Happy 112th birthday to Grand Duchess Anastasia!
5/18 June, 1901- Peterhof
Nicholas’ Diary
“At about 3 o’clock in the morning. Alix started to have strong pains. At 4 o’clock I got up, went to my room and dressed. At exactly 6 o’clock in the morning a little daughter-Anastasia-was born. Everything went off splendidly, quite quickly and thank God without any complications! Thanks to the fact that it all began and ended while everyone was still asleep, we both had a feeling of calm and solitude! After that I sat down to write telegrams to relatives and friends in various parts of the world. At 11 o’clock Yanyshev said prayers. At 3 o’clock there was a Te Deum at our church. Mama arrived from Gatchina. Went for a short walk. After tea, Mama left. Luckily, Alix felt quite cheerful. The little one weighs 11 1/2 pounds and measures 55 centimetres. Went to bed early.”
Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna and her first husband Prince Peter of Oldenburg: 1901.
The Grand Duchess said of her first marriage:
”To tell you the truth, I was just tricked into it. I was asked to a party at the Voronzovs’. I remember I did not want to go but I thought it would be unwise to refuse. Hardly had I got there than Sandra took me to her sitting room upstairs, stood back, let me go in, and then closed the door on me. And imagine my amazement when I saw old Cousin Peter standing there, looking extremely ill at ease. I can’t remember what I said. I do remember that he did not look at me. I heard him stammer through a proposal. I was so taken aback that all I could say was ‘thank you,’ when the door flew open, Countess Voronzov ran in, embraced me, and cried ‘All my congratulations!’ I can’t remember anything of what followed. That evening at the Anitchkov, I went to Michael’s rooms and we wept together.”
Source: The Last Grand Duchess: Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna by Ian Vorres.
Empress Alexandra Feodorovna with her children as babies.
Olga: 1896 (b. 3/15 Nov. 1895)
Tatiana: 1897
Maria: 1899
Anastasia: 1901
Alexei: 1904
Toddler Maria
Really? I think this looks more like Olga… I think it’s Olga, how old does she look here?
3 or 4? And where is this?
It is certainly Maria. It is a crop from this larger photo with Tatiana, Maria and Olga taken in 1901. I would guess it is at Tsarskoe Selo.
Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna: Youngest sister of Nicholas II and favorite Aunt of his daughters.
1882 at Peterhof-1960 in Toronto, Canada
1. An engagement photo of Olga and her first husband, Peter of Oldenburg: 1901.
2. Olga: 1914
3. As a Sister of Mercy: 1914
4. Wedding photo of Olga and her second husband, Nikolai Kulikovsky: 1916.
5. Olga with her husband and sons c. 1920.
6. Olga with her sons Tikhon and Guri in Denmark c. 1940
