PHOTO: Maria “Masha” Vadimirovna and her son George “Gosha” Mikhailovich

It was 5 years ago today – 5th February 2021 – that I officially cut all ties with the “Russian Imperial House“. It was on this day that I ceased to support Maria Vladimirovna’s claim as “Head” of the House of Romanov and as the “legitimate claimant” to the Russian throne. In addition, I severed all ties with the Russian Legitimists (Kirillists) and their cause.

My announcement on social media created quite a buzz that day: garnering nearly 650 “LIKES” and more than 200 comments by followers supporting my decision.

On 5th February 2021, I returned by mail the diplomas (‘gramotas’) for the Order of St. Stanislaus 3rd Class (2013), and the Order of St. Anna 3rd Class (2016), and also withdrew my oath of allegiance to Maria, dated and signed 03/14/16 – see below.

The following day, Russell Martin, a prominent American mouthpiece for Maria Vladimirovna, who acts as both translator and International Communications Advisor to the so-called “Chancellery of Her Imperial Highness”, leaped to his computer and wrote a nasty rebuttal as fast as his grubby little fingers could type. Martin made the most outrageous statements and even lies about me!

Maria and George are greatly disliked in both Russia and in the West, and I am not the only one who disputes their claims, however, the Legitimists must have felt very threatened by me for Martin to have responded to my blog and social media announcement in the manner in which he did.

In particular, regarding my “oath of allegiance” to Maria – pictured below – Russell Martin wrote the following: “It appears too that at a certain point he [Paul Gilbert] signed some kind of oath of allegiance to the Grand Duchess as head of the dynasty, because he states that he will no longer abide by this oath.”

Martin’s words “some kind of oath of allegiance” are carefully chosen. They are meant to imply that I am either making it all up or that such a document does not exist. Well, fortunately I save everything, and below is the evidence of this “kind of oath of allegiance” . . .

A person, who is awarded an imperial order receives a diploma (‘gramota’) then has the option to purchase the actual order itself. I (foolishly) paid $350 USD to receive my Order of St. Stanislaus 3rd Class. I never bothered purchasing the other order. As it turns out, these exact same orders, complete with the same red velvet cases are available in souvenir shops up and down Nevsky Prosspekt in St. Petersburg. I have even seen them for sale in Dom Knigi (House of Books). In addition, one can also buy a tiny lapel pin. Someone is making an awful lot of money from the sale of these trinkets!

But Martin does not work alone. Riding in his back pocket is his lapdog Nicholas B.A. Nicholson, a well known social media troll, who very briefly served as Curator of the Russian History Museum in Jordanville, NY., from April 2020 to September 2021.

Together, Martin and Nicholson coo and fawn over “Her Imperial Highness”, and work diligently to spread her agenda to an English speaking audience. Nicholson is very active on social media, spewing forth Legitimist crap to any one who will give him the time of day. Their work is aided by a small group of Legitimist zealots, most of whom are American. And God help you, if you dare to disagree with any of them!

Why is any of this relevant? Because I want people to get an idea of the type of people with whom Maria surrounds herself with. Their actions and words speak volumes of the lengths they will go to promote and protect this ridiculous woman’s claims!

Recall that during the February Revolution of 1917, Maria’s grandfather Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich (1876-1938), marched to the Tauride Palace in Petrograd at the head of the Naval Guards bearing a red armband and swore allegiance to the Russian Provisional Government. In 1926, Kirill proclaimed himself emperor-in-exile, but his claims were contested by a number of grand dukes, grand duchesses, princes and princesses of the Imperial Blood in exile, as well as monarchists in a division that continues to this day.

On a more personal note, it made me sick to my stomach to think that I supported Kirill’s descendants. My decision to severe ties with Masha and Gosha was the right one, I simply followed my heart and my conscience!

Many monarchists (including myself) and those faithful to the memory of Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II, believe that Kirill’s act of treason in 1917, should eliminate the Vladimir branch of the Russian Imperial Family from any further consideration.  

Further, I no longer wish to involve myself in the dynastic squabbles which continue to this day between Legitimists and those monarchists who dispute Maria’s claim as Head of the Russian Imperial House and claimant to the Russian throne.

While I am a devout monarchist, I do not recognize any person as the claimant to the now defunct throne of Russia. I believe that the Russian monarchy ceased to exist upon the abdication of the Sovereign Emperor Nicholas II on 15th (O.S. 2nd) March 1917 and the murder of both the Tsar and his family on 17th July 1918. If the monarchy is ever to be restored in 21st century Russia, it is up to the citizens of Russia to make that decision, no one else.

I will continue to devote my time to researching and writing about the life and reign of Nicholas II, and committing myself to clearing his much slandered name.

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Under no pretext can we admit to the throne those whose ancestors belonged to parties involved in the 1917 revolution in one way or another. Nor can we admit those whose ancestors, who betrayed Tsar Nicholas II. Nor can we ignore those whose ancestors who openly supported the Nazis. Thus, without any reservations, the right to the succession to the throne of the Kirillovich branch should be excluded!

Any person who supports this branch of the Romanov dynasty, dishonours the memory of the murdered Holy Tsar Martyr Nicholas II.

© Paul Gilbert. 5 February 2026