We announce the following to all Our loyal Countrymen:

By the grace of God and Our parental blessing, together with that of Our dearly beloved Consort, Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna, Our dearly beloved Daughter, Grand Duchess Maria Wladimirovna, has contracted a marriage with Prince Franz-Wilhelm of Prussia, and on the twenty-second day of this September their wedding was solemnly celebrated in Our presence in the Orthodox,Church in Madrid, according to the rites of our Orthodox Church.

Announcing this event so joyful to Our parental heart, we decree that Our dearly beloved Son-in-Law, the Consort of Grand Duchess Maria Wladimirovna, who, to Our great joy, has embraced our Orthodox Faith and received Holy Chrismation, be named Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich, with the style of Imperial Highness. We are fully convinced that Our loyal countrymen will, together with Us, offer their fervent prayers to Almighty and Most Merciful God, that He may grant continual and unshakeable happiness to the newlyweds so dear to Our heart.

(The original is signed in His Imperial Highness’s own hand:)

Wladimir

Issued in Madrid

22 September 1976