The Buchanans

[Romanov_fan]

These people are the ambassador from Britiain to Russia, his wife, and daughter ( I am not sure about any more children), were friends of Ducky's at one time, before she dumped them over some petty incident, I believe at the time of the Revolution.  She was like that, unfortunately. But I thought it would be interesting to discuss them, as they were her friends, and their daughter Meriel later write her memoirs of the Russian court.

[ashdean]

Meriel Buchanan later Mrs Knowling wrote at least five books, the last being the excellent "Ambassadors Daughter".She died in ( I think)1956.Her mother Lady Georgina Buchanan was a Lord Bathurst. The current Earl still lives at the grand family seat at Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

[Svetabel]

Meriel's last book "Ambassadors Daughter" is very interesting . What an amazing and sad life she had!

[Romanov_fan]

Muriel had some great observations to make on Anastasia,in her book(s). She described Anastasia evocatively. I can see her looking up to Ducky as said on another thread, althogh Ducky was hard to be friends with, and not that many people admired her. I most interested in that part of it, as I have never read these books, and it is tantalizing to read of what she said about Ducky in them.

[grandduchessella]

Sir George Buchanan was accused viciously in the press in 1923 by Princess Paley (widow of Grand Duke Paul) of abandoning the Romanovs--Ducky and Cyril as well as the Imperial Family--in their time of need. It played out for several weeks in the papers with Sir George writing several articles and letters giving his side of the story. Princess Paley accused him of promoting the Russian Revolution (along with Lloyd George) and of not delivering a telegram from George V to Nicholas II regarding asylum. This came as he was preparing his memoirs for publication and there were several long excerpts--many dealing with the Revolution and its aftermath--in the Times of London. Sir George said that Princess Paley was blessed with a vivid imagination and that her home had been a hotbed of gossip and that basically she was repeating baseless slurs of which she had no real knowledge. After the excerpts and then the book had been published, Princess Paley gave interviews to French newspapers 'disdaining...the offensive accusations...[that he made] against a widowed woman'. She said that he was 'obliged' to admit that the telegram wasn't given to Nicholas II and she reiterates that his meeting with members of the Provisional Government was tantamount to supporting the Emperor's enemies--seemingly ignoring the fact that, as Ambassador, he was obliged to once the British government recognized them. After this, Sir George refused to engage any further--despite the French papers wanting a rebuttal--and was content to say that his records and memoirs said all that needed to be said on the matter.

[CountessKate]

Meriel Buchanan in 'Ambassador's daughter' describes similar unpleasant rumours abounding in St Petersburg about Sir George being unduly sympathetic to the revolution.  She ascribes her dumping by Alexander Leutchenberg to his having heard these rumours, though it seems quite clear from her memoirs this rather sleazy character always thought himself too grand for her.  Poor Sir George was caught between a rock and a hard place - personally very attached to the Imperial family, he could not act without the authority of the British government, which declined to intervene.  He then got it in the neck from the aristocracy for following the orders of his government, which of course was his job - the downside of being a diplomat.  He also lost out on his peerage, probably a punishment for being too sympathetic to the Imperial family.

[TampaBay]

Was not Sir George also the ambassador to Hesse at one time prior to his tenure as Russian Ambassador.

TampaBay

[Svetabel]

Was not Sir George also the ambassador to Hesse at one time prior to his tenure as Russian Ambassador.

TampaBay

He was the Ambassador, moreover he was  a sort of a spier (in a good sense) who reported to Queen Victoria about Grand Duke and Grand Duchess's of Hesse relationship.

[TampaBay]

Are you referring to Alice & Louise or Ducky & Ernie.

TampaBay

[Svetabel]

Are you referring to Alice & Louise or Ducky & Ernie.

TampaBay

I meant Ducky and Ernie.

[blessOTMA]

I sometimes think Sir George  Buchanan got the Russian post because he had a history with Alexandra...knew her well when in Hesse.

What happened to him was very painful . Damned if you do damned if you don't, both sides hated him thinking he was against them  .

Princess Paley told him or had it printed that the Tsar never liked Sir George ...who thought he had a friendship with Nicholas ...Sir George  said it didn't matter and didn't effect his devotion to Nicholas. I believe few suffered as much emotionally when word came that the family had been murdered ..because Sir George  could see it and could not prevent it even thought he tired desperately to do so .

 He was also maligned for advocating West introversion...and was blamed when that failed...but he did not support that few numbers were sent or a simply reestablishment of the old order...the Whites were not going to win doing that, but that's what they insisted on...and failed

He didn't resent Princess Paley attacks for himself, but how they effected his ill wife