The Lost Prince

[mikeycoleman]

Miranda Richardson is great in anything she is in.

She was AWFUL in the made-for-tv Alice in Wonderland with Tina Majorino and Martin Short.  I wanted to strangle her throughout.

[Duke of New Jersey]

George V was first cousin to Nicholas II and William II - so Johnnie would have been 1st cousin - once removed

Yes, you are right, Nicholas and William would have been Prince John's cousins.  For some reason I didn't realize that, I feel foolish. 

-Duke of NJ

[royaltybuff]

Absolutely no reason to feel foolish! There are so many relations to keep straight in the movie that I'm really glad it was not my family!  .

[Clemence]

every single time I watch the mini series I ask myself different questions. this time it seems to me both Queen Mary and the king had a strange way to love Prince John. especially that detail of the gramophone that was to be taken way seems so cruel. I believe the most important thinkg coming out is the way the decision not to do anything to help the Romanov's was taken. not easy but a price that had to be accepted. just a bit more drama that the change of the family (firm) name ...

there is something I'd like to ask though, about the relationship between the queen and her mother. if I got it right, the queen was considered a beautiful elegant woman, hardly alike her mom, but do we know anything more about how things between them were? because there is a scene where it seems there were problems (that of the prep for the coronation).

[mcdnab]

I assume you mean the relationship between Queen Mary and her mother in law Queen Alexandra (as Mary's mother Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Tech had died in 1897).  From what I've read the relationship between "May" and "Alix" or "Mother Dear" as her children called her was okay - at the time of the coronation - Queen Alexandra along with Dagmar locked themselves away at Sandringham, which was probably a blessing as she kept telling people it should be Eddy's coronation not Georgie's also according to Mary's letters to her aunt the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg Strelitz, Queen Alexandra largely at Dagmar's urging was demanding precedence that wasn't rightfully hers as Queen Dowager, the relationship wasn't always easy throughout her marriage largely because Queen Alexandra retained considerable influence over her children whom she continued to treat as children well into their middle age.

Queen Mary had known the Wales' all her life however after Eddy's death and her eventual marriage to George V - the Wales' girls including "Alix" preferred to refer to her as "poor May" and the name stuck - the only one of her sister in laws Queen Mary got on really well with was Princess Maud (later Queen of Norway)

[Clemence]

mcdnab thank you for your answer, but it was the relationship between queen mary and her OWN mother I wanted to know more.

[mcdnab]

Sorry Clemence  - A very close relationship up until Mary Adelaide's death i think from what I've read - Princess Mary Adelaide was quite a character she was exuberant, popular with the public, extravagant, quite a larger than life figure - her exuberance perhaps explains why Princess May was quieter and more reserved - she was probably the peacemaker in her family the eldest and only daughter. But their relationship i believe was fairly close - the Tecks were a quite contented happy family despite Mary Adelaides complete inability to live within her means (and her varying attempts to get her cousin Queen Victoria to make the Duke of Teck a Royal Highness). 
Pope Hennessy has a lot more on May's early life - its a good read if a little old fashioned now (it was written shortly after Mary's death and feels a bit dated)

[Clemence]

thank you again, I also found a fine topic about QM mother:

http://forum.alexanderpalace.org/index.php/topic,5733.0.html

I'd be very interested to know more about her jwells that caused it seems some problems to the queen ...

[CorisCapnSkip]

Somehow I thought I posted on this movie, but it must not have been on this thread.  Great movie, but as far as the portrayal of the execution scene, they really blew it.  Not only did they have Alexei walking rather than being carried by Nicholas, he wasn't even dressed right.  He had on some sort of drab military uniform when historical sources say he was wearing a sailor shirt.  Even if by chance it was on under the jacket--would a sailor shirt even be worn with that style of jacket?  It just doesn't seem right.  As I recall (and I haven't seen this again to check it against historical sources) the Unsolved Mysteries reenactment on the Anastasia segment was much more accurate.  I wish they would bring that show back.  For one, they could update on Anastasia!  Does anyone have the Unsolved Mysteries show?  One of the participants was an old Russian man who claimed to have known one of the executioners and identified exactly who killed Anastasia.

[NAOTMAA Fan]

I honestly haven't read a single account or any source for that matter stating Alexei wore a sailor shirt. It seems unlikely seeing as to the fact that in photographs starting in 1914 Alexei almost always is seen to be wearing "some sort of drab military uniform". I've always read he wore an olive green khaki uniform in the Russian style with boots, exactly like his father--many accounts describe them to have looked identical even. All of the movies and paintings concerning the matter I've ever come across also depict this. Would you mind stating these sources? I'm only curious, no offense.

[grandduchessella]

every single time I watch the mini series I ask myself different questions. this time it seems to me both queen mary and the king had a strange way to love johnie. especially that detail of the grammophone that was to be taken way seems so cruel. I believe the most important think coming out is the way the decision not to do anything to help the romanovs was taken. not easy but a price that had to be accepted. just a bit more drama that the change of the family (firm) name ...

there is something I'd like to ask though, about the relationship between the queen and her mother. if I got it right, the queen was considered a beatiful elegant woman, hardly alike her mom, but do we know anything more about how things between them were? because there is a scene where it seems there were problems (that of the prep for the coronation).

As far as I know, that particular detail was made up. I've never seen a citation for it anywhere.

[aleksandr pavlovich]

Att.  CorisCapnSkip and your post # 34,  "The Lost Prince" (but referencing the Russian heir Alexei N.):  Your interesting comment on the potential piece of sailor attire that the Heir  possibly wore at execution (speculated as an UNDERSHIRT) has been somewhat exhaustively commented upon earlier by the FA, Lisa Davidson, Belochka, rgt9w, et al., under the topic "Remains of the Heir May Have Been Found."  In particular see comments on that topic beginning at #137, and numerous others sequentially following.  (Note the reference to  "Last Act of a Tragedy" by V. V. Alekseyev, which incorporated the "statement of Gregory I. Sukhorukov in 1928." The FA gives the English translation of this statement in post #157, August 30, 2007.)  Post # 177 by rgt9w provides a summary of the documentary source, including a page number and a comment on the background/involvement of Sukhorukov.  I supply these references for your convenience in information here, so as to follow-up on your above comment/inquiry.  You may certainly form your own opinion.  Best regards,  AP

[CorisCapnSkip]

Thanks for saving me the trouble of looking it up and posting it.  Of course, people are free to follow their own opinions.

[aleksandr pavlovich]

Certainly!  My pleasure!     Regards,  AP

[scelli@swbell.net]

I know there's an older thread with postings on this subject, but it was suggested starting a new topic as it's been almost a year since the last response.

Just finished watching "The Lost Prince" on DVD and enjoyed the film, but had some real problems with the portrayal of the Romanov family's final fate. The Ipatiev house (or so-called "House of Special Purpose") was simply referred to as a farmhouse and depicted as such; this is certainly not historically correct. In addition: the filmmakers depict OTMA, Alexei and their parents all sleeping together combined into one small room, which also isn't historically accurate. Bunk beds, no less!

After viewing these scenes and the subsequent murder reenactment, went back and turned the director's commentary on to listen to what was said. Discovered there was misinformation in events the director actually believed had occurred the fateful night of 16-17 July 1918, such as what happened to the kitchen boy, the disposition of the remains of the Imperial Family and other matters. Rather then rehash the whole thing, just wondered if anyone else felt such an inaccurate portrayal of the execution scene took away from their overall enjoyment of the motion picture.

However, on the positive side, I did immensely enjoy the portrayal of OTMA and especially the fact they spoke both Russian and English during the film!