The Vladimirovitchi - discussion and pictures Part 1

[Eric_Lowe]

Indeed ! I like his loyal brother Andrei, who stood by his mistress and married her. 

[Gretchen]

Well, Boris also married his mistress like his littel brother. I think King tends to be a bit too critical in describing the Romanovs in his latest book. Surely Boris was a good-for-nothing person, no doubts, but not a bad person - just have a look at Staffan Skott´s great book Romanovs. Boris was the only Romanov who went to Mogilev the day after Nicholas´ abdication, very much unlike his unloyal brother.

[Eric_Lowe]

Well...the only crime against him was that he was a skirt chaser and a playboy who did not takes his responsibility as a royal person seriously. He was rumoured to have a relationship with Missy and propoesed at one point to Ena. That plus Michen's plan to marry him to Nicky's daughter Olga was one of the few things we hear from Boris. Certainly Alicky's distaste for Boris's private life was well known. Andrei was more of a puppy to Mathilde, and we did not hear him flirting around having sexcapades. 

[Janet_W.]

Alexandra made mistakes, many of them colossal, but she had a sense of duty and didn't believe in free rides. Boris felt entitlement, and what did he give in return? Excuse the cliche, but if you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem.

Boris felt the world owed him a living. What he was owed, minimal, was a good kicking in the postier. And those who spawned and encouraged him deserved it as well.

It's the indolent and egotistic behavior of moral insects such as Boris that is ultimately used to justify revolution and bloodshed. We recently have had a situation in Iran where some "brave" men felt a sense of entitlement that resulted in rape, death, and probably the capture, mutilation and death of some of their fellow troops who were innocent of that evil. I have no patience--or leniency--for people who do not care or wish to understand that their selfish, immoral behavior impacts others.

[Eric_Lowe]

Indeed ! Boris had no moral fibre and a sense of responsibility as a member of the Romanov family. He is a parasite of the system. It would be difficult for Alicky to accept someone like him as her son-in-law. Missy once wrote that " a crown has no meaning unless accompany by duty." I cannot agree with that more ! 

[Romanov_fan]

I don't know much about Elena, but she seems to have been a good woman. Boris was of course a playboy, harmless enough politically, but one who perhaps gave much damage to his country inadvertently. He didn't think what the consuquences of his behaviour were, I suppose, and perhaps could not, that being so alien to his temprament. He was much different than the kind of royalty represented by Alexandra, the more dutiful kind.

[Eric_Lowe]

Yes...Boris's skirt-chasing reputation must have horrified Alicky, when talk of marriage between him and her daughter Olga was suggested. Yet she seemed to get along with Ellen (as proven when their children Olga, Elisabeth and Marina got to play with the Tsar's children). 

[grandduchessella]

I think a lot of that has to do with the easygoing Nicholas of Greece, Ellen's husband, and one of Nicholas II's closest friends.

[Eric_Lowe]

True...Although Greek Minny wrote that Alicky did not enjoy they (the Greeks) share their common memories with Nicky because she cannot participate. She was very jealous in that. Also I think Ellen was a very proper lady and less grand than her august mother (whom both Alicky and her mother-in-law disaprroved). 

[grandduchessella]

Yes but perhaps the fact that Nicholas's children played with Nicholas & Alexandra's children had more to do with the 2 Nicholases close friendship rather than a relationship between Alexandra and Ellen. Still, Ellen was no doubt friendlier than Miechen.

[Eric_Lowe]

Indeed ! Alexandra as mother held the right of what they could play with. The fact that the Greek children were admitted into this private world was clearly a mark of favour. The girls were so protected from the real world that Missy found them all so naive, when she had the opportunity to talk to them.

[Romanov_fan]

It is interesting that Elena's daughters were allowed to play with otma and Alexei.That clearly is a mark of favour.

[carl fraley]

you also have to remember that Prince Nicholas of Greece was also Nicky's first cousin as well.  THe Gluckburgs (spelling?) were a very close knit group...  Regarless of Nicky and minny's feelings towards Meichen

[Romanov_fan]

Yes, and they didn't like Miechen. Elena was raised by her, but it seems, didn't take after her that much.

[Gretchen]

Elena was raised by her, but it seems, didn't take after her that much.

Well, Elena was Miechen´s daughter, no doubts. "God first, then the Russian Grand Dukes, then the rest" is a quote from her. I have also raed that she behaved quite snobbish against poor Alice Battenberg, Princess Andrew of Greece.