Russian dissidents and billionaires have been flocking to London since around the late 90s. ‘Rich, Russian and Living in London’ is a 2015 documentary exploring the glamorous lives of the super-rich Russians who have made their homes in ‘the Big Smoke’. Aired on BBC2 in January, the film delves into what these big spenders like about England and its dazzling capital. It investigates their obsession with the British monarchy and everything else English, like football, polo, pub culture and real ale.
Dubbed as ‘Richskis’
The stars of the documentary are all very wealthy, Russian, and residing in London. Some locals have taken to calling them ‘richskis’, and whether this is a fond epithet or not is not quite clear. The London ‘richskis’ featured on the film include a wealthy Russian entrepreneur with liberal views and an expanding fortune, a top Russian supermodel, and an art collector — a very wealthy Russian who is also one of the foremost philanthropists in London.
Culture Vultures
The cast includes Princess Olga Romanov and two wealthy heiresses preparing for the glitzy Russian ball — an annual event where mainly Russian debutantes make their first public appearance. The shindig resembles a typical 19th century soiree introducing debutantes to potential suitors, and is a well-established Russian tradition. Princess Romanov is a descendant of Tsar Nicholas II’s sister, and is the patron of the ball. Annual balls and philanthropic and cultural involvement shows that these Russians are becoming firmly entrenched in London society.
The Russian Connection
Russian and Living in London takes an in-depth look at what motivates these wealthy individuals and families to live in the most populous city in England, and addresses questions like: what they spend their money on, what brought them to London, and what they think of the English. The documentary reveals that despite the intense fixation on everything British, the wealthy Russians living in London continue to hold onto their Russian roots. Perhaps culture in itself is attractive; and England certainly is a cultural hub.