(Russian: Леонид Гуревич Куликовский)
NO ONE would have guessed that Old Nick, the elderly man who lived a quiet life in a caravan park in the Northern Territory, hailed from one of Europe's most powerful and tragic royal families.
The cheerful old man who was often seen with his beloved dog around his home in Katherine was, in fact, Leonid Gurevich Kulikovsky, the great-grandson of Russian Tsar Alexander III.
But Mr Kulikovsky didn't talk about his royal lineage, or his life before he moved to Australia in the 1960s — and those were stories he took to the grave.
The 72-year-old royal died a recluse on September 27 while taking his dog for a walk. It is believed a heart attack killed him, and he was found sitting under a tree with his faithful pet by his side.
His body was kept in a hospital morgue for the next two months as Australian authorities searched for a next of kin.
Darwin's honorary Russian consul Simon Andropov said they found a sister in Denmark, where Mr Kulikovsky was born, and she informed the Russian Orthodox Church in Australia that a member of the exiled royal Romanov family was dead.
A statement from Mr Kulikovsky's family was read out to the 50 mourners who attended his funeral that was finally held at Darwin's Serbian Orthodox Church on Monday.
"The death of Leonid Gurevich Kulikovsky came as a great shock to his family," the message read.
"We had just been taught he was far away from Moscow, about finding him, and had renewed hope that we would be able to come into contact, but a few days later we were informed by the police that he was found dead."
His family explained they had lost contact with Mr Kulikovsky after he left Denmark to live in Australia in 1967.
"We guessed that not many of you know about his life before he arrived in Australia," their message continued.
"Those who met him during his time in Sydney or in Katherine most likely did not know that he was a descendant of the Russian Tsar Alexander III.
"Leonid did not show or talk about his roots very much."
Alexander III reigned in Russia from 1881 until his death in 1894, when he was succeeded by his son, Nicholas II, the last of Russia's tsars who was killed along with his wife and children following the 1917 revolution.
Mr Kulikovsky is the granddaughter of Olga, Alexander III's daughter and Nicolas II's sister. Olga and her husband fled to Crimea with their two sons after the Romanov royal family were killed. They then made their way to Denmark.
Empress Maria and Tsar Alexander III.
Mr Kulikovsky is also distantly related to Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, due to his ancestral links to the British, Danish and Greek royal families.
He was fully aware of his remarkable ancestry and moved to Australia when he was 24 seeking "greener pastures", Mr Andropov said.
He worked for Sydney's Water Board and never married or had children. It's understood he settled five years ago in Katherine after driving around Australia after his retirement.
"'Old Nick' they called him, so he didn't even use his proper name," Andropov said.
"He lived completely incognito; didn't tell anyone of his heritage or anything. But it seems he was a well-liked fellow, always cheerful."
Mr Kulikovsky's estate could not afford a burial but a wealthy Darwin family is understood to have offered to bury him in a Darwin cemetery.
Brendan Hiller from Katherine, who attended Monday's funeral, said Mr Kulikovsky was a down-to-earth man who was always reading and went for a seven-kilometre walk each morning.
Mr Kulikovsky did once hint at his royal ancestry, Mr Hiller told the ABC.
"I said to him one day, that name sounds like a Russian name, and he said 'yes it is'," Mr Hiller said.
"He did tell me that he was related to the Tsars and I said 'oh you're famous then', and he looked up at me and smiled and said 'yes'.
"I didn't think much of it at the time, I thought he was embellishing."
Former Katherine pub worker Zdravko Radovic told the ABC his friend Mr Kulikovsky never mentioned his royal ancestry.
Officials from the Russian Orthodox Church as well as representatives from the Russian, Danish and Northern Territory governments were among those who attended Mr Kulikovsky's funeral at Darwin's Serbian Orthodox Church. It was held there because there is no Russian Church in Darwin.
On Monday, 30 November 2015, the solemn Orthodox funeral service was celebrated in Darwin.
Surviving member of Russia's Romanov family is farewelled in Darwin
the memorial was connected to this person, as the mother, but was requested to edit, and remove her as a parent..
NO ONE would have guessed that Old Nick, the elderly man who lived a quiet life in a caravan park in the Northern Territory, hailed from one of Europe's most powerful and tragic royal families.
The cheerful old man who was often seen with his beloved dog around his home in Katherine was, in fact, Leonid Gurevich Kulikovsky, the great-grandson of Russian Tsar Alexander III.
But Mr Kulikovsky didn't talk about his royal lineage, or his life before he moved to Australia in the 1960s — and those were stories he took to the grave.
The 72-year-old royal died a recluse on September 27 while taking his dog for a walk. It is believed a heart attack killed him, and he was found sitting under a tree with his faithful pet by his side.
His body was kept in a hospital morgue for the next two months as Australian authorities searched for a next of kin.
Darwin's honorary Russian consul Simon Andropov said they found a sister in Denmark, where Mr Kulikovsky was born, and she informed the Russian Orthodox Church in Australia that a member of the exiled royal Romanov family was dead.
A statement from Mr Kulikovsky's family was read out to the 50 mourners who attended his funeral that was finally held at Darwin's Serbian Orthodox Church on Monday.
"The death of Leonid Gurevich Kulikovsky came as a great shock to his family," the message read.
"We had just been taught he was far away from Moscow, about finding him, and had renewed hope that we would be able to come into contact, but a few days later we were informed by the police that he was found dead."
His family explained they had lost contact with Mr Kulikovsky after he left Denmark to live in Australia in 1967.
"We guessed that not many of you know about his life before he arrived in Australia," their message continued.
"Those who met him during his time in Sydney or in Katherine most likely did not know that he was a descendant of the Russian Tsar Alexander III.
"Leonid did not show or talk about his roots very much."
Alexander III reigned in Russia from 1881 until his death in 1894, when he was succeeded by his son, Nicholas II, the last of Russia's tsars who was killed along with his wife and children following the 1917 revolution.
Mr Kulikovsky is the granddaughter of Olga, Alexander III's daughter and Nicolas II's sister. Olga and her husband fled to Crimea with their two sons after the Romanov royal family were killed. They then made their way to Denmark.
Empress Maria and Tsar Alexander III.
Mr Kulikovsky is also distantly related to Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, due to his ancestral links to the British, Danish and Greek royal families.
He was fully aware of his remarkable ancestry and moved to Australia when he was 24 seeking "greener pastures", Mr Andropov said.
He worked for Sydney's Water Board and never married or had children. It's understood he settled five years ago in Katherine after driving around Australia after his retirement.
"'Old Nick' they called him, so he didn't even use his proper name," Andropov said.
"He lived completely incognito; didn't tell anyone of his heritage or anything. But it seems he was a well-liked fellow, always cheerful."
Mr Kulikovsky's estate could not afford a burial but a wealthy Darwin family is understood to have offered to bury him in a Darwin cemetery.
Brendan Hiller from Katherine, who attended Monday's funeral, said Mr Kulikovsky was a down-to-earth man who was always reading and went for a seven-kilometre walk each morning.
Mr Kulikovsky did once hint at his royal ancestry, Mr Hiller told the ABC.
"I said to him one day, that name sounds like a Russian name, and he said 'yes it is'," Mr Hiller said.
"He did tell me that he was related to the Tsars and I said 'oh you're famous then', and he looked up at me and smiled and said 'yes'.
"I didn't think much of it at the time, I thought he was embellishing."
Former Katherine pub worker Zdravko Radovic told the ABC his friend Mr Kulikovsky never mentioned his royal ancestry.
Officials from the Russian Orthodox Church as well as representatives from the Russian, Danish and Northern Territory governments were among those who attended Mr Kulikovsky's funeral at Darwin's Serbian Orthodox Church. It was held there because there is no Russian Church in Darwin.
On Monday, 30 November 2015, the solemn Orthodox funeral service was celebrated in Darwin.
Surviving member of Russia's Romanov family is farewelled in Darwin
the memorial was connected to this person, as the mother, but was requested to edit, and remove her as a parent..
(Russian: Леонид Гуревич Куликовский)
NO ONE would have guessed that Old Nick, the elderly man who lived a quiet life in a caravan park in the Northern Territory, hailed from one of Europe's most powerful and tragic royal families.
The cheerful old man who was often seen with his beloved dog around his home in Katherine was, in fact, Leonid Gurevich Kulikovsky, the great-grandson of Russian Tsar Alexander III.
But Mr Kulikovsky didn't talk about his royal lineage, or his life before he moved to Australia in the 1960s — and those were stories he took to the grave.
The 72-year-old royal died a recluse on September 27 while taking his dog for a walk. It is believed a heart attack killed him, and he was found sitting under a tree with his faithful pet by his side.
His body was kept in a hospital morgue for the next two months as Australian authorities searched for a next of kin.
Darwin's honorary Russian consul Simon Andropov said they found a sister in Denmark, where Mr Kulikovsky was born, and she informed the Russian Orthodox Church in Australia that a member of the exiled royal Romanov family was dead.
A statement from Mr Kulikovsky's family was read out to the 50 mourners who attended his funeral that was finally held at Darwin's Serbian Orthodox Church on Monday.
"The death of Leonid Gurevich Kulikovsky came as a great shock to his family," the message read.
"We had just been taught he was far away from Moscow, about finding him, and had renewed hope that we would be able to come into contact, but a few days later we were informed by the police that he was found dead."
His family explained they had lost contact with Mr Kulikovsky after he left Denmark to live in Australia in 1967.
"We guessed that not many of you know about his life before he arrived in Australia," their message continued.
"Those who met him during his time in Sydney or in Katherine most likely did not know that he was a descendant of the Russian Tsar Alexander III.
"Leonid did not show or talk about his roots very much."
Alexander III reigned in Russia from 1881 until his death in 1894, when he was succeeded by his son, Nicholas II, the last of Russia's tsars who was killed along with his wife and children following the 1917 revolution.
Mr Kulikovsky is the granddaughter of Olga, Alexander III's daughter and Nicolas II's sister. Olga and her husband fled to Crimea with their two sons after the Romanov royal family were killed. They then made their way to Denmark.
Empress Maria and Tsar Alexander III.
Mr Kulikovsky is also distantly related to Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, due to his ancestral links to the British, Danish and Greek royal families.
He was fully aware of his remarkable ancestry and moved to Australia when he was 24 seeking "greener pastures", Mr Andropov said.
He worked for Sydney's Water Board and never married or had children. It's understood he settled five years ago in Katherine after driving around Australia after his retirement.
"'Old Nick' they called him, so he didn't even use his proper name," Andropov said.
"He lived completely incognito; didn't tell anyone of his heritage or anything. But it seems he was a well-liked fellow, always cheerful."
Mr Kulikovsky's estate could not afford a burial but a wealthy Darwin family is understood to have offered to bury him in a Darwin cemetery.
Brendan Hiller from Katherine, who attended Monday's funeral, said Mr Kulikovsky was a down-to-earth man who was always reading and went for a seven-kilometre walk each morning.
Mr Kulikovsky did once hint at his royal ancestry, Mr Hiller told the ABC.
"I said to him one day, that name sounds like a Russian name, and he said 'yes it is'," Mr Hiller said.
"He did tell me that he was related to the Tsars and I said 'oh you're famous then', and he looked up at me and smiled and said 'yes'.
"I didn't think much of it at the time, I thought he was embellishing."
Former Katherine pub worker Zdravko Radovic told the ABC his friend Mr Kulikovsky never mentioned his royal ancestry.
Officials from the Russian Orthodox Church as well as representatives from the Russian, Danish and Northern Territory governments were among those who attended Mr Kulikovsky's funeral at Darwin's Serbian Orthodox Church. It was held there because there is no Russian Church in Darwin.
On Monday, 30 November 2015, the solemn Orthodox funeral service was celebrated in Darwin.
Surviving member of Russia's Romanov family is farewelled in Darwin
the memorial was connected to this person, as the mother, but was requested to edit, and remove her as a parent..
NO ONE would have guessed that Old Nick, the elderly man who lived a quiet life in a caravan park in the Northern Territory, hailed from one of Europe's most powerful and tragic royal families.
The cheerful old man who was often seen with his beloved dog around his home in Katherine was, in fact, Leonid Gurevich Kulikovsky, the great-grandson of Russian Tsar Alexander III.
But Mr Kulikovsky didn't talk about his royal lineage, or his life before he moved to Australia in the 1960s — and those were stories he took to the grave.
The 72-year-old royal died a recluse on September 27 while taking his dog for a walk. It is believed a heart attack killed him, and he was found sitting under a tree with his faithful pet by his side.
His body was kept in a hospital morgue for the next two months as Australian authorities searched for a next of kin.
Darwin's honorary Russian consul Simon Andropov said they found a sister in Denmark, where Mr Kulikovsky was born, and she informed the Russian Orthodox Church in Australia that a member of the exiled royal Romanov family was dead.
A statement from Mr Kulikovsky's family was read out to the 50 mourners who attended his funeral that was finally held at Darwin's Serbian Orthodox Church on Monday.
"The death of Leonid Gurevich Kulikovsky came as a great shock to his family," the message read.
"We had just been taught he was far away from Moscow, about finding him, and had renewed hope that we would be able to come into contact, but a few days later we were informed by the police that he was found dead."
His family explained they had lost contact with Mr Kulikovsky after he left Denmark to live in Australia in 1967.
"We guessed that not many of you know about his life before he arrived in Australia," their message continued.
"Those who met him during his time in Sydney or in Katherine most likely did not know that he was a descendant of the Russian Tsar Alexander III.
"Leonid did not show or talk about his roots very much."
Alexander III reigned in Russia from 1881 until his death in 1894, when he was succeeded by his son, Nicholas II, the last of Russia's tsars who was killed along with his wife and children following the 1917 revolution.
Mr Kulikovsky is the granddaughter of Olga, Alexander III's daughter and Nicolas II's sister. Olga and her husband fled to Crimea with their two sons after the Romanov royal family were killed. They then made their way to Denmark.
Empress Maria and Tsar Alexander III.
Mr Kulikovsky is also distantly related to Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, due to his ancestral links to the British, Danish and Greek royal families.
He was fully aware of his remarkable ancestry and moved to Australia when he was 24 seeking "greener pastures", Mr Andropov said.
He worked for Sydney's Water Board and never married or had children. It's understood he settled five years ago in Katherine after driving around Australia after his retirement.
"'Old Nick' they called him, so he didn't even use his proper name," Andropov said.
"He lived completely incognito; didn't tell anyone of his heritage or anything. But it seems he was a well-liked fellow, always cheerful."
Mr Kulikovsky's estate could not afford a burial but a wealthy Darwin family is understood to have offered to bury him in a Darwin cemetery.
Brendan Hiller from Katherine, who attended Monday's funeral, said Mr Kulikovsky was a down-to-earth man who was always reading and went for a seven-kilometre walk each morning.
Mr Kulikovsky did once hint at his royal ancestry, Mr Hiller told the ABC.
"I said to him one day, that name sounds like a Russian name, and he said 'yes it is'," Mr Hiller said.
"He did tell me that he was related to the Tsars and I said 'oh you're famous then', and he looked up at me and smiled and said 'yes'.
"I didn't think much of it at the time, I thought he was embellishing."
Former Katherine pub worker Zdravko Radovic told the ABC his friend Mr Kulikovsky never mentioned his royal ancestry.
Officials from the Russian Orthodox Church as well as representatives from the Russian, Danish and Northern Territory governments were among those who attended Mr Kulikovsky's funeral at Darwin's Serbian Orthodox Church. It was held there because there is no Russian Church in Darwin.
On Monday, 30 November 2015, the solemn Orthodox funeral service was celebrated in Darwin.
Surviving member of Russia's Romanov family is farewelled in Darwin
the memorial was connected to this person, as the mother, but was requested to edit, and remove her as a parent..
