Who would be Empress of Russia today?

The Russian Empire came to an end in 1917 following the February Revolution, which led to the abdication of Emperor Nicholas II, and the formation of the Russian Provisional Government. Nicholas II, his wife, Alexandra Feodorovna, and their children were killed by the Bolsheviks in 1918. So, who would be the Empress (consort) of Russia today?

Nicholas II and his successors were led by the Pauline Laws instituted by Emperor Paul I of Russia. These instituted a semi-salic law of succession, which meant that women could inherit only upon the extinction of all legitimately born male dynasts descending from Emperor Paul. If the male line were to become extinct, the female children of the last reigning monarch would have precedence.

Any titles mentioned after the end of the monarchy are titular.

As said, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna was the last Empress consort of the reigning Emperor. She continued as titular Empress consort until her death alongside her family the following year.

Nicholas and Alexandra had four daughters and one son. As their children were killed at the same time, the titular title of Emperor passed to Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia, a grandson of Emperor Alexander II and a first cousin of Nicholas II. This was disputed by Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia, a grandson of Emperor Nicholas I, until his death in 1929.

Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia was married to Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who thus became the next titular Empress consort. If we consider the disputed claim by Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia valid, his wife, Princess Anastasia of Montenegro, preceded her as titular Empress consort until 1929.

Grand Duke Kirill died in 1938, and he was succeeded in his claim by his only son, Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia. He married Princess Leonida Bagration of Mukhrani, which some considered to be a morganatic marriage. If we consider it to be equal, Princess Leonida was the next titular Empress consort. They went on to have one daughter together, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna. She is one of the claimants to the headship of the House of Romanov and can be considered the current titular Empress regnant.

She claims to have succeeded her father as the only child of the last male dynast of the Imperial house, according to the Romanovs’ Pauline laws. However, a strict application of the Pauline Laws would not have recognised her parents’ marriage.

There are male-line descendants who would strictly not be considered dynastic, as many married commoners after their exile. Most disputes seem to be around which marriage was considered dynastic.

One such male-line descendant is Prince Alexis Andreievich, who descends from Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia, the fourth son of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia. He, his father, and his grandfather all made unequal marriages. Nevertheless, some consider him to be the current Head of the House of Romanov. If we consider this claim valid, his wife, Zoetta Leisy, would be considered the current titular Empress consort.

Another claimant is Prince Karl Emich of Leiningen, who is a great-great-great-grandson of Emperor Alexander II of Russia and grandnephew of Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia. He argued against the validity of Maria Vladimirovna’s parents’ marriage. He and his current wife, Countess Isabelle von und zu Egloffstein, converted to Russian Orthodoxy in 2013. However, one would think that this marriage could not be dynastic in the eyes of the Pauline Laws either.