The Romanov Children
Nicholas and Alexandra had five children, four girls and one boy. They lived happy lives with their parents and grew up mostly in the Alexander Palace. Toward the end of their lives, they lived more and more hidden from the public because of the unstable political scene in Russia at the time. In fact, all of the children lived extremely sheltered lives. Once, when Olga and Tatiana went out on a shopping adventure, they realized that they had no money with them and no idea what to do with it, anyway.
Anything the public saw of the children was impersonal and posed. Pictures were taken to remind them of the royal children's existence, but they were mostly hidden from the public eye. The girls especially were not very publicized, as they would never rule or inherit power like their brother. Even their mother had a tendency of referring to the girls as "The Big Pair" (Olga and Tatiana) and "The Little Pair" (Maria and Anastasia). Even as a baby, Alexei received more attention from the press and public than the girls did.
Anything the public saw of the children was impersonal and posed. Pictures were taken to remind them of the royal children's existence, but they were mostly hidden from the public eye. The girls especially were not very publicized, as they would never rule or inherit power like their brother. Even their mother had a tendency of referring to the girls as "The Big Pair" (Olga and Tatiana) and "The Little Pair" (Maria and Anastasia). Even as a baby, Alexei received more attention from the press and public than the girls did.
Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna
Birthday: November 15, 1895
Age upon death: 22 Olga was the oldest of the five Romanov children and was expected to take care of the others. She often received notes from her mother that asked her to be on her best behavior and set an example for her siblings. Olga was described as sensitive and romantic, and was interested in the arts, such as music and poetry. When Olga was around nineteen, several prospects were considered for her marriage. However, she never was satisfied with any, and her parents supported her. During the first World War, Olga and her sister, Tatiana, enrolled in nursing classes to help out with the war effort. Olga kept busy with her nursing duties, but soon found out that the operating room was not for her- she couldn't handle the blood and gore. She was more suited to administrative duties. When the family was put under house arrest, Olga was said to be the only daughter who realized what danger they were all in. |
Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna
Birthday: June 10,1897
Age upon death: 21 Tatiana was the second eldest of the Romanov children, two years younger than Olga. Her nickname from her siblings was "the Governess" due to her organizational tendencies and brisk attitude. Tatiana was considered the prettiest of the sisters, but remained withdrawn from those who didn't really know her. The most widely told story of Tatiana is her love story. While nursing with her mother and sister, Olga, she met a wounded soldier named Dmitri, and they fell in love. Once Dmitri was nursed back to health (by Tatiana, of course), he was assigned to work at the palace. The two young adults got to see each other quite often, and Dmitri was a favorite of the entire Romanov family, often joining them for dinner and dances. In fact, he even bought Tatiana a puppy, and when that one died, he bought her another one. |
Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna
Birthday: June 26, 1899
Age upon death: 19 Maria was totally different from her reserved older sister Tatiana. She was sweet, warm, and open, with a remarkable love for children that endeared her to many. Maria was calm and quiet in a kind way that allowed her to be taken advantage of by the louder personalities of her family. But whatever she did, her natural kindness always showed through. Her great blue eyes were often commented on, and she was widely accepted as the most innocent of the Romanov sisters. |
Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna
Birthday: June 18, 1901
Age upon death: 17 Anastasia Romanov had quite the personality. She was said to be the most lively of the children, and argumentative. Anastasia was always receiving attention and entertaining others, guests and family members alike. Everyone agreed that she was the most likely to misbehave and cause mischief. For all of her faults, she was still loved by her entire family. By far the most famous story of the Romanovs is the myth that Anastasia survived the execution. |
Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich
Birthday: August 12, 1904
Age upon death: 13 Alexei was the heir to the Russian Empire, whose birth was celebrated extensively by his parents. They had been hoping for a boy for years, because without an heir, they knew there would be disputes over who should be the next Tsar of Russia. Therefore, Alexei's birth was widely celebrated even throughout the country. In fact, the baby boy somewhat overshadowed his older sisters from the day he was born. Alexei had a serious case of hemophilia, meaning his blood didn't clot correctly, which was kept hidden from the public for as long as possible. He had frequent and intense episodes of bleeding from even the most minor injuries. The biggest worry was that he would be bleeding internally, and he had to be watched closely at all times. His condition was hidden so that people wouldn't think of him as weak and lose faith in him before he even had a chance to rule. |