Personal Attributes of Nicholas II

[Katherine_The_O.K.]

I'm quite sure Alexandra was shorter, though she appears taller- the same thing is true with my parents. Nicholas has a less willowy frame- his face is quite a bit rounder. This REALLY adds to the illusion of Alexandra being taller. My mother is 5'7, my father is 5'9: She appears MUCH taller, because a) She is taller than the average woman b) She has a thinner face and c) she has big curly hair. The same is true for A. and N., I think. You can tell Nicholas is taller when you compare the position of their faces and foreheads especially.

[Princess_Olishka]

With the picture that Emily just posted, I thought Nicholas was taller. But who knows? Maybe if they were both placed very close together, Alix could look taller. But in that photo, they are generally close. Nicholas looks an inch or two taller.

[Grace]

yes... know i think that Alix was taller, but only by a few inches
here it definatly looks like alix was taller. and this was at the time of their engagment.

She wouldn't have been a "few inches" taller than Nicholas, I'm sure.  There seemed to me very little difference in their height.  In the photo you have posted, remember Alexandra had dressed hair, a tall hat and leg-o-mutton sleeves, all which make it difficult to judge height when compared to a person standing alongside who had none of these.  In the photos I've seen of them together, taking these things into account, I would say they were about the same -- approximately 5' 7".

[Sarushka]

Ok, time for some fun with math & science 

I copied this chart and formulas from http://www.shodor.org/succeed/forensic/romanov.html. These are the lengths of various bones identified as the Romanov's remains.

Skeleton Tandem Repeats Length of Femur (cm) Length of Humerus (cm) Length of Radius (cm)
1              9, 10                   44.79                            31.5   
2              6, 10                   37.64                            26.15   
3 (Child)    8, 10                   38.9                              27.1   
4              7, 10                   42.5                              30.0   
5 (Child)    7, 8                     38.9                              27.21                          20.34
6 (Child)    8, 10                   37.6                              26.2                            23.0
7              8, 8                     39.4                              27.40   
8              6, 9                     38.32                            26.68   
9              6, 6                     37.32                            25.92   

You can use these 3 equations to figure the approximate height of any of the bodies:

• 2.38(femur length) + 61.41 cm = height in centimeters +/- 3.27

• 3.08 (humerus length) + 70.45 = height in centimeters +/- 4.05

• 3.78 (radius length) + 79.01 = height in centimeters +/- 4.32

Skeleton #4 has been identified as Nicholas II, and skeleton #7 as Alexandra.

For Nicholas, the first equation gives a height of 162.56cm (give or take 3.27cm). The second equation puts him at 162.85cm (give or take 4.05cm). When you figure in the variables, his lowest possible height is 159.29cm, and his tallest is 166.9cm.

For Alexandra, the first equation gives a height of 155.182cm (give or take 3.27cm). The second puts her at 154.842cm (give or take 4.05cm). Alexandra's lowest possible height is 150.378, and her tallest is 158.892.

So, at her tallest, Alexandra was still 0.398cm shorter than Nicholas's shortest possible measurement. But since these are all approximations, there's a lot of wiggle room between the various possibilities. For example, there are 16.522cm difference between Nicholas's tallest possible measurement and Alexandra's shortest. I think we all agree that the tsar was NOT 6.5 inches taller than his wife, but it's a possibility, according to the numbers.

In short (har har) unless someone discovers a photo of the tsar and the empress standing barefoot back-to-back with her hair down, we'll never really know who was taller or shorter or by how much. I think it's safe to say that Alexandra was at least a fraction of a centimeter shorter than her husband. Nicholas may have been a relatively short fellow, but both his femur and his humerus were longer than Alexandra's by about 3cm, which indicates a taller overall height, and the equations back this up. I think it's also safe to say that they were within a couple inches of each other, but the varying heights of Alexandra's hats, hair, and high heels are likely to make it virtually impossible to figure out with any real degree of accuracy. I'd be willing to bet that because of Alexandra's wardrobe, even people who knew the imperial couple would have had a hard time telling you who was taller or shorter...

[grandduchess_42]

Sarushka!
you really did your home work here!
an A++ for yoU! 

thank you for the information, it helps clear up alot of things!

but weren't the bodies burned, and had acid poured over them?
surely not the same bone could have survived that!

[Sarushka]

but weren't the bodies burned, and had acid poured over them?
surely not the same bone could have survived that!

Well, that's one version of the story, but the fact is that it's virtually impossible to *completely* destroy a body with fire and/or acid in that amount of time. The bones were black and green with damage & decomposition when they were found, but they certainly hand't crumbled into ash, as one of the assassins claimed. Check out a copy of Romanovs: The Final Chapter for more information. There's also a link to a similar book on that page.

[Lemur]

Alix was about an inch taller but her hats and shoes made her tower over him at times.

[grandduchess_42]

but weren't the bodies burned, and had acid poured over them?
surely not the same bone could have survived that!

Well, that's one version of the story, but the fact is that it's virtually impossible to *completely* destroy a body with fire and/or acid in that amount of time. The bones were black and green with damage & decomposition when they were found, but they certainly hand't crumbled into ash, as one of the assassins claimed. Check out a copy of Romanovs: The Final Chapter for more information. There's also a link to a similar book on that page.

oh really?
cool!... well not cool about the bodies thats horrible
but from one of the assassins said that.

[Sarushka]

Alix was about an inch taller but her hats and shoes made her tower over him at times.

Where did you find that info? All the numbers I dug up pretty much contradict that, so I'm naturally curious.

[Lemur]

I read in some book that he was 5'7" and she 5'8". I have also seen reports that she wore flats as not to look taller than him. Also, you can see for yourself in some pictures as well as videos (check out the Tercentenery footage!!) and you can see for yourself plain and simple that she looked taller than him especially with the huge hats of the day.

[Ra-Ra-Rasputin]

I've always had the impression that Alexandra was a good inch taller than Nicholas.  I must have read it somewhere to have believed it for so long, but I couldn't say where.

Alexandra has always appeared significantly taller than Nicholas in photographs I've seen, but perhaps this is due simply to shoes and hair.  If only the condition of the bones allowed for a more definite assessment of height.  Thanks for those figures, Sarah.

Rachel
xx

[grandduchess_42]

I read in some book that he was 5'7" and she 5'8". I have also seen reports that she wore flats as not to look taller than him. Also, you can see for yourself in some pictures as well as videos (check out the Tercentenery footage!!) and you can see for yourself plain and simple that she looked taller than him especially with the huge hats of the day.

hm..
that seems to happen alot
the woman always seems to want to be lower

well of course you would higher that than the king..
look at Katie Holms, and Tom Cruise!

[Lemur]

I seem to remember seeing a picture from a Russian wax museum where there were height appropriate figures of Nicholas and Peter the Great. Peter appeared to be almost a foot taller and had his arm around Nicholas, whose eyes were downcast, presumably posed this way in his shame at losing the dynasty. Peter was about 6'5". It was a very graphic difference in size.

[Johnny]

I read in some book that he was 5'7" and she 5'8". I have also seen reports that she wore flats as not to look taller than him. Also, you can see for yourself in some pictures as well as videos (check out the Tercentenery footage!!) and you can see for yourself plain and simple that she looked taller than him especially with the huge hats of the day.

Lemur is right. I read the same thing. Alexandra was always described as a tall woman by her contemporaries. And as far as the average woman goes 5'8" is relatively tall, especially in those times. Nicholas, who was not tall, looked even shorter in comparison to her father and uncles. Most of the Romanovs, especially men were all above 6'. Uncle Nikolasha was about 6'4". There is a picture posted somewhere on this forum (don't ask me where) which I find very funny. In it you see a young Nicholas and Alexandra with a number of Romanov men and women lined up against a wall. The difference in height is quite incredible. Some Romanovs were so tall to the point of looking almost awkward and not attractive anymore.

[James1941]

At the time of their engagement Alexandera's cousin, Wilhelm II, jokingly advised her not to wear high heels as she would tower over Nicholas. I think in this case she took his advice.