Some two billion people across the world may have been watching the Royal Wedding on Friday between Prince William and Kate Middleton, noted the London Daily Mail on 4 May 2011.
The report continued:“And it seems some Russians were watching their televisions, green with envy – because now a leading former diplomat believes that Prince Harry – the third in line to by British monarch – should be offered the vacant throne.“Alexander Baunov – a diplomat-turned-journalist – thinks that William's 26-year-old brother should be crowned the first king of Russian since Tsar Nicholas II reigned in 1917 on the eve of the Bolshevik Revolution.”
As we have noted on several occasions on this site, Russia before the revolution was gradually becoming freer and progressing economically. The Boshevik coup was a disaster.
…restoration..
“'Let him receive parades, make visits, give dinners and offer New Year congratulations,' demanded Mr Baunov. “It would, in his eyes, 'delight [Russians] like never before' to have the monarchy restored, following a groundswell of Russian enthusiasm over the Royal Marriage in London, when Harry played a starring role as best man.
..head of state…
“The prince could perform a symbolic role as head of state – allowing the increasingly fractious Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev, currently premier and president respectively, to concentrate on politics and running the country, said Mr Baunov.
“He said: 'We have no Royal Weddings, and I don't see anything good about this.
“'All our court life revolves around overweight MPs, untalented singers and graduates from TV reality shows.
“'Looking at the wedding and its preparations in England, I think that it would be good to restore the monarchy here.'
…Russians view on Prince Harry…
(Continued below)
“Plenty of female Russian bloggers gave Harry grounds for hope of finding a princess were he to be offered and take the throne.
"Anna, 30, said: 'Harry is very sweet, even though he looks less aristocratic than William.
“'Many girls in Russia would like to caress his ginger locks. He is more of a hooligan than his brother, but this is what appeals to our Russian hearts.'
“Valeria, 35, said: 'Harry is very charismatic, and he is more of the People's Prince – or King – than William. In his character he resembles Diana.
“'I also think he is very caring and tender, and would be a perfect husband. As for him being a symbolic tsar in Russia – I'm rather apolitical, but I do think it would boost our country's image.
“An anonymous poster wrote: 'Harry is hot. He's got so much energy in himself, he's bursting with it. I'm only surprised he doesn't have more girlfriends. He is very, very sexy.
'“Another wrote: 'Did you see him playing polo? He moves like a God. And his smile, he just “takes my heart away.
…the last Tsar….
'“Russia's absolute monarchy was abolished in 1917 following the abdication of Nicholas II, who was subsequently shot alongside his family, ushering in seven decades of Communist rule.
“While there is currently no undisputed claimant to the defunct Romanov throne, Mr Baunov points out that Harry has plenty of royal Russian blood coursing through his veins.
“He continued: 'His great great grandmother was the great duchess Olga Konstantinovna Romanov.
“'Moreover, King George V [who ruled from 1910-36] was a cousin of our Tsar Nicholas II, so the British princes are his distant nephews.'
“Olga, granddaughter of Tsar Nicholas I and cousin of Tsar Alexander III, was Queen of Greece, and is the paternal grandmother of Prince Philip.
“Mr Baunov suggested that it would be easy to find an attractive Russian bride and to make Harry the symbolic Tsar with his throne in the Kremlin palace.
“He said restoring the monarchy would bring back quality to Russian high society.“The former Foreign Ministry official evidently suggested creating Tsar Harry to start a debate in Russia, where there is traditionally little support for restoring the monarchy, and to mock the current rulers."