Even after losing their thrones, exiled royals from around the world have made extraordinary efforts to maintain family ties. From charitable ventures to genealogical organizations, they use these connections to hold on to something of the past. Last week in Paris, a group of descendants of these former royals and nobles gathered for a dinner—complete with sparkling jewels.
On December 10, the Assembly of the Russian Nobility in France held a dinner at the Yacht Club in Paris. The event was organized by the assembly’s president, Prince Stephane Georgevich Belosselsky-Belozersky, who is a descendant of a Russian noble family. Above, he’s pictured with his wife, Agnes, and two of the most prominent guests at the dinner: the Romanov newlyweds, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia and Princess Victoria Romanovna.
The event featured an interesting group of attendants with connections to formerly reigning families and to defunct noble titles. Here, Victoria and George Mikhailovich are pictured with Count Pierre Edmond Fugger-Babenhausen de Polignac. He’s a descendent of several prominent European families, including a German banking dynasty, the Fugger von Babenhausens, and a French aristocratic family, the Polignacs.
At the dinner, Princess Victoria was seated beside the son of a former king. Prince Muhammad Ali of Egypt is the eldest child of King Fuad II, the last reigning Egyptian monarch. The prince is married to a member of another former royal family: Princess Noal, a granddaughter of the last King of Afghanistan.
Here, from left to right, we’ve got several more royal descendants in attendance at the dinner: Princess Yasmine Murat, who married Prince Joachim Murat (a descendant of Joachim Murat and Caroline Bonaparte) earlier this year; Princess Victoria Romanovna; Princess Noal of Egypt (and Afghanistan); and Antonella Rendina (wife of Don Álvaro Jaime de Orléans-Borbón, who is a cousin of the Spanish royal family) and her daughter, Donna Eulalia de Orléans-Borbón y Rendina.
Princess Victoria Romanovna, whose wedding we covered here in October, wore a pair of sparkling diamond statement earrings for the dinner.
Here’s another look at the earrings, which feature a modern fringe design.
Princess Yasmine wore earrings with gemstone drops, a diamond necklace, and rings on both hands.
Princess Noal wore earrings and a necklace set with sparkling gems, plus a ring on her left hand. The princess studied jewelry design during her college years.
Antonella Orléans-Borbón didn’t wear much visible jewelry: just a large ring on her left hand. Her daughter, who is 15, wore trendy, age-appropriate jewels, including a choker necklace, stacked bracelets, and large statement rings.
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