Queen Elizabeth’s cousin returns Russian honour a year after being accused of spying for Kremlin

Queen Elizabeth’s cousin, Prince Michael of Kent, returned a Russian honour in light of the country’s invasion of Ukraine. The move comes a year after he was accused of selling intel to the Kremlin.

According to People magazine, Prince Michael handed back the Russian Order of Friendship awarded to him in 2009 for his work on Anglo-Russo relations in the wake of Russia’s attack on Ukraine starting February 24.

A spokesperson for the prince told UK publication Daily Express, “I can confirm that HRH Prince Michael of Kent is returning his Russian Order of Friendship. There will be no further comment.”

The prince, related to Tsar Nicholas II through his grandmother, has been an active pioneer of Anglo-Russo relations, and has routinely visited the country since 1992. He is also the patron of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce.

Due to his close relations with Russia, Prince Michael was also accused of selling access to sensitive information to Russian President Vladimir Putin last year in a Sunday Times of London report.