Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna, Duchess of Edinburgh and Coburg

[Romanov_fan]

Well, nobody ever called Marie a beauty, but she was kind of pretty in youth. I think she resembled the Romanovs rather than her mother's side of the family. I think she greatly resembles her brother, Alexander III here. What was Marie's relationship with her mother anyway? She was the only daughter except for that one who died young.

[Prince_Lieven]

Both her parents doted on her, I believe.

[Eddie_uk]

Apparently Marie and her brothers all adored their mother and were disgusted with their father for having a mistress.

[Romanov_fan]

Well, lots of people were.. it was quite a scandal and their mother was a quiet, meek woman who certainly never deserved her husband's treatment of her. I think she turned out more like her father in the end than her mother.

[Katherine_The_O.K.]

Did Marie even really want to leave Russia? I know her father was very reluctant to let her, and I know she wasn't very happy in England with her in-laws. What did Queen Victoria think of her?

[Prince_Lieven]

Victoria considered all the Romanovs arrogant, and thought Marie's wish to take precedence over Alexandra ridiculous.

[Eddie_uk]

Yes, which it was! She may have been no 1 in Russia after her mother, but in England she had to make way for Alix and QVs daughters, like it or lump it!

[grandduchessella]

Can anyone give their thoughts  on who she resembles the most in that 3/4 pose picture?

There are some childhood photos, like this one, where I think she bears a strong resemblance to her cousin Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinova (Queen Olga of Greece) so I guess she resembled the Romanov side more than her mother's Hessian side. She certainly didn't have her mother's delicacy of features or slight frame.

[Romanov_fan]

Did Marie even really want to leave Russia? I know her father was very reluctant to let her, and I know she wasn't very happy in England with her in-laws. What did Queen Victoria think of her?

I wonder if she ever wanted to leave Russia as well? But, I haven't read that much about her not wanting to leave Russia, so I think she just assumed she would make a dynastic marriage and move away, as it turned out she did. Most Romanov GDs did so then, but she was quite close to her father, so maybe that made it harder to move away. But, apparently it didn't stop her, and maybe she never thought it would. I would think she had some regrets after her marriage though, for moving away from Russia.

[ilyala]

actually i read she was quite reluctant to agree to the marriage and that the official engagement was postponed many times, driving affie nuts and making queen victoria believe that maybe it just won't happen. at some point, though, she realized she was nearing 20 and not many men were eager to marry her so she agreed to it. i don't know if this whole thing was about her not wanting to leave russia or about her being a spoilt brat

[Romanov_fan]

But wasn't her marriage to Alfred something of a love match? I thought it was, and that she wanted the marriage despite opposition to it. But, maybe there were other reasons beside the personal for her objections as you state. I was just wondering if it was more personal, because maybe the marriage was half hearted, or if it was more trepidation at what her new life might hold, despite the prospect of marrying Alfred?

[royal_netherlands]

Can anyone give their thoughts  on who she resembles the most in that 3/4 pose picture?

There are some childhood photos, like this one, where I think she bears a strong resemblance to her cousin Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinova (Queen Olga of Greece) so I guess she resembled the Romanov side more than her mother's Hessian side. She certainly didn't have her mother's delicacy of features or slight frame.

This one the look quit similar. (from the Queen Olga thread)

Yes I was thinking the same thing gdella, In this picture she strongly resembles her cousin Queen Olga of Greece. Because when I first say this picture, I thought it was Olga Konstantinova, but with a second look I discovered it wasn’t her but Marie Alexandrovna.

RN

[lori_c]

I did too.  Thought it was GD Olga  Konstantinova.  What a strong Romanov gene!

[Katherine_The_O.K.]

They do look amazingly similar- I'd say the only real difference is in the nose (MA's was a bit shorter and wider). Does anyone have anymore pictures?

[Laura_]

Portrait of Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna by  Ivan Alexeevich Tiurin (1873)