Recent content by JPhinala

Nicholas spoke Russian, French, and English in probably that order. Alexander III was very keen on using Russian and it is quite probable that he only ever spoke to Nicholas in Russian. The letters between Nicholas and Marie Feodorovna are almost all in French and Nicholas was known to speak...

Though I'd love to nail Maria Vladimirovna on this point, I don't know that it's 100% valid. Aleksandr III and Marie Feodorovna both wanted Nikolai II to marry Princess Helene d'Orleans (subsequently Duchess d'Aosta). While The Bourbon Dynasty was more freshly deposed this goes to show that the...

I feel like the group may have been a bit quick in shuting susana down. There is a fairly strong argument against Maria Vladimirovna. The argument is very simple. While Pauline Law does indicate a sucession in the event of the extinction of the male line, it would not have come into effect...

Ah. The Mariinsky Theater story is one of my favorites. For those of you who don't know it, I'll paraphrase it here. The Dowager Empress used to have two tables set up with refreshments and invited the most prestigious people in the theater to dine with her. Sometimes the Empress Marie would...

Also, this precedence only held true if all three were at some other location. If they were in England King George would have ranked first, the same sort of thing holds true for Germany and Russia. I love your comment about Willy, Warren. Though I think his placing the Dowager Empress under...

I would just like to clarify that I was, in no way, trying to insinuate that Maria Vladimirovna "looked Jewish" or that it was a bad thing. I have many faults but antisemitism isn't one of them. I also don't agree with your assertion that the Jewish "nation" "deposed and massacred his family and...

Vladimir had no right to change the House Laws, mostly because Paul created the House Laws as part of Imperial Decree making it a legal matter instead of a private one and seeing as Vladimir had no legaling standing he could not change the laws. There are two camps. 1. Maria Vladimirovna...

I quite agree. Xenia was very attractive. A lot of that was her demeanour but I would imagine lots of Tatiania's beauty comes from Felix. His features are very evident in her. Especially in the first picture.

She didn't view her as a threat exactly. It was more that the Dowager Empress was extremly serious about the importance of having a non-morganastic dynasty. She took House Law very seriously and was devastated when her children began to break the rules. She had always critisized the other GDs...

I know there's a piece about it in The Flight of the Romanovs. I'm almost positive that Maria Pavlovna converted later because when people contest Maria Vladimirovna (as I often do) it isn't ever mentioned that it is a morganatic branch. The branch is considered legit. so I think it's safe to...

Marie didn't sell them herself, though they are hers. They were sold just after she died. Which was immediately after she reached Paris.

Christian X made a speech in August of 1943 against the occupying forces which resulted in his imprisonment for the remainder of the war. Does anyone know here I can find a copy of this speech? Preferably in English but I can translate it if I have to. Thanks!

The story goes something like this: King Christian X, irritated at the Dowager Empress, send a messanger to tell her that if she was not going to be in every room of her suite if she would please turn off the lights. Seeing as the Dowager had company and was very much embarresed she sent her...

So, what do we know about Nikolai and Rostislav Romanov? The only time I've ever seen them was in pictures from HIM the Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna's reburial service and the unveiling of a statue to commemorate the occaision. Does anyone know anything about them? I suppose I should have...

While I agree that being in the Army builds lots of moral character and was a crucial part of the Romanov image (I once heard the army refered to as the "Playground of the Romanovs") there are two big reasons that George should NOT and will not be in the Army. One, he would not be in the Russian...