The curators have confirmed that they have recently discovered more than 50 unique items, many of which belonged to Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich. Known as KR, the former grand duke was a noted poet, musician and artist, and President of the Imperial Academy of Sciences.

Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich 

The grand duke visited Omsk on two occasions, visiting the local cadet corps--the oldest military institution in Siberia.

After the Revolution, many items from the grand duke's palace in St. Petersburg were shipped to Omsk. Furniture, ceramics and dozens of paintings were placed into storage at the museum.

After the Bolsheviks seized the properties of the Russian Imperial family and the aristocracy in 1918, the distribution of their personal collections to museums across Russia was a common practice in the 1920s.

© Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia. 3 November, 2011

One of the angel sculptures is lifted back into place on the roof of St. Isaac’s Cathedral on Tuesday morning. The 15-ton figures have been under restoration for five years. On Wednesday evening, the cathedral will celebrate their return by illuminating them with a giant projector.

© St. Petersburg Times. 30 November, 2011