The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, a direct descendant of Peter the Great, Catherine the Great and Alexander II, will be in Malta between Tuesday and June 17.
The visit will mark the 140th anniversary of the birth in Malta of Duchess Maria’s grandmother, the Grand Duchess Victoria of Russia, Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Princess of Great Britain and Ireland.
Grand Duchess Victoria was born in Malta on November 25, 1876, at San Anton Palace in Attard. She was the daughter of Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia, daughter of Emperor Alexander II of Russia.
The official delegation will include Alexander Zakatov, director of the Chancellery of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, Prince Vadim Lopukhin, director of the External Relations Department of the Chancellery, Princess Ekaterina Lopukhin, lady in waiting,
Stanislav Dumin, head of the Heraldry of the Chancellery and Hieromonk Nikon (Belavenets), director of the Department of Historical and Memorial Activities of the Chancellery.
During her visit, the Grand Duchess will stay at the Corinthia Palace Hotel in Attard.
She will meet President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Russian Vladimir Malygin, Marchesino Daniel de Petri Testaferrata, president of the Maltese Association of the Sovereign Military Order, and Archbishop Charles Scicluna.