Ella's Relationship with other Romanov family members

[Eddie_uk]

Yes it was just that she was SO materialistic, and then to go to a way of life that was completely foreign to her is incredible!

Maybe another reason for being so sumptuously attired was to please Serge? With him gone she felt little need to bother and certainly made her question her existence.

[lori_c]

IMO, Ella enjoyed her "sumptuous attire".  She even sketched her own gowns with impeccable taste. it is said she changed twice for each soiree that the couple threw, changing jewels just as often.

Sergei certainly showered his wife w/gifts, but Ella dressed the way she wanted to. Not so much that she didn't have to bother.  In the end, the assassination probably made her assess her life as she had lived it up till then and how frivolous it was compared to how she REALLY wanted to be.

[Eric_Lowe]

I agree as she grew older, the spirtual side began to take over. 

[lori_c]

Absolutely.  IMO, her spiritualism helped her through her grief.  And also showed her how much simpler her life could be ( not being bothered w/balls and parties and court life).  After the GD assassination, MP asserted that her room became as a nun's cell.  Devoid of anyting except bare necessities, painted completely white w/icons and a cross that held the clothes the GD was wearing when he died.  Clearly her personality drastically changed after his death.  Which leads me back to believe, that IMO she was wholly devoted to him and her marriage wasn't a sham.  Just as I believe he was devoted to her.  All marriages have problems, but Ella deferred to Sergei in every decision.  It must be noted however that he spoiled his wife beyond measure.

[Eric_Lowe]

Although he did curtail her spending.  Ella did also retained her appartments in the Moscow palace when official duties made it more convenient for her to use them. 

[Romanov_fan]

Yes it was just that she was SO materialistic, and then to go to a way of life that was completely foreign to her is incredible!

Maybe another reason for being so sumptuously attired was to please Serge? With him gone she felt little need to bother and certainly made her question her existence.

Well, I think she realized that life with Sergei was court life and all that, although she certainly enjoyed it as well. Her life was bound to change after Sergei's death, whether she had really wanted it or not. When she was married to him, she lived the life he lived, but she agreed with it as well, and did much good in Moscow, so on the basis of this I would not say she was a completely different person after Sergei's death. But, when he died, she could have either become more spiritual, as she clearly did, or more worldly, which was a path that might have fit in with her previous lifestyle at points, but which would not have come naturally. She chose to become further from the Romanov family, not more a part of it as she could have been. I don't think she could have stayed the same after his death.

[lori_c]

I also think this is simply Ella.  Meichen was a widow and maintained a sumptuous court rivaling the Dowager and current Empress.  She did the complete opposite.  Rather than withdraw from public life, she embraced it with all its splendor and glory.  Whereas the GD Sergei's death shook her to her very foundation.  IMO, any celebration or extravagance would have been out of the question for her.  Her mourning was very real and very sad.

[Eric_Lowe]

Indeed...Ella really felt the loss and nothing was the same again. 

[Eddie_uk]

Whereas the GD Sergei's death shook her to her very foundation.  IMO, any celebration or extravagance would have been out of the question for her.  Her mourning was very real and very sad.

Do we know that for sure? They seemed a strange couple. I'm not doubting that his death was a blow to her. However maybe it just freed her to devote herself to religion. She had always been very religious.

[lori_c]

No we don't know for sure.  But it was my opinion based on her behavior.  It's just my assessment even looking at pictures of her in mourning.  IMO, her loss afftected more deeply than anybody could have imagined.  The look it her eyes, in my opinon, speaks volumes.

Of course there is not proof either way, but pure conjecture.  But a conjecture that certainly keeps in with everything we DOnow about Ella.

[Eric_Lowe]

Yes. We can only speculate on that. 

[Eddie_uk]

I love the look of Ellas robes in the first pic. She definitely had an eye for style! There is quite a few photos about of OTMA with Aunt Irene.

[Eric_Lowe]

Yes...Although had not seen much with VMH (except for the group photos). 

[grandduchessella]

You'd think they're around though since there are a good number, reproduced in various books, of OTMAA with their Battenberg cousins. Their mother would've been around.

[KarlandZita]

Ella with two of her nieces, probably Olga or Tatiana and Marie :



With Alexis and behind Tatiana :