Dubai: A palace fit for a king. Or several princes and princesses, to be exact.
The newly opened Emerald Palace Kempinski on the Palm Jumeirah played host on Tuesday night to a number of royal families, who convened to establish a philanthropic society that they say will serve those in need around the world.
Established by members of imperial dynasties, the aptly named Royal Club said it would host cultural, social, academic, and philanthropic events under the patronage of its founders, in order to “preserve centuries-old honourable traditions.”
According to Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna Romanova, Head of the Imperial House of Russia, these traditions include charitable work and offer a helping hand to those in need.
“We thought it would be wonderful if we could create some sort of joint venture, with all these members of the different families, who would like to give something to make the world better and help people,” Romanova told the gathered media.
Speaking on the sidelines of the inaugural meeting, she said it “would be wonderful if every year we could do something, which all the families could work on … and we could ask everyone to chip in, and ask everyone to help out on a good deed that we think we should be doing.”
The club is expected to focus on humanitarian issues in developing countries. The amount of charitable money it would seek to raise was not disclosed. “You might say it’s wishful thinking, but if we don’t try, we won’t get there,” she said.
In attendance were representatives from royal families around the world, including the Royal Houses of Portugal, Senussi Libya, Georgia, and Barаkzai Afghanistan.
Also among the club’s founding members was the titular King of Rwanda, the Crown Prince of the Albanians, and the Prince of Venice and of the Piedmont.
“Today, I am honoured to announce the establishment of the Royal Club in Dubai, founded by descendants of the oldest royal dynasties of Europe and the rest of the world,” said Nver Mkhitaryan, the owner of the Emerald Palace Kempinski Dubai, where the club will be headquartered, and Honorary Director of the Directorate.
“I truly believe that the global elite will recognise this noble initiative, which will help to make the world a better place,” he added.
Future events of the Royal Club are expected to be announced in due course, according to a statement from the group.
At the meeting, Archduke Josef Karl of Habsburg-Lothringen, Archduke of Austria, Royal Prince and Hereditary Palatine of Hungary was appointed as Chairman of the Executive Committee.
The Archduke is a descendant of one of the most famous royal dynasties, the House of Habsburg, which ruled the Austro-Hungarian empire, at the time one of Europe’s major powers in the late 19th Century.
