Grand Duchess Ksenia and Grand Duke Alexander

[Eric_Lowe]

Xenia looked like her mother while Olga resembled Sasha more. 

[synnadene]

GDss Xenia Alexandrovna

[ashanti01]

[Eric_Lowe]

I think this came from either Corbis or Getty ? 

[Svetabel]

Grand Duchess Xenia in 1904 with the staff of her hospital train (named in her honour) just befor its departure to the Russian-Japaneze war.

[Eric_Lowe]

Xenia looked nice in that...Was she ever a nurse in WWI ? 

[grandduchessella]

I think she was more behind the scenes rather than hands-on. More like Miechen. I've never seen a photo of her in nursing uniform but there are many of her visiting nursing groups, etc...

[Eric_Lowe]

Hmmm...I think Meichen had a nursing train...Strange that even Alicky & Olga wore the sisters of mercy uniform but not Xenia...

[Alexandre64]

Hello, I send you a letter of Xénia Alexandrovna wrote to his cousin aunt Marie d'Orléans

 Gatchina, December 19, 1889, addressed to her aunt Princess Mary of Denmark, born Princess of Orleans

Dear Mary, thank you so much for your nice letter and the photos charming. It made me happy that you liked the pictures that I sent thee but I fear that they have not been blessed so if you want, dear Mary, you have to send them to our church in Copenhagen and ask the priest to bless them. But you know I am not sure they have not been, but it is certainly better to have them blessed again! There is no trouble to do it twice because I am not sure! Excuse, dear Mary, not to have thought sooner, but I completely forgot! I found your photographs charming and delicious. I love them very much! My favorite is that of your father with his grandchildren on their knees [Duc de Chartres]. I hope Aage [Aage prince of Denmark (1887-1940), son of Princess Mary] has not forgotten his "old aunt" Xenia. Oh! I forget that these are my cousins! What a pity! I look forward to Christmas, which is Sunday (today we Tuesday). Nicky [nickname of his brother Emperor Nicolas II], Georgia [nickname of his brother Grand Duke George of Russia (1871-1889)] and I t'envoyons our best compliments and many kisses ... If you let us! Kisses everybody. Georgia should you miss. Goodbye my dear! I am your dedicated nièce-cousine-tante, etc.

Xenia

[Victor]

Charming letter from such a young Xenia.Sounds like she had a pleasant if slightly distant relationship with her Danish cousins.Never heard of her visiting once she was married,though ironically she spent more time there after the revolution.

[Eric_Lowe]

Indeed...Are these letters from your collection ? 

[Alexandre64]

His letters are not part of my collection, but will be sold on November 14 in Paris while his you intérése I can give you the address of the site (they put the catalog online)
http://www.auction.fr/fr/base/diaporama.php?vente=10929&etude=8&passe=

[grandduchessella]

Charming letter from such a young Xenia.Sounds like she had a pleasant if slightly distant relationship with her Danish cousins.Never heard of her visiting once she was married,though ironically she spent more time there after the revolution.

She visited a few times after her marriage. There's one well-known photo of her with her husband and children sitting on the steps with a large group of royals after, I think, the death of Queen Louise.

[LisaDavidson]

Hmmm...I think Meichen had a nursing train...Strange that even Alicky & Olga wore the sisters of mercy uniform but not Xenia...

Not so strange at all. The women of the dynasty were all involved with the war doing different things. The Dowager Empress had her charities and interests which were distinct from that of the Empress and MF's daughter, Olga A. GD Maria Pav was also a nurse, while Queen Olga of Greece returned to her native land to run a hospital.

GD Xenia was involved in charities her whole life. During the war, she was the wife of an active duty military officer, and as such, she had her own duties to attend to as a military wife. Indeed, had she not tended to these duties as a wife and mother, she would have been criticized for that!

And, Eric, I and many others would appreciate it if on occasion you could referto these royal personages in a little more formal way. All of this "Alicky" and such makes it sound as though she's your relative - and of course, I know that's not your intention. Alexandra Feodorovna was an Empress - and should be accorded the respect of that designation every now and then.

[Eric_Lowe]

I think using nicknames is a good way to seperate one from the other (especially in families like the Russian where there are quite a few Alexandras). Tsarina Alexandra's name was Princess Alix (The German form of Alice...Her mother wrote that they murdered her name there). But Queen Alexandra was also known as Alix in the family. So Alicky is the family name she was known without contradiction. Also remember that there was another Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (Princess Charlotte of Prussia, wife of Emperor Nicholas I).

Xenia seemed less hands on if one compared her to the Empress or her sister Olga (both nurses). More like her Aunt Michen in some ways it seems.