Alexander II's first daughter & Alexander III's 2nd son

[lostfan]

In 'The Camera and the Tsars', it says that just two weeks after Alexander died, Alexander and Marie went to the Caucasus, and poor little Nicholas clung to his mother and was inconsolable.

I agree with GDElla, if Alexander had survived, perhaps Nicholas and Alexandra might not have been super concerned with succession.

[Romanov_Fan19]

that poor thing  at least  hes safe now
I Do wonder what he wouldve been like  who  were his Godparents     is  he talked about much in Nicholas II diary

[Linnea]

His godparents were Alexander II. of Russia, Christian XI. of Denmark, Alexandra of Wales and Maria Alexandrovna of Russia (daughter of Alexander II.).

[Romanov_fan]

That is a sad photo. I would think there would be some more photos, but perhaps not. He may not have been thought important because he wasn't heir to the throne, so less photos. Or perhaps they are just in the archives somewhere. But if, at his death, they had to do what that biograohy says, there were no other photos of him, though it seems a bit strange to me, as well. If Alexander had lived, perhaps things would have gone better. It also strange that some biographies have him born before Nicholas rather than after.

[grandduchessella]

This was just the beginning of the tragedies for poor MF. Sad to think that by the end of her life she had lost all 4 of her sons--2 to illness and 2 to murder.  

[Angie_H]

Does anyone have pics/portraits of Alexander II's first daughter? Or pics of Alexander III's son Alexander (besides the one of him in his coffin?)

[Svetabel]

Alexandra Alexandrovna, daughter of Alexander II

http://www.otechestvo.org.ua/main/20066/2904.htm

[Aliss_Kande]

I never knew Alexander II had another daughter!  What happened to her?

[grandduchessella]

Alexander has his own thread--on page 7, I think. I believe the photo of him in his coffin is the only known photo of him.

Alexandra used to have a thread. Alexandra's been discussed on multiple threads, most recently on the one devoted to her sister Marie in The Windsors.She died young of an illness--meningitis, I believe. She was actually the first-born child of AII & MA. I think she was sketched but died before the advent (or at least the wide use) of photography. She was born in 1842 and died just short of her 7th birthday, in 1849. The name 'Alexandra' seems to have been a rather unfortunate one for members of the Imperial family.  Were there any Grand Duchesses with the name (born to the family) who survived past their early 20s? Alexandra Pavlovna, Alexandra N and Alexandra A all died young. Of course, Alexander wasn't especially lucky either. 

[Svetabel]

Alexandra Alexandrovna, daughter of Alexander II

http://www.otechestvo.org.ua/main/20066/2904.htm

Oh, in fact this child is not Alexandra. Here is the whole picture, Alexandra is sitting and the baby is her brother Nicholas.

[Maria_Pavlovna]

wow, How darling this that! cute.

[grandduchessella]

Poignant too--not just because Alexandra is so unmemorialized (in pictures) but because both of these children, the 2 firstborn, would predecease both their parents.

[bookworm857158367]

A bit of trivia: Alexandra was called "Lina" in the family and her brother Nicholas was "Nixa." She died of meningitis at age seven and it devastated her mother so much that she broke down in tears discussing it even twenty years after the event. When their second daughter Marie was born, she was badly spoiled because they had wanted another daughter so much. From the portrait, at least, it appears that Alexandra would have grown up to be far prettier than her sister Marie, the Duchess of Edinburgh.

According to Margaret Eagar's book, the family avoided using the name Alexandra for its daughters after the death of the little grand duchess and of Grand Duchess Alexandra Georgievna. That's probably why none of Nicholas and Alexandra's four daughters were named Alexandra as well, even though avoiding the name doesn't appear to have given them any added luck.

[Romanov_fan]

I think she would have grown up to be more beautiful than her as well. I don't know what she was like personality wise, although MA, her younger sister born after her death was difficult, and had a very high opinion of herself. But, if this sister had lived, MA would not have had such a high opinion of herself, I feel rather certain. Alexandra would have over shadowed MA. Thanks for the info you posted, I didn't know it.

[grandduchessella]

It's hard to say what she would've looked like based on a portrait as a child--not only was she very young but portraits were usually flattering. Here's a series of portraits of the children of AII and MA. Marie looks very sweet and delicate in hers--plus she's wearing Nixa's cap!  Those flowered caps must've been very popular with royalty--they show up on QV's children and many of her grandchildren as well.