Your personal opinion on Felix Yusupov

I saw a picture of him in Greg King's book and he truly does look like he's Lon Cheney.  Though the picture is in black and white, it does appear he is unnaturally pale which could be accounted for by the make-up.  

How interesting. I remember reading that, as a boy, he was fascinated by Xenias perfume when ever she went to visit!

The heavy makeup comment was orginally made by either Noel Coward or Cecil Beaton in their memors in reference to dining with him in the nineteen thirties and has often been quoted.  Coward (or Beaton) said that FF's makeup was so thick that it cracked and chunks of it fell into his soup when he laughed!!  I wonder if lavander was his mother-in-law's (XA) favorite scent (or perhaps his mother's) and he wore it in remembrance.  The scent FF wore was one of those heavy oil based perfumes that lingered even after he had departed.  Not particularly unpleasant, but quite feminine for a man to be wearing in those times when men wore little cologne if at all  He could have been a charachter created by Oscar Wilde (whom I beleive was his favorite author).

Alexei

I think Xenias was either lavender perfume or lillies of the valley and after she had departed he would go around sniffing the air!

Oh I adore Prince Felix Yussopov.Such a flamboyant entertaining dandy.

I ABSOLUTELY love Felix. apart from extremely beauty he had a great sense of humour, intellect and non-ordinariness in every activity.
I would love to be acquainted with him veeery much.

Wow there's not much I can say that hasn't already been said. I don't think he was a cold, heartless murderer. I think he just did what he "felt' he had to do with what he knew at the time.


Don't think he was bad looking either 


AND to those discussing the men's room incidents- Once my aunt and I locked the door to the men's room and used it- because the lines at the ladies room were too long 

Wow there's not much I can say that hasn't already been said. I don't think he was a cold, heartless murderer. I think he just did what he "felt' he had to do with what he knew at the time.

uhu)) and, as my history teacher says - he was just a veeeeery patriotic person. he really and deeply and  sincerely thought that Rasputin is the main Russian evil.
and it's rather funny to read his memories - his pride of the murder is a little naive and childish ^__^

I don't like him, but then again, I don't dislike him either. 

Felix was a cmplex kind of character.  He seemed like a very nice and intelligent individual.  The only flaws he posessed were his sexual preferences and the murder of Rasputin.  I don't applaud murder, but I agree with the fact that he was deeply concerned for his country, and if that meant destroying one of the individuals crippling it, then so be it.

I have yet to read Lost Splendor, but it does look interesting, its already on my list of books to read this summer. 

since i was 16 i am 30 years collecting books/information on felix and visit the main sites in russia and ukraine. but felix never came alive to me. most of the books/information is written by people that never knew him. most information is factual/stereoptyped/biased/ideolized/sentimental. also his autobiographies are not personal written, it desctibes what he did and what he wanted to tell but does not give much insight in his real personal feelings. i hope in the future a biography is made by people that have first hand information from people that knew or were really close to him. i am sure this man had a double life outside this strict courtlife and expectations that in my opinion did not really fit him. i would like to know your vision on what kind of type he really was.

I think Felix was a product of extreme wealth. I like his fun aspects but think that he could have used his creativity, intelligence and money to help more people. I don't mind his sybarritic side, as it is a good example of what you can do and get away with if you have enough money.  I think it would have been better, though if he spent his family's money on educational institutions, elevating people out of the deep poverty that affected so many people in Russia.  However he was extremely generous and during the war, although he was commissioned as an officer, he never joined a regiment and had no intention of fighting for Russia or the Tsarist regime that gave him all of his family's wealth.  He did however conver part of the Moika palace into a hospital. I like the fact that Felix was extremely welll educated, having been to Oxford. I am sure he was loyal to his friends but I think he had a very weak personality and was indiscrete, not a good thing considering the sybarism he indulged in.  He would have been one of your best bets is getting out of Russia during the revolutions, as he seemed to have the ability to charm the right people and bribe them.

In terms of looks he reminds me of Rudolf Valentino

I add myself to the minority who don't like him. I suppose it depends to a considerable extent on one's own character whether one likes him or not. I am put off by his obsession with being the centre of attention, his ostentation and his being outrageous for the fun of seeing the effect it had on the people round him. And I agree with earlier posters that he milked the murder for all it was worth, partly to be the centre of attention, but also for money, having run through the very considerable amount of money and assets he had managed to get out of Russia. He was also careful to avoid any active service in the war (having a grandfather who worked his passage from British Columbia to join up in 1914 I am sensitive on this point).

I like the comment made by Prince Mikhail Andreyevich, when asked whether Yussupov talked about the murder. 'He talked about nothing else!'

And I like the irony that someone who was so obsessed with preserving his looks ended up very bald.

Ann

Ann part of the dissolutiion of his transported wealth was helping any Russian emigre in Paris who asked for it so ou can hold that against him but my own view is very mixed.

Where is the evidence of Felix's generosity to other emigres? I'm not suggesting it didn't happen, just asking for sources.

Ann