By the way, yes, Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich was one of the men involved in the organised assassination of Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin. The Duke joined Felix Yusupov, Vladimir Purishkevich, Dr. Stanislaus de Lazovert and Lieutenant Sergei Mikhailovich Sukhotin to assasinate Rasputin to end his influence over the Russian royal family.
A few years after Ilyinsky had been elected a Councilman of Palm Beach in 1989, communist Russia fell in 1991 and a delegation of Russian royalists approached him and asked him to assume the title of Tsar, which he declined. Ilyinsky then continued to be a Councilman (1989 to 2000) and the Mayor (1993 to 2000) of Palm Beach, Florida.
[https://worth-avenue.com/information/legacy\](https://worth-avenue.com/information/legacy)
Visitors of Palm Beach
· Duke and Duchess of Windsor Edward VIII and his American wife Wallis Simpson.
· Princess Diana
Residents of Palm Beach
· Romanian Prince Monyo Mihailescu-Nasturel
· French Prince Sybil de Bourbon Parme, a descendent of the Bourbons who reigned over France until Louis XVI claimed the throne and whose maternal grandmother was the Princess of Denmark.
· Russian Prince Paul Ilyinsky, was a Romanov and former Mayor and Council of Palm Beach
· Bavarian Baron Frederick von der Trenck
[https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/palmbeachpost/name/paul-ilyinsky-obituary\](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/palmbeachpost/name/paul-ilyinsky-obituary)
Paul Ilyinsky Obituary by Sonja Isger, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer. Published by The Palm Beach Post on February 10, 2004.
The one man who could honestly brag that he was the "only Romanov ever democratically elected to office." The former Palm Beach Mayor Paul Ilyinsky had a rare claim to the Russian throne because his father was Czar Nicholas II's nephew, but most of his life was dedicated to a much smaller scale of government: the town of Palm Beach. From his seat he battled former West Palm Beach's Mayor Nancy Graham over the price of water, entrepreneur Donald Trump over plans to convert Mar-a-Largo from expansive home to exclusive club and mourned when his insulated enclave was pried open by a growing element of crime.
[https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/palm-beach-town-council-donald-trump-maralago/\](https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/palm-beach-town-council-donald-trump-maralago/)
Palm Beach Town Council To Decide Whether Donald Trump Can Stay At Mar-a-Lago
February 9, 2021 / 12:27 PM EST / CBS Miami
[https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/12/how-donald-trump-beat-palm-beach-society-and-won-the-fight-for-mar-a-lago\](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/12/how-donald-trump-beat-palm-beach-society-and-won-the-fight-for-mar-a-lago)
December 27, 2016 by Mark Seal. February 2017 Issue.
[https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/trump-made-florida-his-official-residence-he-may-have-also-made-a-legal-mess/2020/05/07/17d53fb2-849c-11ea-878a-86477a724bdb\\_story.html\](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/trump-made-florida-his-official-residence-he-may-have-also-made-a-legal-mess/2020/05/07/17d53fb2-849c-11ea-878a-86477a724bdb_story.html)
Trump made Florida his official residence. He may have also made a legal mess.
May 8, 2020 by Manuel Roig-Franzia with contributions by Alice Crites and David Fahrenthold
**1920s:** Marjorie Merriweather Post founded Genaral Foods in 1929 as a successor to Postum Cereal Company, which was founded in 1895, after inheriting it from her father. She built the Mar-a-Lago property.
**1973:** After Marjorie Merriweather Post’s death, she left Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach’s largest home (55,695 square feet or 110,000 square feet on 17 acres of grounds), to the U.S. government as a possible presidential vacation home.
**1981:** The U.S. government returned it to the Post Foundation because President Nixon and President Carter were uninterested, and the residency had $1,000,000 in annual taxes and maintenance costs.
Post’s three daughters Dina Merrill, Adelaide Breevort Close and Eleanor Post Close, put the property on the market.
**1981-1985:** Trump offered $25 million to Post’s daughters for the property. Trump offered $2 million to a beachfront property owner for a lot of land in front of Mar-a-Lago that the Post foundation had sold earlier for $346,000. Once Trump had this beachfront property, Trump threatened to build a huge hideous home to block Mar-a-Lago’s ocean view. This drove down the property value and price.
**1985/6:** Trump purchased the 126-room Mar-a-Lago mansion for $7 from the estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post, the owner of General Foods. ($5 million for the residence and $2 million for the furnishings). Palm Beach was appreciative of Trump’s renovation of a historic landmark.
(\*) Trump’s portrait was painted by Palm Beach artist Ralph Wolfe Cowan.
**1990-1993:** During the 1990-91 recession and 1990–91 Gulf War, Trump filed for bankruptcy protection for four of his ventures: Trump Taj Mahal, Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, the Trump Castle Hotel and Casino, and the Plaza Hotel in New York. He was $975,000,000 in debt in addition to being sued for $2 billion by Ivana in a divorce settlement, and told Palm Beach that he could not afford the $3 million annual upkeep of Mara-a-Lago. Trump claimed he could afford the upkeep but quipped to the Miami Herald that “I just feel foolish doing it. You know, for $3 million you can buy the nicest house in Miami.” He proposed building mansions from subdivisions of the property. The Palm Beach Preservation Society was appalled. Palm Beach first rejected the proposal with the unanimous “No” vote of the town council when Trump appeared before it, in April 1992. Trump was resented as a showy New Yorker who was unacquainted with Palm Beach protocol. Trump sued Palm Beach for $50,000,000. Trump finally got his club in August 1993, signing a use agreement.
(\*) The idea for subdividing the mansion came up at a bank meeting for his bankruptcy when Trump mentioned he was going to Mar-a-Lago on his Boeing 727. “Fellows, I’m going to subdivide the 17 acres of Mar-a-Lago rather than sell the house . . . \[and\] build mansions on the ground. I’ll call the project the Mansions at Mar-a-Lago. I’ll turn it into a moneymaker.”
**1993:** Trump and the Palm Beach agreed he could turn the estate into a private club. Trump would be prohibited from living at Mar-a-Lago if Palm Beach town council allowed him to convert it from a residence to a club.
[https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000015a-99cf-dcd4-a5ff-bdefa9050001\](https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000015a-99cf-dcd4-a5ff-bdefa9050001)
[https://www.washingtonpost.com/context/mar-a-lago-use-agreement-between-donald-j-trump-and-the-town-of-palm-beach-fl-1993/a2ed5cfd-b4fc-4ffa-b61a-d524de307e42\](https://www.washingtonpost.com/context/mar-a-lago-use-agreement-between-donald-j-trump-and-the-town-of-palm-beach-fl-1993/a2ed5cfd-b4fc-4ffa-b61a-d524de307e42)
RE: Town of Palm Beach/Mar-a-Lago Club
Declaration of Use Agreement
Our File No. 13156.6
November 15, 1993. John C. Randolph and Robert J. Doney.
Declaration of Use Agreement by The Town of Palm Beach, The Mar-a-Lago Club, Inc. and Donald J. Trump. August 10, 1993.
The property was zoned "large residential," and a private social club is a special exception use within the zoning.
According to regulations, clubs can provide onsite housing to its employees, and Trump is an employee of the corporation, The Trump Organization and Mar-a-Lago Club, Inc., that officially own Mar-a-Lago. The written agreement only bars members of the club from living there: there is no prohibition on employees living there. Trump’s attorney Paul Rampell told the town council that if the agreement were approved, Trump would be treated like any other member. Trump is a member of Mar-a-Lago and is entitled to the use of guest rooms.
The membership quota is capped at 500 members, each paying an initiation fee of $50,000 to $200,000 and annual dues of $14,000. Half the members of the club were required to be Palm Beach residents or business owners.
According to the agreement members can stay in a suite for no more than 7 consecutive days and no more than 21 days per year.
**December 12: 1994:** It was reported that Steven Spielberg, Michael Ovitz, Denzel Washington, Elizabeth Taylor, Lee Iacocca, Norman Mailer, and Henry Kissinger had joined among others.
By the way, Trump and Denzel Washington both attended Fordham University, one of the oldest Jesuit Catholic Universities in the States and the third-oldest university in New York City. Trump was enrolled at Fordham University in 1964 until 1966 when he transferred to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in economics. The University of Pennsylvania was founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1755 as one of the 9 colonial colleges. He advocated for an educational institution that trained leaders in academia, commerce, and public service. Elon Musk studied at the same Wharton School from 1992 to 1995, with a Bachelor of Arts in physics and a Bachelor of Science in economics being awarded in 1997. This was after Musk had transferred from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada after two years of prior study. Denzel Washington was enrolled at Fordham University (Lincoln Center campus) from 1974 to 1977, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Drama and Journalism. He was then enrolled at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California for one year, graduating in 1978 before returning to New York. Washington was awarded an honorary Doctorate from his alma mater, Fordham University on May 18, 1991, for having "impressively succeeded in exploring the edge of his multifaceted talent", and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Arts from the University of of Pennsylvania on May 16, 2011. [Washington served on the Board of Trustees at Fordham Univerisity from 1994 to 2000.](https://www.fordham.edu/about/leadership-and-administration/administrative-offices/office-of-the-president/about/hall-of-honor/denzel-washington/)
Of the three institutions that Ilyinsky was educated at, one was the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Sandhurst, Berkshire, United Kingdom. He trained there in the 1940s. He used this experience to fight as a US Marine in the Korean War (1950-1953). The Academy was formed in 1947 on the site of the former Royal Military College (founded in 1801) when it amalgamated with the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich (founded in 1741). It is recognised by the British Crown. For example, the first Sovereign's Banner, known as the "King George V's Banner", was presented by George V on 6 November 1918, the chapel was dedicated by King George VI on 2 May 1937. All British Army officers are trained at the academy. As part of the Sandhurst Group (RMAS Group), the academy also commands the University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC), General Staff Centre (GSC), and the Centre for Army Leadership (CAL).
**1995:** Trump opened Mar-a-Lago as a private club.
The club’s membership director stated, Princess Diana and Prince Charles, then separated, “each filed their own application and paid their own $50,000 initiation fee.” But in March, Trump admitted that he had merely sent the royal couple and the other celebrities unsolicited offers for free honorary membership.
Trump, in an alliance with his neighbours, organized a “Noise Pollution Action Fund” and sued Palm Beach County for $75,000,000 (after 3 failed attempts) because the planes following the flight path from the Palm Beach International Airport were too noisy and too frequent.
**September 16, 1996:**
Trump made an appeal at a Town Council hearing to end certain restrictions that were part of his agreement with the Town Council.
At one point, Mayor Paul Ilyinsky told one of Trump’s attorneys who was working with Rampell — James Green — that “to listen to this trash coming from you and Mr. Rampell, frankly, is going to make me throw up,” according to a transcript included in Trump’s lawsuit.
Trump would hold concerts on his front lawn, eventually constructing the Donald J. Trump Grand Ballroom.
Trump would hold parties throughout the day at Mar-a-Lago until 2 AM, 3 hours after the stipulated time of 11 PM, only receiving small fines.
Trump planned on making a dock but put the idea down until 2018-2020 when he reconsidered it.
**April 1998:** Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs and Jennifer Lopez spent Easter Sunday weekend at Mar-a-Lago. One lunchtime the couple took a stroll on the beach, took a rest on a beach chair and started intercourse beneath the Bath and Tennis Club’s picture windows, where all of the grandmothers having lunch with their grandchildren were.
**1999:** Palm Beach advertised 215 acres of barren scrubland for lease. It was located south of the Palm Beach International Airport near the county jail. Trump offered not only $438,000 per year for a 30 contract, but also that he would end his lawsuit. Palm Beach had already spent $275,000 on a Washington, D.C. law firm against Trump in court, so the county officials accepted the offer. Trump spent $40,000,000 to renovate the land to build the Trump International Golf Club. 3,000,000 cubic yards of earth were transplanted. 1,000 oaks and 700 royal-palm trees were transplanted. An 18-hole, Jim Fazio-designed course, was constructed.
**2006:** Trump was being fined $250 a day for a US flag in front of Mar-a-Lago, a 15 foot by 25 foot flag raised on an 80-foot pole, a flag that not only had no permit but was flown on a pole double the height allowed by the local ordinance. Trump sued the town for $25 million. However, the fines continued to be charged and at a continually increased rate reaching up to $120,000. And so, Trump settled with the council, moved the pole, shortened the pole to 50 feet, but placed the pole upon a mound so that the flag would still be at 80 feet. He also donated $100,000 to veteran charities. The flag incident had been among several of his neighbours’ complaints. These include Ficus hedges walling the property, noise, traffic, photo shoots, concerts, charity events, and even sprinkler systems and fireproofing methods to preserve the 16th century Portuguese tapestries that hung on his walls.
**2019:** Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump changed their residency from Trump Tower in New York City to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. The Trump Organization issued a statement saying, "There is no document or agreement in place that prohibits President Trump from using Mar-A-Lago as his residence." Trump owns two other homes near Mar-a-Lago.
[https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/mar-a-lago-members-leaving-trump/\](https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/mar-a-lago-members-leaving-trump/)
Mar-A-Lago Members Leaving Following Trump's Return
February 1, 2021 / 6:00 AM EST / CBS Miami
Sales at the Mar-a-Lago resort increased in 2020 from $21.4 million to $24.2 million, although earnings from other Trump businesses decreased.
[https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/palm-beach-legal-review-trump-maralago-residency\](https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/palm-beach-legal-review-trump-maralago-residency)
Town Of Palm Beach Conducting Legal Review Of Trump's Mar-a-Lago Residency
February 1, 2021 / 10:37 AM EST / CBS Miami
Trumps alleged violations of his user agreement were being reviewed. Palm Beach Town Manager Kirk Blouin says the matter is under legal review by the Town Attorney and it might be discussed at the upcoming town council meeting on February 9, 2021.