Discussions about the Imperial Family and European Royalty > The Yussupovs
The Yusupovs and the Romanovs' relationship
Annie:
I never heard of a 'rift', just this letter dated Dec 11, 1916 written from Zenaida in the Crimea to Felix in St. Petersburg:
in part:
I do not like the celebrated "sister" [the Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna Romanov]. In my opinion, she poses most impudently as a member of the family. She calls Irina by her Christian name, and evcn "Tata"! I strongly object to her behaviour. When I visit Irina I constantly find her there, lounging in a chair, without in the least understanding that her presence does not interest me. She sports a kind of operatic costume of a Sister of Mercy, and generally spoils the whole atmosphere by her presence. Irina seems to accept it all as inevitable, whereas I simply cannot stand it. You will see for yourself soon, when you come home. In the meantime,
I send you my best love,
MAMMA
This shows me that contrary to everything I've read before, including Felix's book, Ella and Zenaida were not always on the best of terms. It's my guess that Zenaida was a bit annoyed with Ella's 'sister' act and wanted the 'old' or 'fun' Ella back. I doubt Zenaida had the nerve to say this to Ella's face, and if anything else happened between them I don't know of it. But this does show another side of things. They were still united in the anti-Rasputin movement and I assume were at least somewhat friends to the end.
Still hoping for pics of them together! Brian?
Martyn:
That is the passage that I think has been quoted in another thread. Annie, thanks for reminding us.
It is perfectly possible for even the best of friends to have disagreements and fall-outs; this may well be an example of that.
The Rasputin issue must have been important enough to put aside petty grievances and unite for a serious issue, don't you think?
That passage 'Irina seems to accept it all as inevitable' seems to suggest that Irina shared Zenaida's feelings about Ella......
Valmont:
I wrote about this "distance" between them in another thread. I think it was Zenaida Yussupova's and it was a comment for Greg King whom had just written Zenaida's Biography for the site. I am working from memory here, but I think he mentioned they were friends even to the last days of Ella, that is when I brought up this letter...
Best
Martyn:
The letter is very disparaging. I don't really understand the comment 'she poses most impudently as a member of the family'. Would Ella not be considered a relative of Irina's?
LisaDavidson:
Only distantly. Ella was a relative by marriage to Irina in that Irina's parents were inlaws to Nicholas and Alexandra, and Ella was Alexandra's sister. I think what Z was saying is that she tried to seem like a member of their family - not the Romanovs. Ella was clearly part of both the Hessian and Russian royal families. However, it's important to remember that the Yussouovs considered themselves superior to the Romanovs, hence Zenaida's annoyance.
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