Source: ABC
November 30, 2015
Leonid Gurevich Kulikovsky, who was the great grandson of Tsar Alexander III, who reigned in Russia in the 1800s, was farewelled at a service attended by at least 30 people in the Darwin suburb of Malak.
The NT Government was represented at the 45-minute funeral by Multicultural Affairs Minister Peter Styles, while the Chancellor of the Russian Orthodox church in Australia, Dr Michael Protopopov, was also present, as was Maxim Raku from the Russian Embassy in Canberra.
A message from Mr Kulikovsky's family was read out to the service.
"The death of Leonid Gurevich Kulikovsky came as a great shock to his family," the message said.
"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."
The message said the family 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," it said.
"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."
They said Mr Kulikovsky never married and had no children.
Offer from NT's wealthiest family
Tsar Alexander III, Emperor of Russia, with his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna, and their children.
Mr Kulikovsky died a pauper under a tree in Katherine, accompanied only by his faithful dog.
Although his funeral has taken place, his burial has been delayed because the NT's richest family, the Paspaleys, have offered a gravesite for the Russian royal at their private family burial area.
The Paspaleys, immigrants from Greece who fled the World War I conflict for Australia and made their fortune in pearling, approached Russian representative in the NT Simon Andropov to make the offer as he was making enquiries to arrange a burial site.
Mr Andropov said Mr Kulikovsky, whose body lay in a hospital morgue for two months before his identity was determined, had a "remarkable ancestry".
Much of the Russian royal family was shot dead in 1918 by Bolsheviks in the wake of the 1917 Russian revolution but other relatives went into exile.
Mr Kulikovsky lived in a caravan park in Katherine and was found dead under a tree in September, having suffered from a heart attack, Mr Andropov said.
NT Police confirmed Mr Kulikovsky died on September 27.
Friends remember 'Nick' Kulikovsky
Brendan Hiller from Katherine who went to the funeral said Mr Kulikovsky, who called himself as Nick or 'Boxing Nick', 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 said.
"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 said his friend Mr Kulikovsky never mentioned his royal ancestry.
'Tragic end' to Kulikovsky's life
Mourners gather at Darwin's Serbian Orthodox church to farewell Russian royal Leonid Kulikovsky.
"No-one knew of his royal heritage and on retirement he decided to travel around Australia," Mr Andropov said.
"He got as far as Katherine, and then he had problems with his vehicle.
"He's been living in a caravan park with his dog for the last five to six years."
Identity unknown for two months after death
Mr Andropov said Mr Kulikovsky's body was left in a hospital morgue for two months before his identity had been determined.
He said he had been in touch with Mr Kulikovsky's family in Denmark.
"When I contacted his sister in Denmark she said she lost contact with him 20 years ago," he said.
"I think Darwin will be honoured to have a royal buried here and the funeral here."
Leonid travelled to Australia for 'greener pastures'
Mr Andropov said Mr Kulikovsky grew up in Denmark with his family and was "well aware" of his royal descent.
"No doubt, there would have been absolutely no doubt about that," Mr Andropov said.
"Leonid completed his education in Denmark, he worked for a while in Denmark and then he decided he wanted greener pastures and he immigrated to Australia."
He said he worked in Sydney, living "incognito, no-one knew of his royal heritage" before travelling around Australia on retirement.
Leonid Kulakovsky (middle) sits with his grandmother, Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, and her biographer Ian Vorres.
