Romanov Musings, etc.

Spanish ancestry plus 3.5 drops of Russian blood. Romanov obsessive, writer, traveler, INTJ, lover of people, ideas, flowers, dogs, cats, whales.Likes putting history in context. Thank God for photography and good Russian painters.

[loiladadiani]

Guadalupe, the owner of this account passed away 11/5/24. Thanks to all the people she interacted with here. Russian history was one of her many loves.

[loiladadiani]

Hello. I have not been posting or even logging in because of health problems that are just beginning to resolve. Hopefully I will be able to resume my usual activities by the end of next week. Have a nice week-end!

[loiladadiani]

“Nothing in this world is harder than speaking the truth, nothing easier than flattery.”

Fyodor Dostoevsky

[lesyoussoupoff]

"Nikolai had been the jewel of his parent's eye. He graduated from the law faculty of St. Petersburg University, was a gifted writer (publishing under the pen name "Rokov"), an amateur actor, and founder of a comedy troupe. He had plans to join one of the elite guards regiments when he was killed in a duel in June 1908 at the age of twenty-five by Count Arvid Manteifel, after falling in love with the count's wife, Countess Marina Heiden. Zinaida was devasted and never fully recovered." -Douglas Smith, Rasputin: Faith, Power and the Twilight of the Romanovs

[thefirstwaltz]

Princess Lovisa Josefina Eugenia of Sweden (1851-1926); Queen of Denmark as consort to King Frederick VIII of Denmark. 

This photograph was taken at the time of her engagement to her husband, then Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark. 1868. 

Fun fact! Princess Lovisa was the first princess of the Swedish royal family to marry into the Danish royal family since the Middle Ages! 

She herself was the daughter of King Charles XV of Sweden and Queen Louise, who was born a Princess of the Netherlands. Lovisa was a great-grandaughter of King William I of the Netherlands. Her descendants live today; for example, the current reigning monarchs of Denmark, Norway and Belgium, as well as the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. 

King William I of the Netherlands > Prince Frederick of the Netherlands > Princess Louise of the Netherlands > Princess Lovisa of Sweden > Christian X of Denmark > Frederick IX of Denmark > Margrethe II of Denmark 

Princess Lovisa of Sweden > King Haakon VII of Norway > King Olav V of Norway > King Harald V of Norway 

Princess Lovisa of Sweden > Princess Ingeborg of Denmark > Princess Martha of Sweden > King Harald V of Norway 

Princess Lovisa of Sweden > Princess Ingeborg of Denmark > Princess Astrid of Sweden > King Albert II of the Belgians > Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant  

Princess Lovisa of Sweden > Princess Ingeborg of Sweden > Princess Astrid of Sweden > Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte of Luxembourg > Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg 

[romanovsonelastdance]

Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester.

Born in 1900, Henry was the third son and fourth child of King George V and Queen Mary. He attended Eton where he befriended fellow OTMAA contemporary, Leopold (III) of Belgium. While his elder brother Edward (David) was usually the one linked to OTMA in royal marriage gossip, a few articles went so far as to point out that there were sons enough for all of OTMA and they were all close in age, so there could be more than one British-Russian alliance. Henry himself was between Maria and Anastasia in age.

[thefourromanovsisters-deactivat]

[loiladadiani]

Tsar Nicholas II and his beautiful daughter Maria, who at this point was nearly as tall as him

[ykzzr]

Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevnia and her cousin, the hereditary Grand Duke Georg Donats of Hesse and by Rhine 1910s.

[foreverinthepagesofhistory]

“Ella and Papa” (edit) ❤️‍🩹✨🕊️

“In Spring, Elisabeth had to leave her father for the first time to go to Coburg with her mother. According to Ernst Ludwig’s memories, she hid from everyone and, finally, was found "whimpering under a sofa, full of despair." Ernst assured Elisabeth that her mother loved her too. "Mama says she loves me, but you do love me.’ she replied.” 💔

— @princesselisabethofhesse

(Edit made by me using CapCut)

[postcard-from-the-past]

The German Imperial Hohenzollern family

French vintage postcard

[imperial-russia]

The elaborate decorations worn by Tsarevich Alexei´s pet donkey

[thehessiansisters]

Full length portraits of Prince and Princess Louis of Battenberg, 1884.

[loiladadiani]

i heard that princess alexandra of greece & denmark & grand duchess elizabeth feodorvna had a close relationship right! is there any book that talks about their intimate friendship

I have not read anything regarding a particularly close relationship between Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna and Princess Alexandra of Greece and Denmark. I am sorry I have no information to give you.

[loiladadiani]

How it was the relationship between Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and Maria Pavlovna?

I have read that they were very well matched. They both had strong personalities and both were sociable and liked the good things in life (sometimes a little bit too much.) He was a very well educated man of refined tastes and I have read that he could be very kind and sweet. Maria Pavlovna decided to wear mourning for the rest of her life when he died and that says something!

Thanks for your questions!

[loiladadiani]

The Vladimir Palace

Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich's Palace was the last imperial palace completed in Saint Petersburg. Building took place between 1867 and 1868, but decoration work continued for several years (until 1874). The Palace was blessed on the date the Grand Duke married Maria Pavlovna, and the couple moved right in. The palace's facade was done in the neo-Renaissance style; the interiors are in different styles: Neo-baroque, neo-rococo, neo-gothic, Russian, and “Moorish style.” The Vladimir Palace has 360 rooms.

A photograph of a staircase that has become iconic.

Today, the palace looks very much like it did when it was being inhabited by the Vladimirs. Many of the Grand Duke's exquisite collections of paintings, porcelains, etc., remain complete and undamaged.

The photographs above show the palace's theater, where the Vladimirs held frequent concerts and recitals in honor of their guests.

The Vladimir Palace owes its excellent state of conservation to the fact that after the October Revolution, the palace was made the 'Academics' House' (Дом Учёных, named after Maxim Gorky); the building was frequented by academics and scientists who knew the historical value of the palace and its contents and thus treated their surroundings kindly. Consequently, its interior is better preserved than other Romanov family residences. Much attractive tiling and many internal architectural details have been retained. Not only have collections been maintained, but some have been expanded.

The picture below is the "oak room,". One can easily imagine a ball taking place in it.

Photographs of some of the sumptuous living spaces in the palace, including one of the library.

Photographs of the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna's famous Moorish boudoir. Notice the detailed tile work.

The Vladimir Palace is not a museum, but tours are given. It has become the meeting point of St. Petersburg’s social, cultural, intellectual, and scientific existence.

[imperial-russia]

“The August Family” poster or possibly a calendar cover (?)

[loiladadiani]

A very young Xenia with her husband Sandro at the helm