Offers of Asylum - How Many?

[Ally Kumari]

FOUND IT!

When the Tsarina’s sister Victoria–the Marchioness of Milford Haven–heard that the Tsar had left for Ekaterinburg, she wrote a letter to Arthur Balfour, then Foreign Secretary, asking if it would be possible for at least three of the Tsar’s children to be brought to England and placed in her custody. ‘I quite realize that the boy is a political asset which no party in Russia would allow to be taken out of its hands, but the girls (except perhaps the eldest) can be of no value or importance,’ she said. ‘I and my husband would willingly keep them here in quiet obscurity.’ She received a reply that the difficulties in the way of such a proposal were ‘almost insuperable.’


From Princess Marina, Her Life and Times, by Stella King.

[edubs31]

FOUND IT!

When the Tsarina’s sister Victoria–the Marchioness of Milford Haven–heard that the Tsar had left for Ekaterinburg, she wrote a letter to Arthur Balfour, then Foreign Secretary, asking if it would be possible for at least three of the Tsar’s children to be brought to England and placed in her custody. ‘I quite realize that the boy is a political asset which no party in Russia would allow to be taken out of its hands, but the girls (except perhaps the eldest) can be of no value or importance,’ she said. ‘I and my husband would willingly keep them here in quiet obscurity.’ She received a reply that the difficulties in the way of such a proposal were ‘almost insuperable.’


From Princess Marina, Her Life and Times, by Stella King.

Good find Ally!

The thought of being separated from the rest of their family would probably have been met with outrage and dismay from TMA. Of course they may have had no choice in the matter but I find it difficult to believe they would have found the offer acceptable if they'd been given the option to leave Russia.

I wonder if such an offer had reached the decision makers prior to the family being separated in Tobolsk if some type of negotiation could have been worked out. Perhaps an arrangement to have exiled all four daughters while keeping Alexei (as the former-Heir) with his parents in captivity. Surely this still would have been met with some opposition but I could definitely imagine a scenario where Nicholas & Alexandra would have acquiesced in deference to the long term safety of their politically insignificant daughters.

[Kalafrana]

Given that VMH was keen to have the girls, or at least the younger three, and the Kaiser wanted to rescue Ella,  is there any information about Irene and her husband, Heinrich of Prussia, in this context?

Ann

[GDSophie]

Given that VMH was keen to have the girls, or at least the younger three, and the Kaiser wanted to rescue Ella,  is there any information about Irene and her husband, Heinrich of Prussia, in this context?

Ann

I don't remember reading anywhere about Irene placing an offer for any of the Romanovs, but maybe someone can find information.

[TimM]

I heard there were offers from Germany.  Not sure about Irene though.

[1130 WNEW]

The Scandinavian monarchies didn't allow women to be heirs without regard to males until the 1980s. All the males in the Russian line of succession would have screamed blue murder at the idea of Olga Nikolaevna becoming heir.

[LisaDavidson]

Ally, thank you so much for finding the citation regarding VMH's offer to take in her nieces! I wasn't able to give Ilana Miller the info before her bio went to press.