Lady Zia Wernher
| Countess Anastasia Mikhailovna | |
|---|---|
| Lady Wernher | |
.jpg)
Anastasia de Torby, c. 1914
|
|
| Born |
9 September 1892 Wiesbaden |
| Died | 7 December 1977 (aged 85) |
| Spouse | Sir Harold Wernher, 3rd Bt |
| Issue | George Michael Wernher Georgina, Lady Kennard Myra Alice, Lady Butter |
| House | Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov |
| Father | Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia |
| Mother | Countess Sophie of Merenberg. |
Countess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Torby, CBE (9 September 1892 – 7 December 1977), otherwise styled Lady Zia Wernher, was the elder daughter of Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia, a grandson of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, by Countess Sophie of Merenberg.
Like her mother, Anastasia was born of a morganatic marriage, and was ineligible to bear her father's title or rank. Following her parents' elopement to San Remo in 1891 and consequent banishment from Russia, Sophia was made Countess de Torby by Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, which title extended to all three of the couple's children. Through her mother, she descended from the renowned Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, as well as from his ancestor Abram Petrovich Gannibal, Peter the Great's African protégé.
On 20 July 1917 Countess Anastasia de Torby married British Major-General Sir Harold Wernher, 3rd Bt (1893–1973; son of wealthy financier, Sir Julius Wernher, Bt, who had made his fortune in South African diamonds).
In the following September, she was accorded the style and precedence of the daughter of an earl by Royal Warrant of George V, and discontinued use of her comital title. Henceforth she was known as Lady Zia Wernher.
...
Wikipedia