I normally don't get involved in disputes, but after reading Bongo's vehement post, and FA's reasonable response, I'm going to offer my two cents, e.g., another perspective.
I remember a time when what is currently happening with the Alexander Palace was utterly unthinkable. For 70 years, the place was a decaying relic because any word or gesture arousing even a hint of sympathy for Nicholas II and his regime were strictly taboo in the Soviet Union. Because of that, all we had, until recently, were memoirs, this Web site, our fantasies, and, thanks to Bob's persistence over decades, hope for the resurrection of the Alexander Palace. That was it.
And suddenly the monolithic Soviet Union evaporates. Who would ever have foreseen, in our lifetimes, the collapse of the Soviet Union, a resurgence of interest in the Romanovs in Russia, the departure of the Navy department from the Alexander Palace, the restoration of the palace, and steady return of its contents? Not I. These changes have come about at such a rapid pace that I, for one, am bewildered.
I think patience is in order. The restoration of such a large and ornate structure, with 50 years of decay exacerbated by northern Russia's harsh climate and complicated political considerations, can't be anything less than daunting, but it's being accomplished at a remarkably fast pace. Kudos to those who have worked tirelessly and persistently for decades to make the restoration possible in the first place. And hats off to those skillful people who have been working to restore the interior and exterior to their original splendor, and to those museum personnel overseeing the transformation. Ideally, we all "own our work," and museum personnel are to be commended if each and every one of them feels a bit possessive about the palace. Don't we all in some way? If that weren't the case, then we wouldn't be here in these forums.
As for the color photos, a little patience is in order as well. It wasn't very long ago that there wasn't an Alexander Palace to return them to. That they exist at all is amazing. And that they survived, and were intercepted at auction, and returned to the palace is nothing short of a miracle. Considering how long they were hidden before they came to light last year, I don't think it would hurt anyone to wait a bit longer for them to be disseminated.