Maria Anecdotes

From 'Before the Storm' by Sophie Buxhoeveden, published 1938, page 211 : She is describing a time when the GD's were rehearsing with some officers from the royal yacht for a dance at the Livadia Palace :
'The GD Marie Nicolaevna, then a plump schoolgirl of twelve, was gyrating awkwardly in the arms of an officer as the Emperor came in to watch our antics. 'That's not the way to do it, Marie,' he said. 'Don't hang on to your partner's arms like that. You are too far away, and he can't guide you properly. Look at the way SHE does it,' pointing with a wave of his hand towards me....The GD Marie, still not seeming to grasp what he meant, continued to roll about heavily....'

(The immodest author then goes on to describe how the Emperor took her round the room to demonstrate to his poor daughter how it should be done. She claimed she was the only commoner of her generation to dance the waltz with Nicholas II. All my sympathies are with Marie......)

Credits to Ms. Leah Chantelle (I got these from her website)

An excerpt of Maria’s letter to Nicholas II:

"It was such fun. Krylov lost the biggest and the best scrap-iron in the middle of the pond, having fallen on the prow. Then Khadov went to help him get the scrap-iron out, and they both nearly dipped. Finally I went to hold them by the uniforms. All this was happening on a piece of ice already drifting, so some sisters held it with hooks. In command today was not Fedotov, but the other one, you remember, he came to the tower, the one with such chubby cheeks? So we call him 'cheeks.' He made a terrific fuss and shouted orders from the bank. Mama was sitting there on the bank in her armchair, and we all laughed, long and hard."


[Maria] used to look out in the streets for people whom she used to call afterwards "my friends," and was very sorrowful if I did not always recognize them. "You know," she would say, "the lady in Peterhof who wore the green hat? I saw her today in the Nevsky." She never confused anyone, she had the true "royal memory" for faces.

I can't find the actual quote.. but I read somewhere, that on a little party which Alexandra gave for her friends and family, Maria (who was ordered to stay in the kids' room) suddenly ran into the room, took some biscuits from the table and said: 'there, i've eaten them all, you can't eat them now!' horrified Alix wanted to punish her, but Nicky opposed, saying: 'I have always been afraid of the wings growing. I'm glad to see that she is only a human child!' 

I can't find the actual quote.. but I read somewhere, that on a little party which Alexandra gave for her friends and family, Maria (who was ordered to stay in the kids' room) suddenly ran into the room, took some biscuits from the table and said: 'there, i've eaten them all, you can't eat them now!' horrified Alix wanted to punish her, but Nicky opposed, saying: 'I have always been afraid of the wings growing. I'm glad to see that she is only a human child!' 

I think that comes from Margaret Eagar's memoirs, which you can read in full here.

thank you, Sarushka! 

Thank you very much for the link!! and for the other anecdotes that all of you posted, they give me a better idea about Maria's
character and life :-)

In the first thread of The Empress Strikes Back there are some entries by Alix concerning Maria having "angina." (I will post the entries below.) I am wondering if anyone knows more about this? There are many type of angina- which did she have? Surely one of the less serious types, or perhaps it wasn't even angina as we know it today. (I am also assuming that the phrase, "She has 37" refers to her temperature?) Thanks in advance!

Letter No. 30 Tsarskoe Selo, Dec. 14-th
Marie's angina is better, she slept well and has 37, Tatiana has Mme Becker, so only gets up for luncheon.

Letter No. 30 Tsarskoe Selo, Dec. 14-th
The girls went to the hospitals after luncheon and sledging - and in the evening. To-day they will go again, and to-morrow begin their work there. - I cant, alas, as yet and am very sorry about it, as it helps me morally. –

Letter No. 31. Tsarskoe Selo, Dec. 15-th 1914
The Children began their work to-day and had heavy cases.

Letter No. 31. Tsarskoe Selo, Dec. 15-th 1914
Marie has not yet come down as her throat is not quite in order, temp. normal.

Letter No. 31. Tsarskoe Selo, Dec. 15-th 1914
Olga and Anastasia are sledging with Isa, Tatiana has lessons - Shura reads to Marie, Baby is out

Letter No. 32. Tsarskoe Selo, Dec. 16-th 1914
The girls are in the hospital, Baby has just gone out, Anastasia has a lesson & Marie has not yet been let come down.

Letter No. 33. Tsarskoe Selo, Dec. 17-th 1914
Olga walks through the garden to Znamenia & fr. there on foot to the hospital, Tatiana follows in a motor after her lesson, Olga feels the better for air & short exercise in the morning. –

Letter No. 33. Tsarskoe Selo, Dec. 17-th 1914
Marie is coming down at last.

In the first thread of The Empress Strikes Back there are some entries by Alix concerning Maria having "angina." (I will post the entries below.) I am wondering if anyone knows more about this? There are many type of angina- which did she have? Surely one of the less serious types, or perhaps it wasn't even angina as we know it today.

If I recall correctly, that would have been at the same time Maria's tonsils were removed. I'll have a look at the Complete Wartime Correspondence and see if I can find any further information.

(I am also assuming that the phrase, "She has 37" refers to her temperature?) Thanks in advance!

Yes, I think you're right.

In the first thread of The Empress Strikes Back there are some entries by Alix concerning Maria having "angina." (I will post the entries below.) I am wondering if anyone knows more about this? There are many type of angina- which did she have? Surely one of the less serious types, or perhaps it wasn't even angina as we know it today.

I think she was probably referring to angina tonsillaris, which is basically just a fancy word for tonsillitis. 

(I am also assuming that the phrase, "She has 37" refers to her temperature?)

Yeah, that's almost certainly what she was referring to. If I remember correctly, 37 C = 98.6 F.

From "Royal romances of today" by Kellog Surland (1911)

The Grand Duke Vladimir was wont to call the Grand Duchess Marie "The Amiable Baby," and from all accounts she is more like what her mother was in babyhood than any of the children. Between her and her older sister Olga is a world of difference. If half the stories about her are true she is indeed the personification of sweetness and unselfishness.

What interesting details, thank you very much!!

An anecdote which happened on a Christmas Day (told by Margaret Eagar):
We had our Christmas tree as usual, and little Marie was especially delighted with it, as she could not remember anything of the kind. She said to the Emperor, who was just beginning to get about, “Papa, did you ever see anything so beautiful?”

An anecdote which happened on a Christmas Day (told by Margaret Eagar):
We had our Christmas tree as usual, and little Marie was especially delighted with it, as she could not remember anything of the kind. She said to the Emperor, who was just beginning to get about, “Papa, did you ever see anything so beautiful?”

Awww, this is really cute! I have never heard this one before, do you know how old Maria was in this?

Two. You can read the whole book here: http://www.alexanderpalace.org/eagar/preface.html

Thanks Ally! So that was in 1901?
Emily