Sunday 26 September 2010

Prince Michael of Kent


One of the first articles to catch my eye in the paper this morning is an intriguing little piece in the Telegraph about His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent GCVO.

Now I believe that HRH holds a most strong affinity with Imperial Russia, as grandson of King George V and Queen Mary. The Tsar was Prince Michael's grandmother's first cousin.


Prince Michael can speak the Russian language quite fluently and also bears an uncanny likeness to His late Imperial Majesty Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias (1894–1917).

In 2002, Prince and Princess Michael were asked by the Queen to vacate their grace and favour five-bedroom apartment at Kensington Palace - or pay a market rent.

TRH, who had been given use of the apartment as their wedding present, were devastated. Eventually, they were permitted to stay and the Queen agreed personally to pay their rent - now £120,000 a year - for seven years. Since last January, TRH have paid it themselves.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

A shame. They fulfil a civic role and ought to be entitled to the residence.

W.

Timothy Belmont said...

Absolutely. HMG is so stingy that they won't even help to maintain the fabric of Buckingham Palace, a property of the State. Parts of it are crumbling and HMG expects the Queens to find the funds.