#Princess Irina Youssoupoff

[lesyoussoupoff]

"I forgot to say that at Torby (home of Countess Sophie Torby) I saw the last photograph of Ksenia Alexandrovna's daughter. How beautiful she is..." Letter from Prince Felix Youssoupoff to his mother, Zenaida in October 1910.

[krasivaa]

Princess (Duchess) Irina Alexandrovna of Russia (AKA Princess Youssoupoff) in a costume. The year is 1907.

(RARE!!)

[lesromanoff]

Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna with her eldest and favorite granddaughter, Princess Irina Alexandrovna.

[thejazzera]

Edward Steichen, Princess Irina Alexandrovna Yusupov, ca. 1924

Princess Youssoupoff (formerly Grand Duchess Irini of Russia and also Princess Xenia) wearing a black dress with black turban, and an opera length strand of pearls, standing in profile by a table.

[irinayoussoupoff]

Princess Irina Youssoupoff at a picnic (early to mid 20s)

[tcm]

All Persons Fictitious: The Royal Lawsuit That Created a Disclaimer By Jessica Pickens

Their legacy still glows with myths and speculation. The Romanovs, the last royal family of Russia, have been the focus of films and television shows for 100 years following their execution in 1918. Several fictional stories speculate about what happened to the family. Some focus on a royal family member still living after escaping the execution, and other stories focus on the bizarre figure of “the mad monk” Rasputin.

The 1930s pre-Code RASPUTIN AND THE EMPRESS (‘32) added to the speculation of Rasputin and the resulting lawsuits from the film have left a lasting impact on the film industry. The plot of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s film focuses on the relationship between Empress Alexandra and Rasputin, who seemingly could cure the young Tsarevich Alexei of his hemophilia illness. Meanwhile, Rasputin works his power over the royal family to gain power in Russia.

RASPUTIN AND THE EMPRESS starred acting royalty: siblings Lionel, Ethel and John Barrymore. It is the only film the three Barrymores starred in together and was Ethel’s first talking picture. Lionel played Rasputin, Ethel played Empress Alexandra and John played the so-called fictional character, Prince Paul Chegodieff. The siblings were flanked by Ralph Morgan as Tsar Nicholas and Tad Alexander as Tsarevich Alexei in the supporting cast.

The story highlighted Rasputin’s wild reputation of parties and women. To add shock value to the film, producer Bernard Hyman included a scene of Rasputin attacking Princess Natasha, played by Diana Wynyard. The film ends with Prince Paul Chegodieff killing Rasputin in the storied manner, including poison, gun shots and stabbings.

Though Tsar Nicholas, Empress Alexandra, their four daughters and son were killed on July 17, 1918, many members of the royal family and Russian nobility were still living when the film was released on December 23, 1932.

Fictional names were created for several characters and they are identified or labeled as “fictional character” in the opening credits. These characters include:

• Prince Paul Chegodieff played by John Barrymore

• Princess Natasha played by Diana Wynyard

• Grand Duke Igor played by C. Henry Gordon

• Doctor Remezov played by Edward Arnold

While these characters were noted to be fiction, members of the royal family recognized themselves in the plot. This included husband and wife nobles Prince Felix Yusupov and Princess Irina Romanoff Youssoupoff, who were compared to Prince Paul and Princess Natasha.

The New York Times film critic Mordaunt Hall also recognized the real life figures too in his December 24, 1932, review: “Mr. Boleslavsky has worked out his episodes in an impressive fashion, particularly the fight between Prince Chegodieff, as Prince Youssoupoff is known here, and the "Mad" Monk and the subsequent killing of Rasputin.”

Prince Felix and Princess Irina each sued for the similarities between themselves and the characters. Prince Felix sued MGM in 1932, saying that “the incidents surrounding the historic drama and the manner and method of the killing of Rasputin were neither fair nor true,” according to the book Rasputin in Hollywood by David Napley.

Then in March 1933, Princess Irina pursued a $2 million lawsuit against MGM; saying that the character of Princess Natasha was a thinly disguised impersonation of herself. Princess Irina said that the film’s plot humiliated her internationally and the damages she suffered were “incalculable,” demanding that MGM withdraw the film from public exhibition, according to an The Associated Press article written February 28, 1934.

Prince Felix’s lawsuit was dropped, because he couldn’t claim damages simply because the way Rasputin was murdered wasn’t the same way he carried out the murder. However, Princess Irina’s lawsuit yielded results.

For one, Princess Natasha’s rape was edited out of the film, resulting in the issue that conversations had later in the story along with Rasputin’s hypnotic power over Princess Natasha no longer make sense in the plot. Secondly, the lawsuit resulted in a disclaimer that was added to films and television shows ever since: "This motion picture is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental."

Prince Felix Yusupov’s story was later told again in the 1967 film J'ai tué Raspoutine (I Killed Rasputin), but this time with his approval. Prince Felix approved the script and was interviewed in the film’s introduction.

[romanovsonelastdance]

Funeral of Grand Duke Alexander [Mikhailovich] of Russia

At right, in the front row, the King of Denmark, the princess [sic] Xenie [Xenia Alexandrovna], the princesse Youssoupoff [Irina Alexandrovna] and the queen of Denmark.

[1whimsicalgal]

Princess Irina Alexandrovna with her brothers

#Princess Irina Alexandrovna of Russia #Princess Irina Youssoupoff #prince andrei alexandrovich #Prince Feodor Alexandrovich

#Romanov

#Yusupov

#Yussupov

#Youssoupoff

#Youssoupov

[imperial-russia]

Could you please explain the titles of Grand Duchess/ Duke of Russia, Prince/ss of Russia, and the Prince/ss of Youssoupoff? How did the titles of Russia come about and when do you get them? Are their other titles besides of Yussoupoff?

Original title for ruler of Russia was Великий князь - translated literary as Grand Prince. Later the ruler became Tsar (and later even Emperor), while his chidren were labeled as Grand Prince/Grand Princess, meaning their rank was higher than those of “ordinary” Prince or Princess from other countries. However the word князь is sometimes translated as Duke rather than Prince, hence the Grand Duke. Both versions are acceptable, but the latter is more widely accepted.

As for Prince Yusupov - again, it depends on translation. They were Князья - Dukes/Princes, just not Grand, because they were not the ruling family. We tend to use Prince/Princess again because it has become the common way of adressing them as such. If you refer to Irina as “Duchess Yusupova” next time, you will not be entirely wrong, but it will sound .... unfamiliar.

Other titles were used in Russia in the Petrine and post-Petrine times, that were imported from the west. They were Граф - Count, and Барон - Baron.

[lesyoussoupoff]

Princess Irina with her mother, Grand Duchess Xenia

[lesyoussoupoff]

Prince Andrei Alexandrovich, Prince Feodor Alexandrovich, and Princess Irina Alexandrovna

[lesyoussoupoff]

Grand Duke Alexander with his daughter, Princess Irina Alexandrovna

[lesyoussoupoff]

Princess Irina Alexandrovna with her cousin Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna.

https://vk.com/lastromanovs

[lesyoussoupoff]

Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna with her eldest and favorite granddaughter, Princess Irina Alexandrovna.

[lesyoussoupoff]

Grand Duchess Olga with her niece, Princess Irina Alexandrovna

[lesyoussoupoff]

Grand Duchess Xenia holding her newborn daughter, Princess Irina