Ella's Relationship with other Romanov family members

[gem_10]

Hellooo! I'm just wondering what kind of relationship Ella had with the other grand duchesses and grand dukes. Did she get along very well with them? I'm also curious about her "alleged" infatuation for Prince Nicholas of Greece. I've even read somewhere that there had been rumour in St. Petersburg that she and Paul had an affar! What can you say to all of these???

[ashanti01]

At the start of her marriage with Sergei, his brother Pavel was always with them, he even went with them on their honeymoon. Many found this rather odd, but those in the close circle of the family, knew how close they were and found nothing odd about it. However, it wasn't long until rumors started running about a relationship between the beatiful Ella and Pavel. Sergei laughed it off saying there was nothing neither of them should be ashamed of. Which given all the facts, there really wasn't but, it does seem Ella was somewhat embarrassed by these rumors.

I have never heard anything about Nicholas of Greece so I could not tell you.

Ella was overall accepted and loved by all of the family. Nicholas II was very close to her and it was with her help that he managed to keep in touch with Alix.

The only ones I have known to have said anything bad or somewhat negative about her was her niece Marie.

[grandduchessella]

At the start of her marriage with Sergei, his brother Pavel was always with them, he even went with them on their honeymoon. Many found this rather odd, but those in the close circle of the family, knew how close they were and found nothing odd about it. However, it wasn't long until rumors started running about a relationship between the beatiful Ella and Pavel. Sergei laughed it off saying there was nothing neither of them should be ashamed of. Which given all the facts, there really wasn't but, it does seem Ella was somewhat embarrassed by these rumors.

I have never heard anything about Nicholas of Greece so I could not tell you.

Ella was overall accepted and loved by all of the family. Nicholas II was very close to her and it was with her help that he managed to keep in touch with Alix.

The only ones I have known to have said anything bad or somewhat negative about her was her niece Marie.

As regards Paul, the rumors were quite rampant around St Petersburg as he was always in their company. Apparently he partnered her a lot in dancing because Serge didn't like to participate. This caused some comments as did the fact that Paul went with them on many trips and photographs were often taken with the 3 of them. Plus, Ella & Paul apparently laughed a great deal together which contrasted with her quieter demeanor when in Serge's company. Even after Paul's marriage to Alexandra of Greece and the delight with which Serge & Ella welcomed her, rumors continued. I read somewhere once where it was said that rumors flew around St Petersburg about P&E and how his 'poor little wife' was being laughed at behind her back. Seems like malicious gossip, nothing more. Quite a few were apparently quite envious of Ella's beauty and fantastic wardrobe and jewellry. With Nicholas of Greece, this was mentioned (briefly unfortunately as I'd like to know more) in Hugo Mager's bio of Ella. They appeared as Lear and Cordelia in one of the family tableaux and a letter from Ella is quoted in the book where she writes very familiarly and rather lovingly to Nicholas. (Talking about how much Cordelia misses her Lear, etc...I'll have to get the book--I only read it last night!)

[gem_10]

Yes I have read about her and Prince NIcholas in Hugo Mager's book. It's quite interesting to know more about this. By the way, what kind of person was Prince Nicholas? Do you think he was also infatuated with Ella?
By the way, was Ella also close to the other grand duchesses like Maria Georgievna, Maria Vladimirovna, Maria Pavlovna the Elder, Elizabeth Mavrikievna and Alexandra Iosofovna?

[olga]

The only ones I have known to have said anything bad or somewhat negative about her was her niece Marie.

Maria Nikolaevna or Maria Pavlovna?

[leanora]

Is the Nicholas of Greece who later married Elena Wladimirovna?  

[Greg_King]

The Dowager Empress, among others (including Grand Duchess Vladimir), doesn't seem to have been terribly fond of Ella.  I've read some private correspondence and memoirs in which Marie Feodorovna makes quite clear her antipathy for Ella, from the 1890s on, and then in a very pronounced way after 1910.  So I don't think that these two women probably got on very well.

Greg King

[Svetabel]

The Dowager Empress, among others (including Grand Duchess Vladimir), doesn't seem to have been terribly fond of Ella.  I've read some private correspondence and memoirs in which Marie Feodorovna makes quite clear her antipathy for Ella, from the 1890s on, and then in a very pronounced way after 1910.  So I don't think that these two women probably got on very well.

Greg King

A.Bochanov in his "Romanovs" (in Russian,edition 2003)
tells (according to private correspondence) about Maria Feodorovna`s anthipathy for Ella in 1890s.Empress Maria thought that Ella had intrigued for marriage between her sister Alix and future Nicolai II.It was  khown that Maria Fedorovna did not want to see her son be engaged with a german princess

[grandduchessella]

Maria Nikolaevna or Maria Pavlovna?

Marie Pavlovna who was Serge & Ella's ward.

[grandduchessella]

Is the Nicholas of Greece who later married Elena Wladimirovna?  

Yes it is. I haven't read any more about Nicholas & Ella--does he mention her at all in his memoirs? If there was anything there it was probably no more than the same adulation of her beauty and goodness that seems to have infected many men--Paul, Felix Y, Sandro, etc...I don't think he was in love with her--or her with him. It seems to be more of a flirtation, though Mager says it was probably the closest Ella ever came to an extramarital affair. I know that Ella was close to Mavra early on because both were Lutherans who had chosen not to convert to Orthodoxy. I don't know about later on. Miechen seems to have a certain dislike for anyone who could be her social rival and this probably also played into some of MF's dislike as well (though the marriage issue was probably paramount). She and AI were of different generations so I don't know about a friendship there. Marie Georgievna writes fondly of Ella in Romanov Diary. There's not a lot there, but nothing negative. I'll have to dig it out. Plus she must've known how close her sister Alexandra and Ella were. I also think she admired Serge & Ella for taking on her niece & nephew because she says that MP was very difficult.

[ashanti01]

I never knew Empress Marie did not like Ella

[Madal]

Why did Ella not convert to Orthodoxy? Alix had to convert to Orthodox because she was the tsarina. Perhaps Ella could choose to be Lutheran or Orthodox...

Did Ella not conversion affect in her relationship with Romanovs? Did she have problems about her religion?

[rskkiya]

Hello Madal!

Ella did convert to Orthodoxy. After her husband  Sergey was killed, she became a nun and today The Russian Orthodox Church considers her a Saint.

R

[grandduchessella]

Why did Ella not convert to Orthodoxy? Alix had to convert to Orthodox because she was the tsarina. Perhaps Ella could choose to be Lutheran or Orthodox...

Did Ella not conversion affect in her relationship with Romanovs? Did she have problems about her religion?

Sorry, I should've been more explicit. Ella didn't convert until several years after her marriage. She chose to stay Lutheran when she married as it wasn't a requirement for her since Serge wasn't heir to the throne. After several years in Russia, exposure to the Orthodox religion, and a very spiritual journey to Jerusalem to dedicate the church she would later be buried in, she decided to convert.

[gem_10]

Hi there! I remember seeing a photo where Ella is with Nicky, George, Sandro and Prince Constantince of Greece and I  they're enjoying a picnic. Judging from that photo it seems to me that Ella was very close to these young men and that's such a good thing. It's so wonderful to see that she was well-loved by the whole imperial family even though some of them objected (e.g Grand Duke Vladimir) when she and Sergei decided to get married. However, I feel kind of sad for Alix because she wasn't able to win the hearts of the other members of the family and get the admiration that she deserves. I just come to realized how Ella and Alix are very different with each other and how people view them so differently from each other.