Cherepovets resident Natalia Vedenina became famous when she married a Nigerian prince at age 50. Her husband, much younger than her, was much younger, but their marriage was short-lived—the prince died suddenly, leaving Natalia with two small twins.
After this tragedy, the woman remained undeterred and set about finding happiness. And luck was on her side—she met Fyodor Pomorov, 27 years her junior, on social media.
Lived like everyone else
Natalia Vedenina-Gabriel (née Sharova) was born on July 6, 1967, in the village of Novye Ugly in the Vologda region. This village later became part of Cherepovets. She grew up with her sister, Tatyana, and attended local School No. 7.
At various times, Natalia worked as a nurse’s assistant in the neurosurgical department and served in the police. Due to health problems (hypertension), she was forced into a disability pension. In 1993, Natalia divorced her first husband. She is survived by a son, Anatoly, from that marriage.
A chance encounter with a Nigerian prince
In 2010, Natalya Vedenina, an ordinary woman from Cherepovets, created a profile on a dating site. Just six minutes later, an unusual man messaged her—a dark-skinned guy from Nigeria named Paul. It turned out he was a real prince—Paul Gabriel Segun Ajayi. Natalya, then a 43-year-old retired nurse, thought it was a joke. The age difference also bothered her: he was only 25.
But they started corresponding. At first, Natalia didn’t take the conversation seriously, but gradually she began to fall in love with him. Paul turned out to be kind, generous, and sincere—she enjoyed talking to him, even if he was only a prince in name. They chatted online for three years, and at some point, Paul asked them to meet. He hadn’t been granted a visa to Russia, so he sent Natalia money for a ticket to Nigeria. She packed her suitcase and went to the other side of the world.
Short happiness
Natalia flew to Nigeria, and after just a week of face-to-face communication, Paul proposed. She said yes without hesitation. The newlyweds celebrated two lavish weddings—one in Africa and one in Russia, where, after much ado, Paul was finally granted a visa. The newlyweds settled in Cherepovets. Her adult son, Anatoly, understood his mother’s choice—he saw her beaming with happiness.
In Russia, the African prince took on any job without hesitation—from tractor driver to internet service provider. At some point, Natalia learned she was expecting twins. Healthy twins, David and Daniil, were born. Unfortunately, their happiness was short-lived. One day, Paul invited his younger brother over. The young couple decided to have a fun time at a nightclub. There, on the dance floor, 28-year-old Paul suffered a massive heart attack. Doctors were unable to save him.
According to the same scenario
After Paul’s death, according to Nigerian custom, Natalia was supposed to marry his brother, Michael, who was studying in Cherepovets at the time. They dated for a while, but Michael began cheating on her and eventually left her for another woman. Then Natalia registered on a dating site again. This time, she was noticed by a Ghanaian police officer named Orlando, 18 years her junior. After a lengthy correspondence, she went to visit him, and he immediately proposed.
But Natalia had no intention of leaving Russia; Ghana’s hot climate didn’t suit her. The policeman showed a willingness to make sacrifices. He flew to Cherepovets, met Natalia’s children, and began making plans for a future together in Russia. He found a job, studied Russian, and saved for a wedding. Orlando occasionally visited his home country, but one day, COVID-19 prevented him from returning. Closed borders separated the lovers for many months. Despite attempts to maintain contact via video calls, distance and time took their toll, and their feelings faded.
Happiness is near
In 2021, Natalia Vedenina met Fyodor Pomorov from Novosibirsk, 27 years her junior, on social media. At first, she was hesitant about the relationship—the age difference seemed too great—but he persisted. He came to Cherepovets, met his sons, and within a week they began living together. The couple had been going through some difficult times. They were planning to have a child together, but an IVF attempt was unsuccessful.
According to some reports, this was the reason for their temporary separation. Another theory is that Fyodor was jealous of Natalia’s interactions with foreigners on social media, which she refused to stop.
Despite the difficulties, the couple managed to maintain their feelings. On July 8, 2024, Family, Love, and Fidelity Day, they officially registered their marriage. Now 58-year-old Natalia lives with her husband and teenage children, who get along well with their stepfather.
