Xenia Alexandrovna
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Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia (; – 20 April 1960) was the elder daughter and fourth child of
Tsar Alexander III of Russia Alexander III (; 10 March 18451 November 1894) was Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Poland and Grand Duke of Finland from 13 March 1881 until his death in 1894. He was highly reactionary in domestic affairs and reversed some of the liberal ...
and Dagmar of Denmark. She was the sister of the last Emperor of Russia,
Nicholas II Nicholas II (Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov; 186817 July 1918) or Nikolai II was the last reigning Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland from 1 November 1894 until his abdication on 15 March 1917. He married ...
. She married her father's cousin,
Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia (; 13 April 1866 – 26 February 1933) was a Russian grand duke and dynast of the House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov, House of Romanov. He was also a naval officer, author, explorer, as well as the first ...
, with whom she had seven children. She was the mother-in-law of
Felix Yusupov Knyaz Felix Felixovich Yusupov, Count Sumarokov-Elston (; – 27 September 1967) was a Russian aristocrat from the House of Yusupov who is best known for participating in the assassination of Grigori Rasputin and for marrying Princess Irina ...
and a cousin of
Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia (; 18 September 1891 – 5 March 1942) was a son of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia, a grandson of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and a first cousin of Tsar Nicholas II, Marie of Edinburgh (consort o ...
who, together, killed
Grigori Rasputin Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin ( – ) was a Russian Mysticism, mystic and faith healer. He is best known for having befriended the imperial family of Nicholas II of Russia, Nicholas II, the last Emperor of all the Russias, Emperor of Russia, th ...
, holy healer to her nephew, the haemophiliac
Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich of Russia Alexei Nikolaevich (; – 17 July 1918) was the last Russian tsesarevich (heir apparent). He was the youngest child and only son of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna. He was born with haemophilia, which his parents tried treat ...
. During her brother's reign she recorded in her diary and letters increasing concern about his rule. After the fall of the monarchy in February 1917, she fled
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
, eventually settling in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. Her great-grandson Alexis Romanoff has been a head of the
Romanov Family The House of Romanov (also transliterated as Romanoff; , ) was the reigning imperial house of Russia from 1613 to 1917. They achieved prominence after Anastasia Romanovna married Ivan the Terrible, the first crowned tsar of all Russia. Ni ...
since November 2021.


Early life

Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna was born on at the
Anichkov Palace The Anichkov Palace, a former imperial palace in Saint Petersburg, stands at the intersection of Nevsky Avenue and the Fontanka River. History 18th century The palace, situated on the plot formerly owned by Antonio de Vieira (1682?-1745), ...
in St. Petersburg.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.4 She was the elder daughter among the six children of the Tsesarevich Alexander and his wife, Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna of Russia (née Princess Dagmar of Denmark). After the assassination of her paternal grandfather Tsar
Alexander II of Russia Alexander II ( rus, Алекса́ндр II Никола́евич, Aleksándr II Nikoláyevich, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr ftɐˈroj nʲɪkɐˈlajɪvʲɪtɕ; 29 April 181813 March 1881) was Emperor of Russia, Congress Poland, King of Poland and Grand Du ...
(), when Xenia was five years old, her father ascended to the Russian throne as Emperor Alexander III. It was a difficult time politically, plagued with terrorist threats. For security reasons, Alexander III moved with his family from the
Winter Palace The Winter Palace is a palace in Saint Petersburg that served as the official residence of the House of Romanov, previous emperors, from 1732 to 1917. The palace and its precincts now house the Hermitage Museum. The floor area is 233,345 square ...
to
Gatchina Palace The Great Gatchina Palace () is a palace in Gatchina, Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It was built from 1766 to 1781 by Antonio Rinaldi (architect), Antonio Rinaldi for Count Grigori Grigoryevich Orlov, who was a favourite of Catherine the Great, in ...
. There Xenia and her siblings enjoyed a relatively simple childhood: sleeping on cot beds, waking at 6 a.m., and taking cold baths every morning. Their rooms were simply furnished, albeit comfortable. Like her brothers, Xenia was educated by private tutors, with special emphasis on the study of foreign languages.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.12 Apart from her native Russian, Xenia studied English, French, and German. She learnt cookery,
joinery Joinery is a part of woodworking that involves joining pieces of wood, engineered lumber, or synthetic substitutes (such as laminate), to produce more complex items. Some woodworking joints employ mechanical fasteners, bindings, or adhesives ...
, and making puppets and their clothes for their theatre. She also enjoyed riding and fishing on the Gatchina estate,Van der Kiste and Hall, p.18 drawing (for which she supposedly had a particular talent), gymnastics, dancing, and playing the piano. Her entire family enjoyed family holidays at the home of her Danish maternal grandparents,
Fredensborg Castle Fredensborg Palace (; ) is a palace located on the eastern shore of Lake Esrum ( Danish, ''Esrum Sø'') in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand (''Sjælland'') in Denmark. It is the Danish royal family’s spring and autumn residence, and is of ...
.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.15 On such a visit she met her cousin and lifelong friend, Princess Marie of Greece, daughter of
King George I of Greece George I (Greek language, Greek: Γεώργιος Α΄, Romanization, romanized: ''Geórgios I''; 24 December 1845 – 18 March 1913) was King of Greece from 30 March 1863 until Assassination of George I of Greece, his assassination on 18 March ...
and of his Russian-born wife, Queen Olga. The Danish composer,
Valdemar Vater Waldemar, Valdemar, Valdimar, or Woldemar is an Old High German given name. It consists of the elements ''wald-'' "power", "brightness" and ''-mar'' "fame". The name is considered the equivalent of the Latvian name Valdemārs, the Estonian name ...
, paid Xenia a tribute by writing the "Polka Mazurka".Van der Kiste and Hall, p.17


Early marriage

Xenia and her paternal first cousin once removed
Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia (; 13 April 1866 – 26 February 1933) was a Russian grand duke and dynast of the House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov, House of Romanov. He was also a naval officer, author, explorer, as well as the first ...
, her eventual husband, played together as friends in the 1880s. Alexander, usually called Sandro, was also a friend of her brother, Nicholas. In 1886, 20-year-old Alexander was serving in the navy. Eleven-year-old Xenia sent him a card when his ship was in Brazil, "Best wishes and speedy return! Your sailor Xenia". In 1889, Alexander wrote of Xenia, "She is fourteen. I think she likes me." At age 15, though Xenia and Alexander wanted to marry, her parents were reluctant because Xenia was too young and they were unsure of Alexander's character. The Tsarina Maria Feodorovna had complained of Alexander's arrogance and rudeness. It was not until 12 January 1894 that Xenia's parents accepted the engagement, after Alexander's father, Grand Duke Michael Nikolaievich of Russia, intervened. The couple was very attached to each other. In a letter to their brother
George George may refer to: Names * George (given name) * George (surname) People * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Papagheorghe, also known as Jorge / GEØRGE * George, stage name of Gior ...
, Xenia's brother
Nicholas Nicholas is a male name, the Anglophone version of an ancient Greek name in use since antiquity, and cognate with the modern Greek , . It originally derived from a combination of two Ancient Greek, Greek words meaning 'victory' and 'people'. In ...
wrote: "They have become quite impossible, presumably from prolonged yearning and being so used to each other. They spend the whole day kissing, embracing and lying around on the furniture in the most improper manner. Xenia in particular is completely impossible." George responded: "They almost broke the ottoman and generally behaved in the most improper way. For instance, they would lie down on top of each other, even in my presence, in what you might call an attempt to play Papa and Mama." The couple finally wed on 6 August 1894, when Xenia was 19, in the SS Peter & Paul Chapel of the
Peterhof Palace The Peterhof Palace ( rus, Петерго́ф, Petergóf, p=pʲɪtʲɪrˈɡof; an emulation of German "Peterhof", meaning "Peter's Court") is a series of palaces and gardens located in Petergof, Saint Petersburg, Russia, commissioned by Peter th ...
.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.37 Xenia's younger sister,
Olga Olga may refer to: People and fictional characters * Olga (name), a given name, including a list of people and fictional characters named Olga or Olha * Michael Algar (born 1962), English singer also known as "Olga" Places Russia * Olga, Russia ...
, wrote about the joy of the wedding, "The Emperor was so happy. It was the last time I ever saw him like that." Korneva and Cheboksarova, p.196 They spent their wedding night at Ropsha Palace, and their honeymoon at Ai-Todor (Alexander's estate in
Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...
). During the honeymoon, Xenia's father, Alexander III, became ill and died on 1 November 1894.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.41 After his death, Xenia's eldest brother inherited the
Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, parti ...
and became the new Tsar
Nicholas II Nicholas II (Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov; 186817 July 1918) or Nikolai II was the last reigning Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland from 1 November 1894 until his abdication on 15 March 1917. He married ...
. Grand Duchess Xenia continued her public displays of affection after her wedding. Tsar Nicholas wrote to his fiancé: "Of one thing she eniais ''not'' shy. That is in kissing her husband. Whenever she can, she flies at him, her arms around his neck."


Charitable works

Xenia contributed strongly to charitable works. She was a member of the Women's Patriotic Association. From 1903, Xenia was patron of the Creche Society of St. Petersburg, which looked after poor working-class children while their parents were at work. She took a particular interest in hospitals for patients with
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...
in the Crimea, perhaps influenced by her brother George who suffered from the disease. She was also patron of the Maritime Naval Welfare Association, which took care of widows and children of naval personnel. Xenia founded the Xenia Association for the Welfare of Children of Workers and Airmen. In addition, she was patron of the
Kseniinsky Institute The Kseniinsky Institute for Noble Maidens () is a former women's educational institution of the Russian Empire, part of the department of Institutions of Empress Maria, which existed from 1894 to 1918 in St. Petersburg. History On 25 July 18 ...
, a
St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...
boarding school for 350 students.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.73-74


Russo-Japanese War

On 25 January 1904, Xenia recorded in her diary that
war War is an armed conflict between the armed forces of states, or between governmental forces and armed groups that are organized under a certain command structure and have the capacity to sustain military operations, or between such organi ...
had been declared between Russia and Japan.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.56 The previous December, Xenia had told the War Minister, Kuropatkin, that there would be no war and that her brother did not want war. The War Minister said the whole matter might be outside the control of Russia. As war broke out, there was unrest in Russia. On a cold Sunday in January 1905, over 150,000 peaceful people approached the
Winter Palace The Winter Palace is a palace in Saint Petersburg that served as the official residence of the House of Romanov, previous emperors, from 1732 to 1917. The palace and its precincts now house the Hermitage Museum. The floor area is 233,345 square ...
under the leadership of
Father Gapon Georgy Apollonovich Gapon ( –) was a Russian Orthodox priest of Ukrainian descent and a popular working-class leader before the 1905 Russian Revolution. Father Gapon is mainly remembered as the leader of peaceful crowds of protesters on Bloody ...
. The people wanted to present the Tsar with a petition. The St. Petersburg police had asked for help from the army, which fired into the crowd, resulting in 143 casualties. The day would be known as "
Bloody Sunday Bloody Sunday may refer to: Historical events Canada * Bloody Sunday (1923), a day of police violence during a steelworkers' strike for union recognition in Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia * Bloody Sunday (1938), police violence agai ...
" and mark a turning point in the relationship between the Tsar and his people.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.59 In February, Xenia's uncle Sergei, was killed by a bomb in Moscow. Xenia wanted to be with her aunt
Ella Ella is a feminine given name, which also used as a surname. Ella (or similar) may also refer to: Places United States * Ella, Kentucky, an unincorporated community * Ella, Oregon, an unincorporated community * Ella, Pennsylvania, an unincor ...
, but was told the situation was too dangerous. Xenia was exasperated on hearing of Russia's military defeat in Korea.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.60 She had been angry about the start of the war and recorded her thoughts on the end, "and ended even more stupidly!" Xenia was in the
Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...
at their home at Ai-Todor with her husband and children, when news of the mutiny of the Black Sea fleet reached them. In October, her brother was forced to agree to the establishment of a
Duma A duma () is a Russian assembly with advisory or legislative functions. The term ''boyar duma'' is used to refer to advisory councils in Russia from the 10th to 17th centuries. Starting in the 18th century, city dumas were formed across Russia ...
as a concession to the people. Some of Xenia's family saw it as "the end of Russian autocracy".Van der Kiste and Hall, p.61 Her husband Sandro had resigned his position at the Ministry of Merchant Marine. Xenia and her family spent Christmas at Ai-Todor as it was not safe to travel north, or from their estate. A Christmas service was held in the house, with the priest being driven there and back "in a closed landau under an escort of cavalry".


World War I and the collapse of the empire

The outbreak of war caught Xenia and her mother unaware: Xenia was in France while the Dowager Empress was in London.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.86 They arranged to meet in
Calais Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a French port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Calais is the largest city in Pas-de-Calais. The population of the city proper is 67,544; that of the urban area is 144,6 ...
, where the private train of the Dowager Empress was waiting to take them to Russia, being confident that the German Kaiser
Wilhelm II Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 until Abdication of Wilhelm II, his abdication in 1918, which marked the end of the German Empire as well as th ...
would let them through. Arriving in Berlin, they found the line to Russia had been closed. Hearing that the Yusupovs were also in Berlin, the Dowager Empress ordered that they join the train. An ugly situation ensued in Berlin until finally the train was allowed to travel to Denmark,Van der Kiste and Hall, p.87 and then on to Finland. Arriving back in Russia, Xenia threw herself into war work, providing her own hospital train and opening a large hospital for the wounded. She also chaired the Xenia Institute, which provided artificial limbs for the maimed. In 1915, learning that Nicholas intended to take command of the armed forces, she accompanied her mother to
Tsarskoe Selo Tsarskoye Selo (, , ) was the town containing a former residence of the Russian imperial family and visiting nobility, located south from the center of Saint Petersburg. The residence now forms part of the town of Pushkin. Tsarskoye Selo forms ...
in an attempt to dissuade him. The Dowager Empress had recorded her lack of confidence in him in this role in her diary,Van der Kiste and Hall, p.91 and this was borne out. Xenia returned disheartened to the
Yelagin Palace Yelagin Palace (Елагин дворец; also ''Yelaginsky'' or ''Yelaginoostrovsky Dvorets'') is a Palladian villa on Yelagin Island in Saint Petersburg, which served as a royal summer palace during the reign of Alexander I. The villa was d ...
. In February 1916, Xenia travelled to
Kiev Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
after an illness to see her mother and sister Olga. Her sister finally had her shell of a first marriage dissolved by the Tsar and was married in November 1916 to
Nikolai Kulikovsky Nikolai Alexandrovich Kulikovsky (5 November 1881 – 11 August 1958) was the second husband of Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia, the sister of Tsar Nicholas II and daughter of Tsar Alexander III. He was born into a military landowning ...
in the presence of the Dowager Empress in Kiev.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.93 Xenia was absent. On 28 October 1916, increasingly depressed by Russia's predicament, Xenia wrote to her mother, speculating what her father would have done. Xenia, her mother, and her sister Olga urged Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich to write to the Tsar warning him about the influence of the Tsarina in government affairs. Nicholas did not even open the envelope. The Tsarina read it and accused the Grand Duke of "crawling behind ismother and sisters." Realising the danger, Xenia and her family moved to Ai-Todor in the Crimea. From there, Xenia heard of
Rasputin Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin ( – ) was a Russian mystic and faith healer. He is best known for having befriended the imperial family of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, through whom he gained considerable influence in the final ye ...
's murder and was embarrassed by the episode.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.94 She wrote to her mother in Kiev, "Sleep little. There is rumour that Rasputin is murdered!"Van der Kiste and Hall, p.95 Xenia's son-in-law
Felix Yusupov Knyaz Felix Felixovich Yusupov, Count Sumarokov-Elston (; – 27 September 1967) was a Russian aristocrat from the House of Yusupov who is best known for participating in the assassination of Grigori Rasputin and for marrying Princess Irina ...
had been one of the murderers. At the beginning of 1917, Xenia hoped her mother could make her brother see sense about the collapsing situation in Russia. She wrote in despair, hoping she would persuade him.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.97 Her mother felt she could not do anything and that she had no intention of returning to St. Petersburg from Kiev. On 19 February 1917, Xenia was back in St. Petersburg at her palace. On 25 February, she wrote in her diary, "There are disturbances in the city, there was even shooting into the crowd,
hey Hey, HEY, or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the ...
say, but everything is quiet on the Nevsky. They are asking for bread and the factories are on strike."Van der Kiste and Hall, p.98 On 1 March 1917 she wrote of rumours circulating that Nicholas's train had been stopped, and that he had been forced to abdicate.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.100 The Dowager Empress wrote to her about her meeting with Nicholas in
Mogilev Mogilev (; , ), also transliterated as Mahilyow (, ), is a city in eastern Belarus. It is located on the Dnieper, Dnieper River, about from the Belarus–Russia border, border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and from Bryansk Oblast. As of 2024, ...
, "I still can't believe that this dreadful nightmare is real!"Van der Kiste and Hall, p.103 Xenia tried to see her brother but was refused permission by the
Russian Provisional Government The Russian Provisional Government was a provisional government of the Russian Empire and Russian Republic, announced two days before and established immediately after the abdication of Nicholas II on 2 March, O.S. New_Style.html" ;"title="5 ...
. Seeing no future where she was in St. Petersburg, Xenia left for Ai-Todor on 6 April, her 42nd birthday.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.105


Exile from Russia

Xenia arrived at Ai-Todor where she joined her mother, husband, and sister on 28 March 1917. At the end of November, Xenia wrote to her brother Nicholas in
Tobolsk Tobolsk (, ) is a town in Tyumen Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Tobol and Irtysh rivers. Founded in 1587, Tobolsk is the second-oldest Russian settlement east of the Ural Mountains in Asian Russia, and was the historic capita ...
in Siberia,
"The heart bleeds at the thought of what you have gone through, what you have lived and what you are still living! At every step undeserved horrors and humiliations. But fear not, the Lord sees all. As long as you are healthy and well. Sometimes it seems like a terrible nightmare, and that I will wake up and it will all be gone! Poor Russia! What will happen to her?"Van der Kiste and Hall, p.124
In 1918, while in Crimea, Xenia learnt that her brother Nicholas II, his wife, and their children had been murdered by the
Bolshevik The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, were a radical Faction (political), faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split with the Mensheviks at the 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, ...
s. Her other surviving brother, Michael, had been murdered (by shooting) a month earlier outside
Perm Perm or PERM may refer to: Places * Perm, Russia, a city in Russia **Permsky District, the district **Perm Krai, a federal subject of Russia since 2005 **Perm Oblast, a former federal subject of Russia 1938–2005 ** Perm Governorate, an administr ...
. While the
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
was coming closer to the Crimea, Xenia and her mother, the Dowager Empress Maria, escaped from Russia on 11 April 1919 with the help of Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom (née Princess
Alexandra of Denmark Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was List of British royal consorts, queen-consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 Januar ...
), Dowager Empress Maria's sister.
King George V of the United Kingdom George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. George was born during the reign of his pa ...
sent the British warship ''HMS Marlborough'' which brought them and sixteen other Romanovs (including five of her sons) from the Crimea through the
Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...
to
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
, and then to England. Xenia remained in Great Britain, while Dowager Empress Maria, after a stay in England, was joined by Olga at Villa Hvidøre outside Copenhagen in Denmark.


Later years

On 17 May 1920, Xenia had been granted
Letters of Administration Letters of Administration are granted by a surrogate court or probate registry to appoint appropriate people to deal with a deceased person's estate where property will pass under intestacy rules or where there are no executors living (and will ...
as eldest sister and heir to her brother Nicholas's estate in England worth five hundred
British pound Sterling (Currency symbol, symbol: Pound sign, £; ISO 4217, currency code: GBP) is the currency of the United Kingdom and nine of its associated territories. The pound is the main unit of account, unit of sterling, and the word ''Pound (cu ...
s sterling.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.159 Her husband Sandro was living at this time in Paris. By 1925, Xenia's financial situation had become desperate. King George V, who was her first cousin, allowed her to settle in
Frogmore Cottage Frogmore Cottage is a historic Grade II listed home on the Frogmore estate, which is part of Home Park in Windsor, England. The cottage was described as a , four bedroom and nursery, four bathroom single-residence house in 2020. Built in 180 ...
, a
grace and favour A grace-and-favour home is a residential property owned by a monarch, government, or other owner and leased rent-free to a person as part of the perquisites of their employment, or in gratitude for services rendered. Usage of the term is chief ...
house, in
Home Park, Windsor The Home Park, previously known as the Little Park (and originally Lydecroft Park), is a 2.65 km2 royal park near Windsor, Berkshire, administered by the Crown Estate of the United Kingdom. It is the private grounds of Windsor Castle. It lies m ...
,Van der Kiste and Hall, p.171 for which she was grateful. Later she had to deal with the fraudulent claims of
Anna Anderson Anna Anderson (born Franziska Schanzkowska; 16 December 1896 – 12 February 1984) was an impostor who claimed to be Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia. Anastasia, the youngest daughter of the last Tsar and Tsarina of Russia, Nicholas II ...
to be her niece, the murdered
Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia (; – 17 July 1918) was the youngest daughter of Nicholas II of Russia, Tsar Nicholas II, the last sovereign of Imperial Russia, and his wife, Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse), Tsarina Alexandr ...
.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.175 Her sister Olga had pointed out if there had been any Romanov monies left, the Dowager Empress would not be receiving a pension from the British King. In July 1928, ten years after the death of Nicholas and Alexandra, his family were legally presumed dead. Xenia and her family had hoped to take possession of the
Langinkoski Langinkoski is a rapid on the Kymi river in Kotka, Finland. Imperial fishing lodge Alexander III of Russia (who ruled the Grand Duchy of Finland as part of the Russian Empire) had a very small manor house, manor or a medium-sized log house bui ...
estate in
Kotka Kotka (; ) is a town in Finland, located on the southeastern coast of the country at the mouth of the Kymi River. The population of Kotka is approximately , while the Kotka-Hamina sub-region, sub-region has a population of approximately . It is th ...
,
Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
, but this came to nothing.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.178-179 Xenia visited her mother, the Dowager Empress, in Denmark as often as she could. Her mother was living in a villa,
Hvidøre Hvidøre House (Danish language, Danish: Hvidøre) is a former country house at Klampenborg, just south of Bellevue Beach, on the Øresund coast north of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is most known for serving as the home of Dowager Empress Maria Feodor ...
, that she and her sister Alexandra had bought on the Danish coast north of
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
. In 1928, Xenia's mother fell seriously ill and died on 13 October.Korneva and Cheboksarova, p.244 After the death of her mother, the sale of the Hvidøre estate, and the jewels of the Dowager Empress brought in some income. Upon the death of the Dowager Empress, Xenia received a letter from
Gleb Botkin Gleb Yevgenyevich Botkin (; 29 July 1900 – 27 December 1969) was the son of Dr. Yevgeny Botkin, the Russian court physician who was murdered at Yekaterinburg by the Bolsheviks with Tsar Nicholas II and his family on 17 July 1918. In later ...
, son of her late brother's doctor, claiming that Xenia was trying to steal from "Anastasia".Van der Kiste and Hall, p.184 Her husband declared in a letter to her his disdain for the "vileness" of Botkin.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.185 On 26 February 1933, Xenia's husband Sandro died. Xenia and her sons attended his funeral on 1 March, in
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin Roquebrune-Cap-Martin (; or ; ; ), simply Roquebrune until 1921, is a Communes of France, commune in the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region, Southeastern France, betw ...
in the south of France. By March 1937, Xenia had moved from Frogmore Cottage in Windsor Great Park to
Wilderness House Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plurale tantum, plural) are Earth, Earth's natural environments that have not been significantly modified by human impact on the environment, human activity, or any urbanization, nonurbanized land not u ...
in the grounds of
Hampton Court Palace Hampton Court Palace is a Listed building, Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. Opened to the public, the palace is managed by Historic Royal ...
. She lived there until her death on 20 April 1960. Despite reduced circumstances during her lifetime, Xenia left a small estate to her remaining relatives.


Issue and later marriage

Xenia and Alexander had seven children together, one daughter followed by six sons: *
Princess Irina Alexandrovna of Russia Princess Irina Alexandrovna of Russia (;  – 26 February 1970) was the only daughter and eldest child of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia. She was the first grandchild of Tsar Alexander III ...
(15 July 1895 – 26 February 1970) m. Prince
Felix Yussupov Knyaz Felix Felixovich Yusupov, Count Sumarokov-Elston (; – 27 September 1967) was a Russian aristocrat from the House of Yusupov who is best known for participating in the assassination of Grigori Rasputin and for marrying Princess Irina A ...
*
Prince Andrei Alexandrovich of Russia Prince Andrei Alexandrovich of Russia ( – 8 May 1981) was the first son and second child of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia. He was also the eldest nephew of Nicholas II of Russia, the ...
(24 January 1897 – 8 May 1981) m. 1.
Elisabetta di Sasso Ruffo Donna Elisabetta Fabrizievna ''dei duchi'' di Sasso-Ruffo ''dei principi'' di Sant' Antimo (26 December 1886 – 29 October 1940), known after her marriage as Princess Andrew of Russia or Princess Andrei Romanovskya, was a Russian aristocrat. She ...
, m. 2. Nadine McDougall *
Prince Feodor Alexandrovich of Russia Prince Feodor Alexandrovich of Russia (; 23 December O.S. 11 December">Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Old Style and New Style dates">O.S. 11 December1898 – 30 November 1968) was the second son and third child of Grand Duk ...
(23 December 1898 – 30 November 1968) m. Princess
Irina Pavlovna Paley Princess Irina Pavlovna Paley (21 December 1903 – 15 November 1990) was the daughter of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia and his second wife, Olga Valerianovna Karnovich. Early life Irina was born in Paris because her parents had been e ...
* Prince Nikita Alexandrovich of Russia (16 January 1900 – 12 September 1974) m. Countess Maria
Vorontsova-Dashkova Princess Yekaterina Romanovna Dashkova (born Countess Vorontsova; ; 28 March 1743 – 15 January 1810) This source reports that Prince Dashkov died in 1761. was an influential noblewoman, a major figure of the Russian Enlightenment and a close f ...
*
Prince Dmitri Alexandrovich of Russia Prince Dmitri Alexandrovich of Russia (15 August O.S. 2 August">Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Old Style and New Style dates">O.S. 2 August1901 – 7 July 1980) was the fourth son and fifth child of Grand Duke Alexander Mi ...
(15 August 1901 – 7 July 1980) m. 1. Countess Marina Sergeyevna Golenischeva-Kutuzova, m. 2. Margaret Sheila MacKellar *
Prince Rostislav Alexandrovich of Russia Prince Rostislav Alexandrovich of Russia (24 November ld Style and New Style dates, O.S. 11 November1902 – 31 July 1978) was the fifth son and sixth child of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna. He was a n ...
(24 November 1902 – 31 July 1978) m. 1. Princess
Alexandra Pavlovna Galitzine Alexandra "Aleka" Pavlovna Galitzine Armour (May 7, 1905 – December 5, 2006) was a princess of the House of Golitsyn and the former wife of Prince Rostislav Alexandrovich of Russia. Early life Alexandra Pavlovna Galitzine, known as Aleka, ...
m. 2. Hedwig von Chappuis *
Prince Vasili Alexandrovich of Russia Prince Vasili Alexandrovich of Russia (7 July O.S. 24 June">Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Old Style and New Style dates">O.S. 24 June1907 – 24 June 1989) was the sixth son and youngest child of Grand Duke Alexander Mikha ...
(6 July 1907 – 23 June 1989) m. Princess Natalia Golitsyna The children were grandchildren of a tsar (Alexander III) through their mother (female line), but only great-grandchildren of a tsar ( Nicholas I) through their father (male line). Due to Imperial Family Statutes brought in by Alexander III to limit the rank of Grand Duke and Duchess, they held the title Princes and Princesses of Russia with the style of “
Highness Highness (abbreviation HH, oral address Your Highness) is a formal style used to address (in second person) or refer to (in third person) certain members of a reigning or formerly reigning dynasty. It is typically used with a possessive adjec ...
”. One of Xenia's descendants could have become the Head of the
Imperial House of Russia The House of Romanov (also transliterated as Romanoff; , ) was the reigning imperial house of Russia from 1613 to 1917. They achieved prominence after Anastasia Romanovna married Ivan the Terrible, the first crowned tsar of all Russia. Nich ...
, but all of her children, like all the other Romanovs, married
morganatically Morganatic marriage, sometimes called a left-handed marriage, is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which in the context of royalty or other inherited title prevents the principal's position or privileges being passed to the spouse ...
, making them ineligible, in accordance with the old succession laws of Russia. As a result, none of the current descendants of the Romanov Family, including Maria, the daughter of Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov, whose mother was from a family recognised as non-dynastic by the last ruling Emperor of Russia, Nicholas II, are born of a Dynastic Marriage, under the old succession laws of Russia. However, her descendants are the only Romanov descendants of Emperor Alexander III of Russia and the closest Romanov blood relations of Emperor Nicholas II of Russia. In 1913, Xenia and Sandro's daughter Irina expressed her intention of marrying Prince Felix Yussupov. He was heir to the largest private fortune in Russia.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.81 Felix had decided that Irina would make the perfect wife. Xenia was not happy at the prospect of giving approval to such a marriage, as Felix had a notorious reputation. It was rumoured he had had an affair with
Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich of Russia Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia (; 18 September 1891 – 5 March 1942) was a son of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia, a grandson of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and a first cousin of Tsar Nicholas II, Marie of Edinburgh (consort of F ...
. The Dowager Empress had heard the rumour and summoned Felix to meet with her, but Felix's charms won her over. She said, "Do not worry, I will do all that I can for your happiness."Van der Kiste and Hall, p.82 Xenia's only daughter was married on 9 February 1914 in the presence of the Tsar, who gave her away. The wedding was held at one of the smaller palaces due to a falling out between Xenia and Tsarina Alexandra. Xenia walked behind with Sandro and her mother.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.83 During Xenia's last pregnancy in 1907, Alexander had an affair with a woman identified only as "Maria Ivanovna" in
Biarritz Biarritz ( , , , ; also spelled ; ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. It is a luxu ...
. One year later, Xenia also began to have an affair, with an Englishman named "Fane." Xenia referred to him simply as "F." in her diaries. They corresponded with one another as late as the First World War. After Xenia and Alexander admitted the affairs to each other, their marriage began to fall apart. Though still loving each other, they began sleeping in separate rooms and living separate lives.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.xix Prior to the Revolution, Alexander had become disenchanted with the course of events in Russia and court life. Both he and Xenia spent considerable periods of time outside Russia, but both returned before the start of the First World War. Following the
Revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...
, they separated and managed to escape Russia.


Family relations

Xenia had a close relationship with her brother Nicholas II and his wife before they married. When Nicholas and Alexandra moved into the Alexander Palace after their own marriage, Xenia and Alexander (known in the family as "Sandro") spent the evenings together in the new billiard room.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.45 A source of gradual resentment grew between Xenia and Alexandra due to the fact that Xenia had given birth to six healthy sons, whilst Alexandra had four daughters and her only son, Alexei Nikolaevich, was diagnosed with
haemophilia Haemophilia (British English), or hemophilia (American English) (), is a mostly inherited genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to make blood clots, a process needed to stop bleeding. This results in people bleeding for a long ...
. The robust health of Xenia's sons was a constant source of antagonism in the mind of Alexandra. It was only in 1912 that Xenia learnt from her sister Olga that Alix had admitted that Alexei had haemophilia.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.77 The birth of Alexei led to Alexandra obtaining total control over her husband;Van der Kiste and Hall, p.57 Trying to find a cure for her son's illness, Alexandra fell under the influence of
Rasputin Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin ( – ) was a Russian mystic and faith healer. He is best known for having befriended the imperial family of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, through whom he gained considerable influence in the final ye ...
. Like all her family, Xenia was highly skeptical of Rasputin.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.76 Family relations were strained. Xenia did remain close to her brother, who often visited when he was in the Crimea, walking with her nieces, Olga and Tatiana; her sister-in-law visited rarely.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.77-78 Apart from Nicholas, Xenia was devoted to her other two brothers,
Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia ( 1871 – 1899) was the third son of Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria of Russia and brother of Emperor Nicholas II. Childhood George was named after his uncle, King George I of Greece. He wa ...
and Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich. In 1899, George died from a motorcycle accident, which was traumatic. Grand Duke Michael married Natalia Sergeyevna Wulfert without the permission of the Tsar. The couple were exiled as punishment. Xenia was willing to overlook this, as her own marital problems had made her more understanding.Van der Kiste and Hall, p.79 She received both Michael and Natalia in 1913 in
Cannes Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...
in France. Xenia tried to talk to her brother Nicholas about Michael and was told that he could return to Russia at any time, but that Natalia could not. Xenia helped to restore relations between Michael and their mother, the Dowager Empress.


Archives

Xenia Alexandrovna's personal papers (including family correspondence, diaries and photographs) are preserved in the "Grand Duchess Ksenii͡a Aleksandrovna Papers" collection in the Hoover Institution Library & Archives (Stanford, California, USA). Of particular interest in this collection is Xenia Alexandrovna's correspondence with her brother, Emperor Nicholas II of Russia, and her mother Empress Maria Feodorovna. In addition, Xenia Alexandrovna's correspondence with the Romanian diplomat George I. Duca between 1950 and 1960 is preserved in the "George I. Duca Papers" collection in the
Hoover Institution The Hoover Institution (officially The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace and formerly The Hoover Institute and Library on War, Revolution, and Peace) is an American public policy think tank which promotes personal and economic ...
Library & Archives (Stanford, California, USA). Xenia Alexandrovna's correspondence with her cousin, Princess Tatiana Constantinovna, between 1927 and 1939 is preserved in the "Romanov Family Papers" collection in the Hoover Institution Library & Archives (Stanford, California, USA). Xenia Alexandrovna and her staff kept illustrated, hand-written records of her jewellery and objets d'art which survived into her exile.


Ancestry


References


Sources

* Korneva, Galina; Tatiana Cheboksarova (2006). ''Empress Maria Fyodorovna's Favourite Residences in Russia and Denmark.'' Saint Petersburg: Liki Rossii. . * Van der Kiste, John; Coryne Hall (2002). ''Once a grand duchess: Xenia, sister of Nicholas II.'' Stroud: Sutton. . OCLC 49593798. *


External links


Home of Grand Duchess Xenia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia, Grand Duchess 1875 births 1960 deaths 19th-century women from the Russian Empire 20th-century Russian women Royalty from Saint Petersburg People from Sankt-Peterburgsky Uyezd House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the United Kingdom Grand duchesses of Russia Russian grand duchesses by marriage Russian anti-communists Emigrants from the Russian Empire to Denmark House of Romanov in exile Daughters of Russian emperors Children of Alexander III of Russia Daughters of dukes