Prince Andrew Romanov
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Prince Andrew Romanoff (born ''Andrei Andreievich Romanoff''; 21 January 1923 – 28 November 2021) was a Russian American artist and author. He was a grand-nephew of Russia's last
Tsar Tsar (; also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar''; ; ; sr-Cyrl-Latn, цар, car) is a title historically used by Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word '' caesar'', which was intended to mean ''emperor'' in the Euro ...
, Nicholas II. He was a great-great-grandson in the male line of Emperor
Nicholas I of Russia Nicholas I, group=pron (Russian language, Russian: Николай I Павлович; – ) was Emperor of Russia, List of rulers of Partitioned Poland#Kings of the Kingdom of Poland, King of Congress Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland from 18 ...
and since the death of Prince Dimitri Romanov in 2016 was claimant to the headship of the
House of Romanov The House of Romanov (also transliterated as Romanoff; , ) was the reigning dynasty, imperial house of Russia from 1613 to 1917. They achieved prominence after Anastasia Romanovna married Ivan the Terrible, the first crowned tsar of all Russi ...
until his own death in 2021.


Childhood and education

Andrew Andreievich was born on 21 January 1923, in
St Pancras, London St Pancras () is a district in North London. It was originally a medieval Civil parish#Ancient parishes, ancient parish and subsequently became a metropolitan borough. The metropolitan borough then merged with neighbouring boroughs and the are ...
, England, into 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. His godfather was the future King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom. The third child and youngest son in the family, Andrew Andreievich spent his childhood with his sister, Princess Xenia Andreievna, and his brother, Prince Michael Andreievich, in the guest house of
Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a List of British royal residences, royal residence at Windsor, Berkshire, Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, about west of central London. It is strongly associated with the Kingdom of England, English and succee ...
– granted to his family by King
George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...
. Until age 12, he studied at home and received a private traditional education, characteristic for the
House of Romanov The House of Romanov (also transliterated as Romanoff; , ) was the reigning dynasty, imperial house of Russia from 1613 to 1917. They achieved prominence after Anastasia Romanovna married Ivan the Terrible, the first crowned tsar of all Russi ...
. He was subsequently educated at Haileybury.


Life in the United States

Following his discharge from the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
at the end of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Andrew Andreievich became an intern on an English farm in
Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
, learning to become 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 using
hydroponics Hydroponics is a type of horticulture and a subset of #Passive sub-irrigation, hydroculture which involves growing plants, usually crops or medicinal plants, without soil, by using water-based mineral Plant nutrition, nutrient Solution (chemi ...
and worked on the introduction of new varieties of vegetables. 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 Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...
. After his return to San Francisco, Andrew Andreievich became a real estate agent. He also worked as a simple employee behind the chair factory and became a designer. He became a naturalised U.S. citizen on 20 December 1954. Following the death of his second wife, he moved to the town of
Inverness Inverness (; ; from the , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in the Scottish Highlands, having been granted city status in 2000. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highland ...
,
Marin County, California Marin County ( ) is a County (United States), county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat a ...
, 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 Andreievich 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 drew and painted, shrinking the scenes, then mounted them on painted panels. Andrew's artwork was firmly rooted in the traditions of American folk art. His work typically depicted personal memories, impressions of American news, culture, and scenes of domestic life. Andrew Andreievich lived with his wife, the American painter Inez Storer, in Inverness, California. In 2007, he released an autobiography called ''The Boy Who Would Be Tsar'', illustrated with his artwork. His work has been exhibited worldwide, including recent exhibitions at Gallery 16 in San Francisco. He died on 28 November 2021, at an assisted living facility in San Anselmo, California.


Marriages and children

Prince Andrew married three times. He was married firstly in San Francisco on 9 September 1951, to Elena Konstantinovna Durneva (1928, Tokyo,
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
– 1993, Oakland, California). She was the only daughter of Russian nobleman Konstantin Afanasievich Durnev (1896–1970) and wife Felixa Stanislavovna Zapalska (1903–2001). They had one son before divorcing in 1959: * Prince Alexis Andreievich Romanov (born 1953, San Francisco). He graduated from St. Mary's High School in San Francisco, and then studied at the
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...
. 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 1956,
Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...
), daughter of Robert Leisy and wife Ellen Telfer. No issue. He was married secondly to Kathleen Norris (1935, San Francisco – 1967, San Francisco) in San Francisco on 21 March 1961. She was a paternal granddaughter of American authors Charles Gilman Norris and wife Kathleen Norris. She died after
pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...
at age 32. They had two children: * Prince Peter Andreievich Romanoff (born 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 Marin County ( ) is a County (United States), county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat a ...
, Barbara Anne Jurgens (born 1968). No issue. He is first in the line of succession to the title of the head of the Romanov Family. * Prince Andrew Andreievich Romanoff (born 1963, San Francisco). He graduated from the
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...
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 daughter of Armando Flores and wife Cecil Sherrod. He is second in the line of succession to the title of the head of the Romanov Family. They have one daughter. He was married thirdly on 17 December 1987, in
Reno, Nevada Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada–California border. It is the county seat and most populous city of Washoe County, Nevada, Washoe County. Sitting in the High Eastern Sierra foothills, ...
, to the American artist Inez Storer (''née'' Bachelin; born 1933,
Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
). She is daughter of Franz Bachelin and wife Anita Hirschfeld.


Title and style

Members of the House of Romanov born after the Russian revolution, such as Andrew, tended to use the title Prince, appropriate style and the surname Romanov. As the younger son of a great grandson of a Russian Emperor, formally Andrew was titled His Serene Highness Prince of the Imperial Blood Andrew Andreievich. On account of his parents' marriage Andrew’s claim to this princely title was never recognised by Grand Duke Kirill, Grand Duke Vladimir or Grand Duchess Maria. In 1951 Grand Duke Vladimir recognised the title Prince Romanovsky for Andrew and his siblings. However they rejected this title. Chantal de Badts, Guy Coûtant de Saisseval, Le Petit Gotha (2002), p814-815


Ancestry


References


External links


The Boy Who Would Be Tsar: The Art Of Prince Andrew Romanoff

Romanov Family Association

NPR Interview, January 2007 with Andrew Romanoff: "The Boy Who Would Be Tsar"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Romanoff, Andrew 1923 births 2021 deaths Artists from London Writers from London American people of Russian descent British emigrants to the United States People educated at the Imperial Services College English people of Russian descent House of Romanov in exile Pretenders to the Russian throne Princes of royal blood (Russia) People from Inverness, California Naturalized citizens of the United States