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Queen Elizabeth ’s first cousin, Prince Michael of Kent, has returned a Russian honor amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A spokesperson for the Prince said (via the Daily Express ), “I can confirm that HRH Prince Michael of Kent is returning his Russian Order of Friendship,” adding, “There will be no further comment.”
The Order of Friendship is one of the highest orders in Russia. Then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev presented Her Majesty’s cousin with the Order of Friendship in 2009 for his work on Anglo-Russo relations.
According to his website, Prince Michael “has always had a strong emotional attachment to Russia, which he first visited in 1992, following the collapse of communism.” The 79-year-old royal, whose paternal grandfather was King George V, is related to Tsar Nicholas II through his maternal grandmother, Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia.
His biography on the royal family’s website notes that the Prince, who is patron of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce, “became the first member of the Royal Family to learn Russian.” Prince Michael’s family background, as well as his knowledgeable interest in Russia and its history, and his mastery of the language are said to have helped made him a “respected figure in that country.”
The Daily Express reported on March 4 that the Prince has been “under intense pressure to cut his ties with leading business figures linked to Putin’s regime after the invasion of Ukraine.”
Prince Charles, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have all spoken out since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine late last month. The Queen, 95, has also shown her support by donating to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, which helps provide food, water, shelter and healthcare to refugees and displaced families.