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Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia four years before her death which is discussed in the first episode of our podcast! Linked here

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I started a podcast! The first episode is on Grand Duchess Olga— linked here!

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Oh raven,

An omen you warn,

You've circled my head,

From the day I was born

Oh raven,

There's blood in your eyes,

Oh what have you seen?

What will happen to me?

May 19, 1536 — Anne Boleyn is executed

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The four daughters of the last Tsar of Russia— Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia. A rather heartbreaking image when one considers the way in which they died, huddled together in basement of the Ipatiev House.

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Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna and Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna with officers at their aunt’s house in St. Petersburg, March 1913.

“Beginning with the end of 1906, every Sunday in the winter meant a day with Tyotya Olga [Aunt Olga], who spent the Saturday night at Tsarskoe Selo. In the morning, four excited girls and their equally excited aunt boarded the train for St. Petersburg. There they had first to go to the Anitchkov Palace for an early lunch with their grandmother, the Dowager Empress. For a couple of hours, the Grand Duchesses, even the otherwise irrepressible Anastasia, looked and behaved in the manner becoming to their rank. They were so prim that their aunt could hardly recognize them. ‘Those luncheons were most irksomely formal. Fortunately it would all be over in a couple of hours, and weren’t we relieved to leave the Anitchkov!’ The glory of the day broke upon the young people once they were under their aunt’s roof. Tea was followed by games and dancing, the Grand Duchess having collected quite a number of equally youthful “eligibles” to share her nieces’ fun. ‘Intoxicating drinks, of course, were never served - even for the grown-ups in the party. In those days gaiety did not depend on vodka or cocktails. I remember the girls enjoyed every minute of it - especially my dear god-daughter. Why, I can still hear her laughter rippling all over the room. Dancing, music, games - she threw herself wholeheartedly into them all…’ At about ten in the evening one of the Empress’s ladies-in-waiting came to fetch the girls and take them back to Tsarskoe Selo. “

Vorres, I. (1965) The Last Grand Duchess, Her Imperial Highness Grand Dutchess Olga Alexandrovna. New York : Charles Scribner’s Sons, p. 105.

Photo from : Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna’s 1913-1914 Album

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Tsar Nicholas II of Russia with his second eldest daughter, Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna, aboard the imperial yacht. (x)

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Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna during her time as a nurse, 1915.

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A young Diana Spencer 💙

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Actress Maude Fealy, colorized by me.

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Romanov family portrait from the 1997 animated film Anastasia vs Tsarevich Alexei with his beloved cocker spaniel, Joy

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Anastasia with her dog, Pooka in the 1997 animated film Anastasia vs the real Grand Duchess Anastasia with her dog, Jimmy in 1917

There were very few instances of historical accuracy in the 20th Century Fox film; however, Anastasia’s love of animals was something both the real and fictional girls shared. The real Anastasia, born Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia in 1901, was known for being a vivacious spirit. She played pranks, made her loved ones laugh, and was devoted to her pets. Everyone in the Romanov family had their own pet and Anastasia’s was her beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Jimmy. She’d had dogs before Jimmy, had loved her little puppy, Shvybvik, and doted on her sister, Olga’s cat but Jimmy was special. He loved her fiercely and she loved him the same.

Jimmy, along with two other family dogs (Grand Duchess Tatiana’s, Ortipo and Tsarevich Alexei’s, Joy) followed the family into their initial house arrest and subsequent move and imprisonment. After the revolution broke out, the Romanov family was forced to give up their throne and were placed under house arrest. They were then moved to a secret location, a house in the Siberian city of Ekaterinburg where, in July of 1918, the Romanov family was murdered. The family was sent down to the basement where they waited for some time before their death sentence was read. Before they had time to react, a group of men opened fire on the Tsar, his wife, their four daughters, son, their court physician, chambermaid, cook, and valet. While the Tsar and his wife died quickly, the rest of the prisoners died a rather slow, painful death as they had to be finished off with bayonets and shots to the head.

The three pets had followed the Romanovs into their execution chamber that night and only one survived. Alexei’s dog, Joy, managed to escape. She was eventually found by friends of the family and ended up in the UK where she spent the rest of her days. Jimmy died that night with Anastasia and his dead body was found on the pavement outside.

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The last imperial family of Russia. Tsar Nicholas’ abdication and the family’s subsequent executions a year later ended the over 300 year long Romanov dynasty.

From left to right: Grand Duchess Olga, GD Maria, Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, GD Anastasia, Tsarevich Alexei, and GD Tatiana.

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Cheburashka (russian cartoon character) in St.Petersburg

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Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine was born to the Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Alice, a daughter of Queen Victoria, on May 24, 1874. She was the couple’s youngest child and fifth daughter. She had a happy childhood, playing with her older siblings. She was especially close to her sister Alix with whom she was dressed alike and shared a nursery. Life was great until 1878 when diphtheria spread throughout the family. One by one, the children fell ill. Princess Alice worked tirelessly to nurse them back to health but her work would be in vain when it came to Marie. On November 16, 1878 the thick layer of mucus that was caused by diphtheria suffocated the four year old in the middle of the night.

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Prince John of the UK colorization

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Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia (“OTMA”), the four daughters of the last Tsar of Russia.

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Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna of Russia