Was Prince Felix a closeted gay man?

[DOMOVOII]

Firstly Penny I feel I need to explain, when I said that gay people have a choice, I meant that that choice was whether or not to live openly in their community. To be out, not what I think you believe I meant; that these people have to chosen not to be themselves. Not my meaning at all. And yes, the pioneers who advanced the fledgling movement for equality should be applauded, in no way do I want to denigrate those who suffered so that I today, can marry my partner. I thank them sincerely.

I came (read= exploded!!) out over fifteen years ago now,.... easy for me to do, and yes it might have been easy for Felix, today, but in his social circumstances he would still have had a pretty proscribed choice in his own future. Which doesn't mean that he didn't have (from your posting Penny) shall I say, something more than leanings  but he didn't live as a Gay man as there was no option of it.

Incidentally, I had a friend who said he was involved in the Elton John cocaine scandal of the late 80's, I have another friend who'd dated a particularly well known footballer from Man Utd... apparently. The only thing is I'll never know either way if they were really telling the truth.

[James_Davidov]

I find it annoying when Felix is labeled a homosexual.  I believe from the evidence available he was defiantly bisexual, but to say he was fully gay based on the cross-dressing thing isn’t quite right, I was under the impression that cross dressers weren’t always gay, and that it varied??  I’m not really sure about that whole area for certain, though I defiantly think that Felix would not have been perplexed by whatever sexuality he was (while I think most people would be if they were as out there as him), Felix was “beautiful, wealthy and wise” he could really do what he wanted… I defiantly do not see him as a passionate orthodox type either, based on that, his initial contact with Rasputin probably wasn’t on a spiritual basis, such with Alexandra, but more that the monk was becoming ‘infamously in vogue’

[Reed]

I don't think anyone is trying necessarily to label Felix.  That is the interesting thing about him.  He defies classification.  Besides I don't like grouping people into some kind of box.  Every person is an individual and generalities never work well.  Felix was a product of his time and station in life and became a colorful blip in history.  Maybe I'm a little jealous...lol  Again I say he lived his life to the fullest and mostly by his own rules.  The rest of us may be looking at him from the humdrum of our own worlds.    

[helenazar]

I defiantly do not see him as a passionate orthodox type either

 

We are also forgetting that he was a murderer.

(had he done what he did in our modern society, not only would he not be viewed as a "passionate orthodox type",  he would be viewed as a violent criminal)....  :-/

[Annie]

 

We are also forgetting that he was a murderer.

(had he done what he did in our modern society, not only would he not be viewed as a "passionate orthodox type",  he would be viewed as a violent criminal)....  :-/

No, he'd have gotten away with it because he was rich, just like OJ and the Ramseys

Despite his interest in the occult and his love for partying, from what I've read of him he did remain devoutly Orthodox, at least technically.

[Reed]

I suppose whether he was a murderer or a patriot would depend on which side of Rasputin, one would fall, a supporter or detractor.  There were many that felt Felix's act was an act of patriotism....just too late.  And before I get flamed, I'm not condoning the murder of another human being as justifiable or acceptable.  Desperate people do desperate things.  

[helenazar]

No, he'd have gotten away with it because he was rich, just like OJ and the Ramseys

I don't think that it's necessarily true... In any case, he was no longer rich after the revolution. But even if he got away with it, we would have still considered him to be a murderer, just like OJ, and the Ramseys (who by the way probably did not do it IMHO  - the Ramseys that it, OJ definitely did it  )

[helenazar]

I suppose whether he was a murderer or a patriot would depend on which side of Rasputin, one would fall, a supporter or detractor.  There were many that felt Felix's act was an act of patriotism....just too late.    

I would consider his act, even if justifiable in some way, an act of a vigilante, i.e. he took the law into his own hands because he felt he knew best. No trial, no jury, just a sentence based on personal feelings and opinion. That's murder in my book... sorry.

[Valmont]

I agree with you, but I think that it also depends on which side are you. For example, do you remember the plot to Kill Hitler?.  The people involved were seen  as traitors by some people, but also some other (who were against Hitler) saw them as heroes. Although is still Murder,  it all depends on  what side you are...that is the way people will see you..

[Reed]

I would agree with you Helen.  No one should be allowed to set themselves up as judge, jury, and executioner.  Valmont has an excellent point about Hitler.  The men who tried to assinate him are today viewed as heros.  IMHO many view Felix and the rest as in the same light.  Of course the IF did not.  I still want to be clear that I don't condone in anyway what was done in the name of saving the Empire.  However, I can understand the whys that some felt it was necessary.  

[Reed]

That should be assassinate....ooopppsss! :-/

[helenazar]

I agree with you, but I think that it also depends on which side are you. For example, do you remember the plot to Kill Hitler?.  The people involved were seen  as traitors by some people, but also some other (who were against Hitler) saw them as heroes. Although is still Murder,  it all depends on  what side you are...that is the way people will see you..

 This is a good point, although I find it difficult to compare Rasputin to Hitler, but I suppose many people saw him in much the same way at the time - as someone who was ruining the country politically. It's interesting though that they decided to assasinate Rasputin and not the Empress, who was the real culprit if you think about it. That was probably because R was a good scape goat and an easy target. If they were real "heros" as they liked to view themselves later on, they may have done it in a more open manner, not the way they did, first luring this unsuspecting man into Felix's confidence for months, then inviting him to his house under the pretense of having him over for a party. It was really underhanded and sleazy and cowardly the way they went about it. Not many people would be capable of doing something like this, it took a very specific type of a personality to be able to pull it off like that. And after the murder, they proceeded to formulate a whole scenario to make themselves look innocent , even shooting a dog to make it look like that's what it was. It's just really shady. Obviously they knew what they were doing was wrong and were trying to get away with it by lying about it.  Only much later did they admit to what they did, and Felix certainly milked it for all it was worth. The only one who seemed to feel any remorse for the fact of the murder itself was Dmitri who refused to talk about it.

But in any case, this is a whole different topic, I am sorry for digressing!

[Martyn]

  He lived in a non-Oprahfied time, and belonged to a class that didn't think it necessary to explain themselves for the most part.

  

That is absolutely it.  No need to explain themselves.  I am rather tempted to add that this sistill the modus vivendi of some royal families, particularly the British one, which is why the public never fails to be amazed at the truth of their private lives.  They simply did not and do not live according to the same rules, values and principles as the rest of us, and see no reason why they should, or why it should be any of our business.  To quote Alix of Wales - 'Basta'!

[Greg_King]

I spoke to quite a few people who knew Felix, before-and especially after-I wrote my book on him, and have no difficulty in stating my absolute belief that he was homosexual.  Openly is another matter, discretion being the dominant element of both the period and of his class.  But the only closet Felix was ever in was his mother's, and that, to steal her clothes.

Greg King

[Reed]

LOL...Greg!!  And I understand he made a very attractive woman!!