Messages

31

French Royals / Re: Marie Antoinette and Axel Fersen

« on: October 24, 2007, 08:24:24 AM »

I have also been reading up a lot about this specific issue lately for my own reasons...  I finished Evelyn Lever's biography yesterday evening and I also read some of what Pierre de Nolhac says in his books.  I am of the view along with Lever that at the moment we will not know for sure as there is no concrete evidence.  It would be interesting if the DNA from the heart of Louis XVII (St. Denis) could be compared with the remains of Axel Fersen in Sweden.

Also it will be WONDERFUL if we develop the necessary technology to be able to read the parts of the correspondence that Axel Fersen's nephew crossed out.  Then there is the issue of her having installed a Swedish stove in her inner apartments in Versailles for Axel. 

If one reads his correspondence and extracts out of his Journal Intime, I think one can sense that there was great love that existed between them and deep down, (we are all human after all!) I cannot think that one will not follow up on such feelings...

Whatever her official postion as Queen of France and his as a Swedish nobleman, love does not spare any of us and you have NO control as to when and with whom it enters your life.  Life is much more complicated than taking a simplistic view...  I respect the fact that here we have two individuals who loved one another, despite the difficulty of their circumstances.  One can out of a humane perspective only feel for them from the depths of one's heart.

32

The Alexander Palace / Re: Question about radiators

« on: September 12, 2007, 11:59:21 AM »

Hallo Mek,

Look at this link:
http://forum.alexanderpalace.org/index.php/topic,4020.0.html

33

Books about the Romanovs and Imperial Russia / Re: AP book?

« on: September 05, 2007, 08:08:07 AM »

Dear Bob,

Do you have any publishing date in mind as yet?  We are all reaaly looking forward to this book of yours...

34

French Royals / Re: Any portraits of Comtesse de Noailles?

« on: September 05, 2007, 08:04:39 AM »

Hi Lisa,  yes this is the correct drawing of Madame l'Ettiquette.  I also saw it on another French website, and now of course I cannot find the thread so that I can post the link!

35

The Alexander Palace / Re: Question about radiators

« on: September 05, 2007, 07:50:48 AM »

There are a few photographs of Alexandra posing for a sculptor making her bust.  In some of the photos you can actually see that the radiator covers look similar/the same as the ones you see today in the palace.  I think the photos are posted under a thread about the Mountain Hall.

36

French Royals / Re: FRENCH ROYAL TOMBS

« on: August 14, 2007, 11:11:30 AM »

There is a HUGE discussion of it on the following French website forum:
http://versailles.forumculture.net/Versaille-Art-de-vivre-sous-l-ancien-regime-c2/Il-fait-jour-chez-le-Roi-f7/Le-deuil-a-la-Cour-t126-0.htm
 

37

The Habsburgs / Re: Rumored Illegitimate Children of Sissi

« on: August 14, 2007, 08:49:34 AM »

As you all wish...

38

The Habsburgs / Re: Rumored Illegitimate Children of Sissi

« on: July 31, 2007, 10:38:20 AM »

As I say - GO READ THE BOOK...
   
The Secret of an Empress by Countess Zanardi Landi.  Do an Amazon.com search.
 

39

The Habsburgs / Re: Rumored Illegitimate Children of Sissi

« on: July 31, 2007, 07:55:50 AM »

Go and read the book:  "The Secret of an Empress"...

40

French Royals / Re: King Louis XVIII

« on: March 02, 2007, 01:27:14 PM »

Pour vous répondre Eddieboy-uk, les comtesses de Provence et d'Artois ont sauvé leurs tetes pendant la Révoluton parce que ces princesses ont émigré à l'étranger.
La comtesse d'Artois est partie dès 1789 s'installer à la Cour de son père à Turin, Victor-Amédée III et la comtesse de Provence a pris le fuite dans la nuit du 20 juin 1791, alors que son époux et le couple royal Louis XVI-Marie-Antoinette faisait de meme. Malheureusement pour les souverains, leur fuite s'acheva à Varennes alors que le comte et la comtesse de Provene étaient hors d'atteinte de la Révolution.
Le frère du roi et sa femme s'installèrent à Coblence en Allemagne rhénane, puis en 1792 Mme de Provence rejoignit sa patrie maternelle. 

Eddieboy_uk,  Dominique is saying that the two countesses saved their heads during the revolution as they emigrated.  The Comtesse d'Artois left in 1789 for the Court of her father in Turin, Italy.  The Comtesse de Provence and her husband left the very same night as Louis XVI and M-A fled to Varennes, and they were outside the reach of the Revolution.  The Comte de Provence and his wife set up court in Koblentz in Rhenish Germany, and in 1792 the Comtesse de Provence left for her motherland.   (I have read a lot on this French history website and it seems like our new friend is quite an expert on French history - welcome to our forum!  )

41

French Royals / Re: King Louis XVIII

« on: March 02, 2007, 08:01:49 AM »

Dominique Poulin says that he/she wrote an article on the passion-histoire.net forum about the Comtesse de Provence and that you're welcome to read it and give feedback as well as ask questions.  This person might very well be an expert on the Comtesse de Provence.

42

French Royals / Re: Queen Marie Antoinette

« on: February 23, 2007, 07:55:32 AM »

Please bear in mind that contraception was widely practiced in those days by the nobility.  Axel de Fersen was a real man for the ladies and had a string of mistresses.  So you can be assured that he in all probability would have used condoms when having sex.  So assuming he had sexual relations with Marie Antoinette, I think he would have seen to it to take care of the situation...

43

Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Empress Alexandra Photos #3

« on: February 23, 2007, 07:48:19 AM »

I think one of the very last photographs we have of her , is the one where she sits on the balcony on Tobolsk under an umbrella.

44

The Final Chapter / Re: Floor Plan of the Tobolsk Governor's Mansion

« on: February 22, 2007, 09:36:43 AM »

Hi Penny,

If one looks at photographs of the governor's mansion, it seems to have approximately 11 to 12 windows lengthwise, not 9.  This plan looks too condensed.  Also in vol 5 issue 2 of your own publication where the interior of the mansion is described, it seems as if the rooms follow a different order than the above plan...

Just wondering.

45

Their World and Culture / Re: The cause of fainting spells--CORSETS!

« on: January 25, 2007, 09:51:16 AM »

I think that is fantasy.  Women wore corsets throughout their lives and those that tightlaced did so on a daily basis for average 16 hours per day, if they did not sleep in them as well...  So, no need to faint if you're used to it, they might have fainted from something else.  If you were to tightlace yourself from a 30" waist down to 18" all at once, you will not faint from it, but you will certainly just about die from pain and discomfort!