Meeting a Grand Duke and Grand Duchess

[Kalafrana]

Another query for my novel.

Prince Alexander Dolgoruky and Kate Brazier, the English clergyman's daughter have now got engaged. Dolgoruky's old pal, Dimitri Pavlovich, is going to invite them to join him at the opera, with supper at home afterwards. I presume that Dimitri is not going to bring his mistress along on this occasion, so have it in mind that his sister, Marie Pavlovna, will be in Petrograd at the time and can be brought in to even up the numbers.

Now, how would the introductions be done. Doubtless the imperial brother and sister will quickly invite Kate to call them Dimitri Pavlovich and Marie Pavlovna respectively, but first I imagine there must be some Your Imperial Highness-ing and curtseying. I imagine Dolgoruky will say something like, 'May I present my fiancee, Miss Katharine Brazier,' Kate will curtsey to both and Dimitri will kiss her hand. However, does Marie or Dimitri come first? I imagine Marie, but in my usual fashion I want to make sure!

Ann

[CountessKate]

Another query for my novel.

Prince Alexander Dolgoruky and Kate Brazier, the English clergyman's daughter have now got engaged. Dolgoruky's old pal, Dimitri Pavlovich, is going to invite them to join him at the opera, with supper at home afterwards. I presume that Dimitri is not going to bring his mistress along on this occasion, so have it in mind that his sister, Marie Pavlovna, will be in Petrograd at the time and can be brought in to even up the numbers.

Now, how would the introductions be done. Doubtless the imperial brother and sister will quickly invite Kate to call them Dimitri Pavlovich and Marie Pavlovna respectively, but first I imagine there must be some Your Imperial Highness-ing and curtseying. I imagine Dolgoruky will say something like, 'May I present my fiancee, Miss Katharine Brazier,' Kate will curtsey to both and Dimitri will kiss her hand. However, does Marie or Dimitri come first? I imagine Marie, but in my usual fashion I want to make sure!

Ann

I think it extremely unlikely that the imperial siblings would quickly invite a commoner never previously encountered to call them by their personal names, and would be most likely to stick to 'Miss Brazier' for much longer than anyone today, even royalty, would (indeed, if she were moving in less exhalted company in England it would be the same).  Marie Pavlovna could often be very sticky with what she regarded as undue familiarity, even after exile.  It wasn't being unfriendly or standoffish - it was just not considered good manners to rush in and start using people's christian names from the get-go, so she would most likely be 'Miss Brazier', and they "Your Highness" throughout.  Unless she has at least one unmarried elder sister, she is not 'Miss Katherine Brazier' but 'Miss Brazier'.  The eldest (or only) Miss Brazier is Miss Brazier, the second daughter is Miss Anne Brazier, the third Miss Susan Brazier, etc.  So Prince Alexander would say, "Your Imperial Highnesses, may I present my fiancee, Miss Brazier?" and she would curtsey in a general way to them both.  I'm not sure about the hand-kissing.  There is no obligation on a lady to give her hand to a gentleman, so she might firmly remain at arm's length.  To be honest, in reality the situation was likely to be rather stiff, not because any of the parties lacked good will, but there just weren't any mechanisms for being friendly in an equal sort of way in those days.

[Kalafrana]

Many thanks for this. I was forgetting that the eldest daughter (which Kate is) is just 'Miss Surname'. Yes, the occasion is likely to be a bit stiff, if only because Kate doesn't have much in common with Dimitri and Marie.

Ann