#Maria Pavlovna the Elder

[romanovsonelastdance]

Nicholas, Alexandra and their daughters with members of the Vladimiriovichi (and Greek) side of the familly.

In the first photo, seated, you have Maria Pavlovna, Alexandra Feodorovna, Nicholas II, Elena Vladimirovna, Boris Vladimirovich and Andrei Vladimirovich. The little girls with Maria and Anastasia are Elena's daughters Olga (the tallest), Elizabeth, and Marina (the smallest). The second photo appears to be a more candid shot after the group photo was taken.

[imperial-russia]

Emperor Alexander II, his wife, sons and two daughters-in-law

[oceanlilacs]

💌 “We must expect anything, even a disaster. All I ask of Russia is to hold fast. She will hold. Don't doubt it!” － Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna (Miechen) to Maurice Paléologue

💌 “It seems that all are mad... I am absolutely depressed. All that happened is so terrible... My God, what awaits us and what will that end with?” － Marie Feodorovna, in a message to Xenia, after the Archduke's assasination, 1914

[fashionhistory]

Miechen and her granddaughters Maria and Kira Kirillovna at a picnic

[adini-nikolaevna]

“My eldest daughter Alexandra is soft, sensitive and intelligent; she is very sweet, although not beautiful. But Elena is surprisingly good; she is extremely kind, but too playful. Maria has a brilliant mind and a beautiful heart, but her beautiful appearance was damaged by smallpox. Ekaterina, this one is a beautiful little doll, darling; very funny; the youngest, spoiled child of her mother.”

- Grand Duchess (later Empress) Maria Feodorovna of Russia on her four elder daughters, Grand Duchesses Alexandra, Elena, Maria, and Ekaterina, ca. 1791.

[loiladadiani]

“Royal Group”

This is an interesting picture, for more than one reason. First, lets see who is in it (I don't recognize them all but I will tell you who I recognize.) From left to right, the second woman in white is Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna; there is a woman I don't recognize behind her and then comes her mother, Miechen ( Grand Duchess Maria Palovna the Elder.) in front of Miechen, sitting on a step is Nicholas Nicholaievich (Nicholasha); slightly behind Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna is Olga Paley, Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich’s wife. Pavel is next to her, the only person in the picture sitting on a chair. In front of him there is an older gentleman in military garb, whom I don't recognize. Next to him sits a very young Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich. Sitting slightly behind Andrei is his brother Grand Duke Boris.

There are at least four interspersed ladies I don't recognize, as well as several officers. All the way to the right, stands the unmistakable Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich.

When I first saw this picture, I noticed that Miechen is resting her hand on Nicholasha’s neck in what to me appeared like a rather intimate gesture. And of course, some time after that I read that there were rumors that Miechen and Nicholasha had an affair (the source for that is not a consistently reliable one.) I don't believe the rumours. Nicholasha was no fool and in no position to offend his older and more powerful cousin, Vladimir, known for his fiery temper. Plus most of the literature states that Miechen and Vladimir we're very well matched and loved each other. But there is the hand…on…Nicholasha’s…neck…

[pokadandelion]

Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna "The Elder"

[ladysophy]

Here’s the American Southern (Confederate) version of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Elder…

This is Robert Toombs and his beloved wife Martha Juliann (who went by Julia) Debose Toombs. Toombs was the first Confederate Secretary of State under Jefferson Davis. The bits of pieces I learned about them, they remind me of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Elder.

Julia and Maria “Miechen” in particular could honestly be twins. It’s kind of frightening. Julia was a great hostess and was very intelligent, but she had a mean streak. She strongly dislike Edwina Reagan, the Confederate Postmaster’s (John H. Reagan) wife, because Julia thought she wasn’t very educated and looked down on her. She, along with her husband, talked trash about Davis too. Toombs was still pissed off that he lost the presidency to Davis (by making a complete fool of himself by drinking too damn much at the time!).

While Robert was highly intelligent, a loving friend, a loving husband, and loving father, he was also a handful. He was very sarcastic and argumentative and loved the bottle too much. The only comparison I can make with Robert and Vladimir is that they had strong personalities. And possibly the wish to get higher office (The Confederate Presidency in Robert’s case and being Tsar In Vladimir’s case).

However, the Toombs dealt with tragedy too. The only son Laurence died from scarlet fever in childhood. Their daughters, Mary Louisa and Sarah, both died from childbirth. So this is where my sympathy lays with the challenging couple.

[loiladadiani]

The Vladimirovichi Children

I have never seen this picture or one of these children (Kyrill, Boris, and Andre) so young. I guess Elena had not been born yet. A real treasure.

The three eldest children of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna: Grand Duke Kirill, Grand Duke Boris and Grand Duke Andrei with their nannies at the beach, in 1879

[romanovsonelastdance]

Fanciful frames part 2: The extended Imperial Family.

[imperial-russia]

Portrait of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Elder in her mourning garb, after the death of her husband grand Duke Vladimir

[heavyarethecrowns]

Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent (born Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark was a Greek and Danish princess by birth and a British princess by marriage.

She was a daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark and Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, and a granddaughter of King George I and Queen Olga of Greece. Princess Marina married Prince George, Duke of Kent, fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary, in 1934. They had three children: Prince Edward, Princess Alexandra, and Prince Michael.

Princess Marina was born on 13 December 1906 in Athens, Greece, during the reign of her paternal grandfather, George I of Greece. She was the third and youngest daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark, and his wife Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia. Her father was the third son of George I of Greece and Queen Olga, while her mother was the only daughter of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia. Her father was a grandson of Christian IX of Denmark, while her mother was a granddaughter of Emperor Alexander II of Russia.

Princess Marina had two elder sisters, Princess Olga and Princess Elizabeth. Princess Olga married Prince Paul of Yugoslavia in 1923. After the assassination of his cousin, Alexander I of Yugoslavia, Paul served as Prince Regent of Yugoslavia from 1934 to 1941. Princess Elizabeth married Carl Theodor, Count of Toeering-Jettenbach in 1934. One of their paternal uncles was Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, the father of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (making Marina and her sisters Philip's first cousins).

[queenalexandraofdenmark]

My fav picture of Miechen with Elena! 🥺🫶

Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna and her daughter, Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna

[fashionhistory]

An amazing picture of several ladies in court attire. I have identified Alix, Minnie, Olga, and Miechen. Lmk if you can identify any more!

[adini-nikolaevna]

Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna “the Elder” of Russia.

[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.