Grand Duchesses Xenia (1875-1960) and Olga (1882-1960), sisters of Nicholas II

[Viv]

Originally Posted by attaininggrace

I am reading a book about the Grand Duchess at the moment. She is a very interesting character. Would anyone like to discuss her?

Is it "Once a grand duchess"?

It's the only book I've read about GD Xenia.
I read it a couple of years ago, and what I mainly remember
is that in exile, Xenia was rather helpless compared to her sister.

Viv

[Russophile]

Viv, not quite helpless, really, Olga just went in a different direction than her sister and was of a very different personality. She also married beneath her and that was a sore spot with relatives for a long time.
I sometimes wonder if Xenia milked it that she was the long suffering wife given GDA's womanizing ways.

[Viv]

Originally Posted by Russophile

Viv, not quite helpless, really, Olga just went in a different direction than her sister and was of a very different personality. She also married beneath her and that was a sore spot with relatives for a long time.
I sometimes wonder if Xenia milked it that she was the long suffering wife given GDA's womanizing ways.

You've got a point, Russophile, never really thought
about it because Xenia had her sidekicks too, didn't she?

As for the Kulikovskis: They had a long and loving marriage, but at a
price! I've been wondering whether "the sore spot" has been passed
on to the descendants of Xenia rsp. Olga?

Viv

[Russophile]

Massie writes in his "The Romanov's The Final Chapter" about when the bones are found and they want samples of DNA from the family, the boys of GDO (Guri and Tikhon) were very suspicious about the whole affair and had a chip on their shoulders saying that people didn't believe they were descended from royalty.
As for Xenia's brood, they sort of faded into the melting pot. The only info. I know is about the one Prince that committed suicide after his father passed from and illness. Peter Kurth knew him.

[Michael HR]

At least Goerge V gave her an income and a home after she fled Russia. But I don't think he did this for Olga but do not know the reason why.

After reading this thread I must get hold of the books you mention. Mind you friends are thinking I should be banned form Amazon....

[Russophile]

Originally Posted by Michael HR

At least Goerge V gave her an income and a home after she fled Russia. But I don't think he did this for Olga but do not know the reason why.

I'll have to look up the thing about the income. It's been a while since I read about Xenia and her situation but if memory serves me, and sometimes it doesn't, I think he only gave her a home because May was coveting her jewelry. But then again, I'm not sure. . .

[Viv]

GD Olga wanted to live in Denmark whereas GD Xenia didn't.
Olga, her husband and two young sons chose to stay at Hvidoere
outside Copenhagen with the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna
( Dagmar). Olga looked after her mother in the last years of her life.

George V granted the dowager empress an annual amount from his
private means. This was no doubt also backed by Queen Alexandra.

From 1918, George V would have to live with the fact that he
turned a blind eye - or rather was forced to turn a blind eye by
Lord Stamfordham - to the fate of his beloved cousin in Russia,
It must have been very painful for him, and at least he
was later able to compensate by means of his private allowances.

Viv

[BeatrixFan]

I think that's precisely why he was so generous to his Russian relatives who came to London - guilt.

[Viv]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

I think that's precisely why he was so generous to his Russian relatives who came to London - guilt.

Right Sam, let's call a spade a spade, even though we hardly know
how to use one !

In his book "On royalty" Jeremy Paxman notes that there still is a
photo of the two look-alike cousins George and Nicholas on a sidetable
at Sandringham. I suppose it speaks for itself..

Viv

[BeatrixFan]

I call it as I see it. I think the Windsors must still find any mention of the Romanovs quite hard to take, especially now we know so much more about the nature of their deaths. Its kind of been decided that Prince Michael will deal with that side of Royal relations. I often wondered why the Danes wouldn't accept the Romanovs though.

[Vecchiolarry]

Hi,

I think the solution would have been for Nicholas & Alexandra & their children to be granted asylum in Malta. Then, the question of them embarrassingly being in Britain itself would be side-stepped.
The rest of the Romanovs landed in Malta temporarily in 1919 and only the Dowager Empress and Xenia & children were permitted in Britain. Alexander Michaelivich, Nicholas Nicholaiovich & family and Peter Nicholaiovich & family were all sent to France.
I can't remember whether Olga and her tribe ever landed in Britain. I think she went straight to Denmark, where her mother chose to live.
Also, we must remember that Christian X did not particularly want the Romanovs in Denmark either.
So, did he feel "guilt" also, as his English cousin did??

Larry

[norwegianne]

The Danish book Zarmoder blandt Zarmordere: Kejserinde Dagmar og Danmark 1917-1928 by Bent Jensen, mentions several attempts by the Danish royal family, and the Danish government, to get a diplomatic solution to get the Czar and the rest of the Romanovs out of Russia. The book also mentions that the Danish government contacted the Germans to ask for help, and were denied twice. The Danish envoy in Russia, Harald Scavenius, according to the book, worked hard to try to get things solved.

One tack the Danish allegedly tried were to point out according to the book, was that if the Russians did not want the Dowager Czarina and her family to have Russian titles, and the titles were no longer in effect, then the title Princess of Denmark was still valid for Marie/Dagmar, and thus she [and her family] should be sent to Denmark.

[Viv]

I better rush to the library for Prof. Bent Jensen's book; it looks like an interesting read, Norwegianne! I have heard about Scavenius and his attempts before, but I never had the impression that he (and the Danish government) was offering Danish exile to the Nicholas and his family - Denmark was never intended as a country of residence, but as an intermediary arrangement only, if necessary. Am I completely off the mark here, and does Bent Jensen have anything to say about this?

viv

[norwegianne]

It was a very interesting read, Viv.

If I recall correctly, the most important goal was getting them out. Unfortunately, it has been a while since I read the book (and it's been returned to the library), and I can't recall the exact details.

[Viv]

OK thanks!

I doubt that King Christian X would have been able to support
the family financially in a Danish exile! That would have been the
result, wouldn't it?
Housing aunt Minny for a while was bad enough, but she wasn't
the easiest of lodgers! And I bet that Christian X was partial to the
strained relationship between Dagmar and his mother!

Viv

[Viv]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

I often wondered why the Danes wouldn't
accept the Romanovs though.

So did I, but as far as I know the Danish government never
refused exile to Nicholas & family, it was just never in the cards
for a number of reasons. Nicholas would have preferred the UK, where
it would have been easier to "absorb" a deposed emperor in the
aristocratic environment- that is if we disregard the political unrest
at the time. Nicholas and Alexandra would probably have been happy
at some manor house in the shires!

It was a different matter for the dowager empress. She did have a
house in Denmark and she was deeply attached to it.

Viv

[lucien]

Olga Alexandrovna Romanov:

Olga Alexandrovna Romanov (1882 - 1960) - Find A Grave Memorial

[Russophile]

I can't remember if it was in Ian Vorres book or not, but Minnie used to keep the lights burning at Hevidore <sic> on purpose as Christian would complain about her upkeep.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Russophile

I can't remember if it was in Ian Vorres book or not, but Minnie used to keep the lights burning at Hevidore <sic> on purpose as Christian would complain about her upkeep.

Not Hvidore,but at Amalienborg Palace,it infuriated poor Christian,and Minnie didn´t care less.One doesn´t tell a Dowager-Empress
of Russia what to do or not....The minute she was requested to put the lights out if not necessary,she set the whole Palace,well,
the part she lived in,ablaze with lights.

[Viv]

Here's an old photo of Hvidøre, the home of the dowager empress and
GD Olga 1920-1928

viv