Russia today held its first royal wedding since the 1917 Bolshevik revolution toppled the Romanov monarchy, with royals from across Europe attending the lavish ceremony. 

The Russian Grand Duke George Romanov, 40, announced his engagement to his long term Italian girlfriend Rebecca Bettarini, 39, after a Christmas proposal. 

And today, the couple said their vows at the Saint Isaac’s cathedral in the former imperial capital Saint Petersburg in the presence of dozens of royals. 

The bride donned a stunning white satin gown which featured a high neck, long sleeves and a billowing skirt, as well as a glittering diamond tiara.  

Hundreds of foreign guests travelled to the second city for the religious ceremony, including Queen Sofia of Spain, Prince Rudolph and Princess Tilsim of Liechtenstein, and the former king and queen of Bulgaria. 

Grand Duke George Romanov, 40, has tied the knot with his long term Italian girlfriend Rebecca Bettarini, 39, in Saint Petersburg today

The bride donned a stunning white satin gown which featured a high neck, long sleeves and a billowing skirt, as well as a glittering diamond tiara

Couple said their vows at the Saint Isaac’s cathedral in the former imperial capital Saint Petersburg in the presence of dozens of royals

Meanwhile bridesmaids at the event opted for a velvet green dress with medieval style puff sleeves (pictured together) 

Foreign royals in attendance at the event in Russia today included former Queen Margarita and Duke Duarte of Braganza (pictured left and right) 

Guests opted for extravagant velvet gowns and over-the-top fascinators and headpieces as they arrived at the ceremony in the city earlier today 

Meanwhile bridesmaids at the event opted for a velvet green dress with medieval style puff sleeves.  

Romanov said that the couple chose the city as the venue for tying the knot because it was the first place in the country where the family returned in the early 1990s.

‘It is very, very close to our family,’ he told the Saint Petersburg-based news website Fontanka ahead of the wedding.

Saint Petersburg is ‘the history of Russia,’ he added, ‘the history of the House of Romanov.’

Their wedding will likely be a star-studded affair, with George related to royal families from across the world. 

Russian lawyer and politician Pavel Astakhov and wife Svetlana were among the guests who attended the big event in the city today (left, and right, guests await the ceremony with excitement) 

Grand Duke George Mikhailovich Romanov could be seen smiling as he arrived for his wedding ceremony to Victoria Romanovna Bettarini at St. Isaac’s Cathedral

Russian politician Lyudmila Narusova was among the guests at the wedding (left). Many seemed wowed by their surroundings as they waited for the ceremony to begin (right) 

Born in Madrid, Romanov is the son of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna Romanova, the self-proclaimed heir to Russia’s imperial throne.

She is the granddaughter of Grand Duke Kirill, a cousin of Nicholas II, the last Russian tsar who was executed along with his wife and five children by the Bolsheviks in 1918.

The Romanovs enjoyed a life of seemingly endless prosperity and ruled of a sixth of the surface of the Earth in the early 20th century. 

Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until he was forced to abdicate after the February Revolution of 1917. 

He and his family were imprisoned by the Bolsheviks and executed the next year.  

The couple said their vows at the Saint Isaac’s cathedral in the former imperial capital Saint Petersburg in the presence of dozens of royals

It was a time of social upheaval, war and brewing discontent that would ultimately lead to the fall of the 300-year-old Romanov dynasty. 

The family was canonised by the Orthodox Church in 2000 as martyrs.

His ancestors also include Emperor Alexander II of Russia, and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. 

He is also distantly related to the British royal family, and is the great-great-great-great grandson of Nicholas II of Russia, who was cousins with Britain’s George V, and Alexandra Fedorovna, who was Queen Victoria’s granddaughter.  

The Russian Grand Duke George Romanov married his long term girlfriend Rebecca  in a lavish ceremony later today after a Christmas proposal

The couple met as youngsters, with Rebecca often accompanying her father to official receptions where they crossed paths.  Later, they both started working in international companies and met again at a reception at the French embassy in Brussels (pictured together)

Meanwhile he is also the godson of Don Juan Carlos and Doña Sofía , King Constantine of Greece, and King Simeon of Bulgaria – his christening was held in May 1981 in Madrid.

Romanov, who graduated from Oxford and spent much of his life in France, met Bettarini in Brussels, where he worked in the European Parliament.

Bettarini converted to the Orthodox faith last year and changed her name to Victoria Romanovna.

Romanov also held jobs at Russian mining giant Norilsk Nickel before moving to Russia three years ago.

The 39-year-old son of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia proposed to Italian lobbyist and writer Rebecca in December, after asking her parents for their blessing

The couple met as youngsters, with Rebecca often accompanying her father to official receptions where they crossed paths.  

Later, they both started working in international companies and met again at a reception at the French embassy in Brussels. 

After living in Belgium for six years, the couple moved to Russia, where he works as a lawyer, and she works as a writer. 

The couple first lived in the Moscow suburbs before relocating to the city centre next to the Kremlin.

Rebecca shared snaps alongside the Grand Duke on her Instagram page, and said she was looking forward to a life of ‘love, suspense and adventure’ 

Now Romanov works on several charity projects.

Romanov said he believes European and Russian royals could help Moscow and the West mend fraying ties.

‘I think that we can be ambassadors of goodwill.’

Rebecca, who is the daughter of Italian Ambassador Roberto Bettarini, shared the news of the couple’s engagement on her own Instagram page, writing: ‘A new chapter of our life book together is starting. As a writer I hope that the journey ahead will be full of love, suspense and adventure as the first part of our life book was.’  

Posting another snap alongside her beloved, Rebecca shared: ‘We are thrilled to finally share the news of our engagement with you! Thank you for your loving words.’ 

He proposed with a diamond and ruby ring, inspired by the rings formerly worn by the tsars in the colors of the Russian flag, which had been given to him by his mother at the age of 18.

In the statement from the Chancellery of the head of the Russian House of Imperia, it was explained that the future wife of the Tsarévich – title of crown prince, hereditary pretender to the throne – has converted to the Orthodox faith with the name of Victoria Romanova. 

Source: DailyMail