Princess Olga Romanov’s blunt take on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Charlie Smith
Olga, 71, is a Russian princess and descendent of the House of Romanov. She is Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin and is also related to Her Majesty’s late husband, Prince Philip.
The London-born aristocrat, who married Thomas Mathew in 1975, separated from her husband in 1989. Her great-uncle Tsar Nicholas II, who was the last Tsar, and his family were murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1918, ending the 300-year-old Romanov dynasty.
Her father, Prince Andrei Alexandrovich of Russia was Nicholas’ oldest nephew, who fled from Russia in 1918 to France, finally settling in England.
Despite the Russian Royal Family’s rule ending more than a century ago, Olga still refers to herself as a princess.
Olga, who lives in a 13th-century home in Kent, has gone on to forge something of a reality TV career.
She has starred in ‘Australian Princess’, ‘Royal House of Windsor’ and ‘Keeping Up With The Aristocrats’.
Her latest on-screen appearance comes this morning on ‘Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh’.
The nation’s favourite gardener will interview the princess about her fascinating life as a royal.
Alan will also be joined by actors Nancy Carroll and Robert Daws, while the Shetland Pony Grand National also comes to Manor Farm.
Olga is known for being an opinionated, colourful character and has even waded into the debate around Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s royal exit.
In May last year, the Princess gave her blunt take on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s famous decision to step back from their royal roles.
The Princess was grilled on the subject by Alexander Armstrong for ITV’s one-off special, ‘The Queen and her Cousins’.
The Pointless presenter asked her: “Is there still a fairy story thing that attaches to royalty do you think?”
Speaking while driving to Norfolk with Alexander, Olga replied: “Well yes and no.
“It all depends on how many times they tell you about their problems on television, which I’m afraid I’m not very keen on.”
Alexander asked her for her view on Meghan and Harry, to which she shook her head and said: “Not great.”
She added: “I mean the Queen’s never sat there and said anything that makes her miserable has she? She’s always got on with it.
“The most she ever did was that Annus Horribilis, which I thought was wonderful.
“I think a bit of mystique and all that is a very good thing.”
The princess referred to the Queen’s famous ‘Annus Horribilis’ speech, which she gave in 1992.
During the memorable speech, Her Majesty said: “1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure.”
The year saw the marriage breakdowns of two of the Queen’s children, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, and the divorce of her daughter Princess Anne.
There was also a horrific fire at the Queen’s Windsor Castle home, which destroyed a total of 115 rooms.
Harry and Meghan famously opened up about their departure from royal life in the UK in an interview with their friend Oprah Winfrey for CBS.
The couple told the US talk show host, who was a guest at their wedding, about the pressures of life as a senior royal.
Meghan spoke about struggling with her mental health and battling suicidal thoughts during her time in the Royal Family.
