This eccentric lady of royal blood at a difficult moment found the strength to leave her former pastimes and work as a nurse in the hospital.
Women who are able to plunge headlong into the ocean of passions attract the eyes of novelists. Each of them dreams of such a heroine for his work. But the followers of Juliet and Carmencity themselves have a hard life, especially if they are relatives of the powers that be.
Childhood
Russian Emperor Alexander III was a father of many children. In March 1875, his wife Maria Fedorovna gave him a fourth child - daughter Ksyusha. After three sons, the girl became a pleasant surprise for her parents. Her mother was especially happy about her birth, who immediately found that the baby was her exact copy.
Palace in Gatchina, where Ksenia Romanova spent her childhood
Tender and caring attitude to the sister and the brothers experienced. Especially liked to spend time in her company senior Kolya. The heir to the throne did not have a strong character, because the patronage of the little princess and her instructions, which she gave, likening to mother, often helped him out.
Youth
The family of the Russian autocrat was exemplary, but there was a romantic episode in the biography of the monarch. In his youth, he was considering abdicating for the sake of marrying a lovely aristocrat who was no match for him. This story excited the princess’s imagination. From adolescence, she dreamed of great love, not subject to the conventions of court etiquette.
The Grand Duchess appointed her cousin Alexander to the role of a mysterious lover. Relatives called him Sandro, he was friends with the elder brothers of the girl and often visited them. Ksenia was admired by his military bearing and uniform of a naval officer. Her chosen one had already managed to take part in circumnavigation and often boasted about it. He reciprocated the girl, and for a long time their relationship was a secret. The imperial daughter knew that her parents would not mind her choice, but she really wanted adventure. The death of Alexander III in 1894 forced for a while to forget about entertainment. The following year, the young asked for blessings from the new ruler of Russia, Nicholas II. The brother could not refuse anything to his beloved sister and only wished her and her groom happiness.
Ksenia Alexandrovna and Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov
Marriage
In Peterhof, a magnificent wedding of Xenia and Alexander took place. The Grand Duke was just making a career as a naval commander and dealt with the issue of strengthening the Russian fleet in the Pacific Ocean. The newlywed tried to create him all the conditions for work, for which he thanked her with caresses and gifts. Already in 1895, our heroine gave birth to her first child.
They could not stop looking at them - everywhere together, the kids went one by one. At first, Ksenia herself liked this. The husband was attentive to her, all friends and relatives were touched by her babies. She admired her husband. He had a brilliant education, he worked for the good of the Fatherland. Sometimes it seemed that the woman had lost herself, trying to please her beloved in everything. This was her mistake. Frequent birth did not benefit the figure of Xenia, the lack of interest in creativity or sports made her society boring for Alexander. He began to look for love affairs on the side.
Ksenia Romanova with her husband and children
Crazy
Sandro did not want to upset her Ksyusha, but she guessed everything. When the couple went on a trip to Europe, their behavior became the subject of condemnation in high society. While the Grand Duke sought solace in the arms of local beauties, Ksenia indulged in even more dubious entertainment.
Ksenia Romanova
Gambling helped to dispel the longing of the young woman. Ksenia visited Monte Carlo gambling houses, and was in hot places. She was thirsty for risk, she liked to feel the danger. The personal life of this romantically inclined nature turned into a tragedy, and with her nasty behavior she protested against the imposed stereotypes about the place of a noble lady in society. Her husband really liked it - he gladly gave her freedom, he was even ready to give a divorce. But the Romanov dynasty could not be tarnished by such an event, the couple was asked to keep a formal marriage.
Sister of Mercy
When the First World War began, the emancipated princess was appreciated. Ksenia Romanova equipped a personal ambulance train. She knew that many of the wounded were dying on the way to the hospital deployment site, so she decided to deliver the infirmary with beds and medical staff directly to the front line. The brave woman herself participated in several such trips, performing the work of a nurse. In the capital, she opened an institution that received the wounded and kept them until full recovery.
Hospital. World War I
The good fame of Ksenia and her contribution to saving lives has protected her during the riots in St. Petersburg. Her unfaithful husband, as soon as the Civil War broke out, fled to Paris with his youngest son. The Grand Duchess was only able to leave Russia in 1919, taking all her loved ones with her.
