Prince Michael of Kent is, without a doubt, the Kremlin’s man inside the Royal Family. Michael has made a large fortune in Russia and no one is quite sure what he does and how he made all of those millions. We know that he provides introductions, and I strongly suspect that his “firm” is just some money-laundering scheme for oligarchs and Putin associates. Prince Michael is also well-liked in Russia, and he’s always traveled there. So much so that he was given the Russian Order of Friendship, which he apparently “returned” when Russia invaded Ukraine. So surely that’s it, right? He returned his medal and no more questions will be asked, correct? Well…
Prince Michael of Kent has stepped down as patron of a Russo-British trade body with close links to the Kremlin as he faces pressure to sever all his ties to Moscow. The Queen’s cousin, a fluent Russian speaker with a lineage to Tsar Nicholas II, has strong business links with Russia. But his connections to the Kremlin came under scrutiny after the invasion of Ukraine. This month he handed back an Order of Friendship award, one of Russia’s highest honours. Now the 79-year-old, who gets no public funding, has stepped down as patron of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce.
However, he remains an ambassador and shareholder of RemitRadar, a money-transfer firm led by ex-KGB officer Sergey Markov. Mr Markov is also named as the ‘head of the Charitable Foundation of His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent’ on the charity’s Russian website, which was taken offline after Ukraine was invaded. The Prince holds an honorary professorship from St Petersburg Mining University. The honour was presented in 2017 by billionaire Vladimir Litvinenko, Vladimir Putin’s friend and campaign manager in elections in 2000 and 2004. He is also a patron of the Moscow Academy of Industry and Finance and has an honorary doctorate and Glory of Russia award from Plekhanov Economics Academy.
Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh said: ‘Prince Michael should consider his position. At a time when we’re expecting everybody to stand up in support of Ukraine and against the war crimes and atrocities committed by Russia, you would expect members of the Royal Family to be taking the same stand.’
Independent peer Lord Mann said: ‘It would be wise for him to detach himself from all Russian interests whilst the conflict continues.’
Last year, the prince was caught in a cash-for-access scandal after telling undercover Channel 4 reporters he could be hired for £10,000 a day to make confidential representations to Putin’s regime.
A source close to the Prince said last night he was concerned about xenophobia towards Russians, citing the difference between Russian citizens and the Kremlin. A spokesman said he never received funds or consultancy fees from RemitRadar.
It’s not “Russophobia” to say that a British prince should clearly cut ties to Vladimir Putin’s criminal government!! There is Russophobia happening in the world right now, and I feel especially bad for the Russian diaspora whose businesses are being affected by it (like, Russian restaurants in America). This Michael situation is not that. He has business relationships with oligarchs and despots and he’s apparently throwing a fit about cutting ties with them. And yes, outlets like the Daily Mail are trying to bury these stories about Prince Michael. It’s all interconnected, the Tories, the oligarchs, Russian money flowing into London, the British hesitancy on sanctions, and on and on.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- attend the 100th anniversary service of the Royal Air Force at Westminster Abbey to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force,Image: 377391259, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon
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- Prince Michael of Kent at Kafers Wiesn-Schanke at the Oktoberfest 2018. Munich, 05.10.2018 | usage worldwide,Image: 390163391, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Verwendung weltweit, Model Release: no, Credit line: Petra Schönberger/Geisler-Fotopr / DPA Picture Alliance / Avalon
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- The wedding of British royal Lady Gabriella Windsor and Mr Thomas Kingston at St George?s Chapel, Windsor Castle on 18th May 2019. PICTURED: Prince and Princess Michael of Kent,Image: 506550011, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 01: Queen Elizabeth II greets Prince Michael of Kent as she arrives at the Honourable Artillery Company on June 1, 2016 in London, England. The engagement marks the Queen becoming the longest serving Captain-General of the Company.,Image: 508201822, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- Prince Michael of Kent talks to guests during a garden party at Buckingham Palace in London.,Image: 512381538, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS- Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- United Nations, New York, USA, April 12 2018 – Prince Michael of Kent during the conference on the establishment of a Road Safety trust fund today at the UN Headquarters in New York City. Photo: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire | usage worldwide,Image: 514876784, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: UK and US ONLY – DIRECT SALES ONLY – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire / DPA Picture Alliance / Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 21: Princess and Prince Michael of Kent attend the Chelsea Flower Show 2018 on May 21, 2018 in London, England.,Image: 515256494, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 10: Prince Michael of Kent, Princess Michael of Kent attend the RAF 100 ceremony on Horse Guards Parade on July 10, 2018 in London, England. A centenary parade and a flypast of up to 100 aircraft over Buckingham Palace took place earlier today to mark the Royal Air Forces’ 100th birthday.,Image: 515597013, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- HRH Prince Michael of Kent inspects the guard of honour at the Royal Parade, Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford, Gloucestershire, UK,Image: 515610184, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jules Annan / Avalon
LOL at the way they wrote *he* has lineage to the czars as if the Queen does not. They have the *same* lineage to the czars.
Yes, they are all related. King George V had blood on his hands when he did not assist his Russian cousin in escape when the Bolsheviks over threw the crown.
This family has made it’s millions with blood on their hands – from slavery to George V not helping his cousin. It’s disgusting what they have done to make their money and keep their power when it’s all laid out in the open.
BRF also made tons of money selling opium in China and other countries. It’s time to start calling the non royal racist RY on all their crimes and actions.
His grandmother was a Russian grand duchess. He’s literally descended from the tsars, so even closer links than QE2 has.
“a fluent Russian speaker with a lineage to Tsar Nicholas II”
It is Alexander II not Nicholas II. Prince Michael of Kent is great-great-grandson of Alexander II.
I think the deciding factors are the speaking Russian thing and the fact that he happens to really look like the Russian royal family.
He does have closer links to the czars through his mother, Princess Marina of Greece, whose mother was a Grand Duchess of Russia. Thus he is related to the Romanovs directly, whereas the Queen is related to the last Czarina, who was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Also Queen Alexandra (Edward VII’s Queen) was the sister of the mother of the last Czar. So Michael and his bother and sister are actually Romanov descendants, whereas the Queen is related more collaterally. She’s related, but he is more closely related with the actual former ruling family. None of this make his Russian contacts right or decent.
I stand corrected – thank you!
They do not have the same Russian lineage. She has no Russian ancestors – he does.
Is he hedging his bets and waiting to see if Russia comes out on top? It wouldn’t be the first time the RF pulled that crap. These are the people who waited until 3 WHOLE YEARS into WWI before ditching Saxe-Coburg-Gotha for Windsor, after all.
And don’t forget the Nazi love.
The corruption in this family is absolutely stinking.
Yes and it’s all crashing down in this past week! It’s actually glorious to watch but sickening at the same time. This POS won’t sever his ties to Putin because he has millions of £££’s still to be made and he doesn’t feel like HE should be held to the same standard of everyone else!!! It’s should be the tagline for The Monarchy; The family that should never be expected OR treated as everyone else as we have made our millions from stealing, destroying and pillaging worldwide. No exceptions and NO apologies!
And to think they made Harry and Meghan mothball the HRH’s so that they can’t profit from being a part of the royal family in their “new” life. And peddling gin, jam, and towels and ornaments with their images on them isn’t profiting from their position, but no, they must ensure that Harry and Meghan don’t do anything to shame the monarchy.
Indeed. Yet Peter Phillips gets away with starring in Chinese TV adverts about milk.
Peter is not an HRH nor is he titled. His mother, Princess Anne, wanted him to be non-HRH and non-titled so he COULD star in Chinese TV adverts about milk.
It is the same with Zara Phillips regarding her corporate sponsorships and sitting aa a director on corporate boards for for-profit companies..
This is disgusting. This family is pure garbage but Meghan a d Harry are the ones to be punished. They should be ashamed of being so racist. Also isn’t this guy married to Alexandra, known to be an ignorant racist?
Might be splitting hairs here. Without being the Queen’s grandson, I doubt he would be making commercials that allude to royalty. Zara, because of her career as an athlete, could get endorsement deals, but the connection definitely doesn’t hurt. Does she not have some kind of endorsement with Land Rover, which seems to have some kind of deal with the Royal Family?
@ Baytampabay, Anne being female, could not transfer her title to her children, because of promigeniture. Just like The York sisters, are not able to pass on their titles, because their husbands are not titled. Margaret’s husband was given a title by the queen so her kids are titled, That is why what was done to Harry was discriminatory, because that is not the norm, the law was changed to exclude his children from inheriting titles
@Abena Asantewaa – It is rumored and highly believed that QEII offered Mark Phillips an Earldom as she offered an Earldom to Anthony Armstrong-Jones so children of these marriages would be titled and/or have precedence. The difference between children of Margaret and children of Anne is that Armstrong-Jones accepted and Phillips declined the offer.
Was not aware that new Letters Patent had been issued to exclude Harry’s children from having HRH.
On the topic of the whole British establishment being wrapped up in Russian money, the New Yorker just had a great article (“How Putin’s Oligarchs Bought London”) about how Russian oligarchs are using London (with enthusiastic UK complicity) to launder their reputations and distract from the kleptocracy of Russian politics. It’s a great read.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/03/28/how-putins-oligarchs-bought-london
Thanks for the link!!