Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna

[Penny_Wilson]

Anastasia Mikhailovna had three children during her marriage to the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (she married him when she was nineteen) -- Alexandrine(Queen of Denmark), Cecilie(the German Crown Princess) and (if memory serves) Friedrich Franz.

Having retired to France after her widowhood at a relatively young age, she had a series of lovers, one of whom, Vladimir Alexandrovich Paltov (1874-1944), fathered her illegitimate second son, Alexis Louis-de Wenden (1902-1976), when Anastasia was 41.

Alexis married Paulette Seux (1908-1975) in 1929, and had two daughters, Xenia Louis-de Wenden (born in 1930) and
Anastasia Louis-de Wenden (born in 1935).  As far as I know, these daughters are still alive and kicking, and have extensive families.

For more information, see Jacques Ferrand's "Descendances  Naturelles des Souverains et Grands-Ducs de Russie de 1762 a 1910."  There are many unusual and previously unpublished photos, as there are in all of Ferrand's books.

Penny

[grandduchessella]

Since Annie had brought up this very interesting woman, I thought she deserved her own thread.  

Some more info on her (apart from that in the "memoirs of Alix's sister's" thread):

On her reported illegitimate child:
According to *Descendances naturelles des souverains et grand-ducs de Russie de 1762 à 1910*, by Jacques Ferrand (Paris, 1995), there isn't any categorical proof that Grand Duchess Anastasia Michaelovitch of
Russia (1860-1922) was the mother of an illegitimate child, Alexis, although there is some evidence  ("ensemble de faits concordants"). Grand Duchess Anastasia married in 1879 Grand Duke Friedrich Franz III
of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. It is said he died of a broken heart in 1897 over his wife's numerous affairs. In the early 1900s, Grand Duchess Anastasia had an affair with a young marine officer by the name of Vladimir Alexandrovitch Paltov (1874-1944). A son was born at Nice on 23 December 1902. He was first named 'Alexis Moreau' (Moreau being the name of his French wet-nurse), then named 'Alexis Louis' when his birth was registered at Nice. Later, King Christian X of Denmark gave Alexis the surname 'von Wenden' (the King's wife, Queen Alexandrine, was Alexis' half-sister). In April 1958, Alexis changed his surname to 'Louis-De Wenden' by a decree of the French Republic. Alexis married in 1929 Paulette Seux (1908-1975) and had two
daughters, Xenia (1930- ) and Anastasia (1935- ), both of whom married and had issue. Alexis died at Paris on 7 July 1976.In his book, Ferrand reproduces a letter written in September 1990 by Mrs Marina Bowater (née Marina Alexandrovna Yakovlev). Marina was the
daughter of Natalia Dimitrievna Paltov whose father was a first cousin of Alexis' father, Vladimir. Some of the things she mentions in her letter is that Alexis was granted the title Count von Wenden by his half-brother, Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin,
but that he never used the title, and that he and Lady Zia Wernher (his first cousin) were best friends (he would stay with her when he visited England). In a follow-up letter, Mrs Bowater states that Alexis lived with his mother Grand Duchess Anastasia at Cannes.
Another source, *L'Allemagne Dynastique*, Tome VII, 1994 states that Alexis' surname 'de Wenden', given to him by the King of Denmark, was taken from the name of Grand Duchess Anastasia's villa at Cannes. Since no definite evidence has been produced either of the true parentage or his name change by Christian X, much of this story (ala Thyra of Denmark's illegitimate child) remains a mystery.

AM gained quite a reputation within turn of the century royalty as a rather "loose" woman, along with Eulalia of Spain. She certainly enjoyed drinking and gambling (according to her brother Sandro) on the Riviera and there were whispers of drug use as well. She spent the majority of her life in France, practically refusing to step foot in Germany after her husband's death--even her daughter Alexandrine's wedding to the future Christian X was held in Cannes rather than Mecklenburg.

There were quite a few, rather anti-Semitic, jabs at her mother born Princess Cecile of Baden. She was supposedly the illegitimate child herself of a Mr. Haber (of Jewish descent) and the GDss of Baden. Further, AM supposedly converted in the early 1900s but no date can be found. So, all in all, AM lived surrounded by rumors , speculation and gossip virtually her whole life.

Additionally:
Her husband's half-brother Henrik became the consort of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, so AM's descendants would be related to the Dutch royal house as well as some of the others discussed in the prior thread. (And their sister was the indefatigable Miechen!) The M-Schwerin line became extinct in the male line in 2001.  

[Martyn]

How absolutely fascinating!  From what you have told us Grandduchessella, I reckon that Anastasia Mihailovna deserves her own biography!
Can you just clarify the point about her converting - I didn't quite get what religion she was supposed to have converted to......
In all the photos of AM that I have seen, she looks like a lady who knows her own mind, with a strong character.  On the subject of her mother, is it true that she collapsed and died of a heart attack upon hearing of Miche Miche's morganatic marriage to Sophie de Merenberg?

[Annie]

Here's a bit about her vivacious personality from someone who knew her, Prince Felix Yussoupov, who married her niece Irina. From Lost Splendor:

My future father-in-law's sister, the Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, was in town. Although she was well over forty, she had lost none of her high spirits; she was kind and affectionate, but her eccentric and despotic nature made her rather formidable. When she heard that I was going to marry her niece, she took me in hand. From that day my life was no longer my own. She was an early riser and she used to telephone me at eight in the morning. Sometimes she came to the Hotel du Rhin, where I was staying, and sat reading the papers in my room while I dressed. If I happened to be out, she sent her servants all over Paris to look for me and sometimes took part in the search herself. I never had a moment's peace. I had to lunch, dine, go to the theater and supper with her almost every day. She usually slept through the first act of a play, and then woke up with a start to declare that the performance was stupid and that she wished to go somewhere else. We often changed theaters two or three times in one evening. As she felt the cold, she made her footman sit on a chair at the door of her box, holding a small traveling bag filled with shawls, scarves and furs. All these objects were numbered. If by chance, she was awake and felt a draft, she would ask me to bring her such or such a number. I could have put up with all this but unfortunately she had a passion for dancing. At midnight, now wide awake, she would drag me to a night club where she danced till dawn.

[Jane]

This has all been so very interesting and informative!  Thanks to both Annie and Grandduchessella for the information about Anastasia Mikhailovna.  Seems like she had the same strong will as her brothers!

Jane

[grandduchessella]

How absolutely fascinating!  From what you have told us Grandduchessella, I reckon that Anastasia Mihailovna deserves her own biography!
Can you just clarify the point about her converting - I didn't quite get what religion she was supposed to have converted to......
In all the photos of AM that I have seen, she looks like a lady who knows her own mind, with a strong character.  On the subject of her mother, is it true that she collapsed and died of a heart attack upon hearing of Miche Miche's morganatic marriage to Sophie de Merenberg?

She surely was that! She's one of my favorites even though she's so different from my #1, Ella. As to the converting, I think it was to have been from Orthodoxy to Lutheranism (she didn't renounce her religion upon her marriage), but it's not very clear from the cources I've checked--it could be just another of the rumors around her. As to her mother, I think that story was debunked in either Romanov Autumn or Camera and the Tsars.  It just seems like a good juicy one that passed into lore. I think Zeepvatt (the author of both books so I'm safe!) retraced where exactly GDss Olga was supposed to have been in accordance with the story and where/when she actually passed away.

[grandduchessella]

From Annie:
Ella- Do you have a family tree of the children by her first husband with dates of birth, death and marriage and decendants? (sorry to bother you!)


No problem!
A.2. Anastasia Mihailovna, Grand Dss (*Peterhof 28.7.1860, +Eze, France 11.3.1922); m. Sankt-Peterburg 24.1.1879 Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (*Ludwigslust 19.3.1851, +Cannes 10.4.1897)

Alexandrine Auguste (Schwerin 24 Dec 1879-Copenhagen 28 Dec 1952); m.Cannes 26 Apr 1898 King Christian X of Denmark (Charlottenlund 26 Sep 1870-Amalienborg 20 Apr 1947) [son of MF's brother Frederick]

FRIEDRICH FRANZ IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, renounced the throne 14 Nov 1918 (Palermo 9 Apr 1882-Flensburg 17 Nov 1945); m.Gmunden 7 Jun 1904 Alexandra Pss of Hannover (Gmunden 29 Sep 1882-Glücksburg 30 Aug 1963) [daughter of Thyra of Denmark and thus a niece of MF]

Cecile Auguste Marie (Schwerin 20 Sep 1886-Bad Kissingen 6 May 1954); m.Berlin 6 Jun 1905 Wilhelm, Crown Pr of Prussia (Marmorpalais 6 May 1882-Hechingen 20 Jul 1951)

 Do you want the descendants of each of her children? They're quite numerous so I'd send offline probably. As you can see, her 2 elder children both married grandchildren (and thus 1st cousins of NII) of Christian IX.

In the photo, she is with her grandchildren. The 2 older boys are the future Frederick IX of Denmark and his brother Knud (sons of Alexandrine & Christian) and the other 4 I believe are her son and daughter in law (Franz & Alexandra). The photo of her in costume is from the 1903 ball (it's in Camera and the Tsars too I think).

[Annie]

Thank you for all that information Ella!   Don't worry about posting all the decendants, only those of Cecily and the Crown Prince who would have been Kaiser, and possibly who is the 'heir' to that throne today?

So that was the 1903 ball. She sure looks young considering she was almost 43 years old. I am now almost 43 years old and I do not look that good. And they say people aged more in the olden times!

Jane- you're welcome and glad you liked them! I like her brothers too!

[grandduchessella]

Thank you for all that information Ella!   Don't worry about posting all the decendants, only those of Cecily and the Crown Prince who would have been Kaiser, and possibly who is the 'heir' to that throne today?

No problem! It's big so I'm breaking it up. You'll notice that Cecile's eldest son Wilhelm renounced his rights to marry a commoner thus all his descendants were excluded and the current "heir" to the throne goes through his brother, Louis Ferdinand (who made a very good post-war marriage to Kyrill & Ducky's daughter Kyra). It's also interesting when you look through the descendants, even to the current day, the "old" royal names that persist (Cecile, Anastasia, Alexandrine, Thyra, etc...) It keeps giving me the "sunglasses" smiley, so wherever you see that, substitute an "8".

Friedrich WILHELM Viktor August Ernst, Crown Pr of Germany (Marmorpalais 6 May 1882-Hechingen 21 Jul 1951); m.Berlin 6 Jun 1905 Cecilie Dss of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Schwerin 20 Sep 1886-Bad Kissingen 6 May 1954)
 
1i) Wilhelm Friedrich Franz Joseph Christian Olaf, renounced his rights 1933 (Marmorpalais 4 Jul 1906-k.a.Nivelles, France 26 May 1940); m.Bonn 3 Jun 1933 Dorothea von Salviati (Bonn 10 Sep 1907-Bonn-Bad Godesberg 7 May 1972)
 
1j) Felicitas Cecilie Alexandrine Helene Dorothea (b.Bonn 7 Jun 1934); m.1st Bonn 12 Sep 1958 (div 1972) Dinnies von der Osten (b.Köslin 21 May 1929); m.2d Aumühle 27 Oct 1972 Jörg von Nostitz-Wallwitz (b.Verden/Aller 26 Sep 1937)
 
1k) Friederike Thyra Marion Wilhelmine Dorothea von der Osten, b.Bonn 14 Jul 1959; m.Aumühle 17 Aug 1984 Bernhard von Reiche (b.Zell 26 Apr 1956)

1l) Felicitas Catharini Malina Johanna von Reiche, b.Munich 28 Oct 1986
2l) Victoria Cecilie Alexandra Josephine von Reiche, b.Munich 19 Jan 1989

3l) Donata Friederike Diana Sophie von Reiche, b.Munich 28 Jan 1992
 
 2k) Dinnies Wilhelm Karl Alexander von der Osten (Bad Godesburg 15 Feb 1962-Köln 28 Jun 1989)
3k) Hubertus Christoph Joachim Friedrich von der Osten, b.Reinbek 5 May 1964

4k) Cecilie Felicitas Katharina Sophie von der Osten, b.Hamburg 12 Mar 1967; m.(civ) Lütjenburg 27 Jul 1997 (rel) Schloßkirche Panker 29 Jul 1997 Ole Hugo Marxen (b.Hamburg 10 Mar 1964)
 
 1l) Julius Dinnies Peter Ole Marxen (b.Eutin 17 Oct 1998)
2l) Victor Marxen (b.2002)
 
5k) Diana Renata Friederike von Nostitz-Wallwitz, b.Hamburg 7 Oct 1974; m.Wohltorf 3 May 2002 (rel) Bad Lauchstätt 13 Jul 2002 Carl-Jan Frhr v.der Goltz (b.Mannheim 4 Aug 1968)
 
2j) Christa Friederike Alexandrine Viktoria (b.Schloß Klein-Obisch 31 Oct 1936); m.(civ) Wahlscheid (rel) Auel 24 Mar 1960 Peter Liebes (Munich 18 Jan 1926-Bonn 5 May 1967)
   
2i) LOUIS FERDINAND Viktor Eduard Albert Michael Hubertus (Marmorpalais 9 Nov 1907-Bremen 25 Sep 1994); m.Potsdam 2 May 1938 Kira, Grand Dss of Russia (Paris 9 May 1909-St.Briac 8 Sep 1967)
 
1j) Louis Ferdinand Friedrich Wilhelm Hubertus Michael Kyrill (b.Berlin-Grünewald 10 Feb 1939); m.1st (morganatically) Plön 22 Aug 1967 (div 1971) Waltraut Freydag (b.Kiel 14 Apr 1940); m.2d (morganatically) (civ) Hechingen 23 Apr 1976 (rel) Burg Hohenzollern 24 Apr 1976 (div 2004) Ehrengard von Reden (b.Berlin 7 Jun 1943); m.3d Berlin-Charlottenburg 23 Mar 2004 Sibylle Kretschmer
 
1k) Philipp Kirill Friedrich Wilhelm Moritz Boris Tanko (b.Eutin 23 Apr 1968); m.Plön-Dörnick 2 Jul 1994 Anna Christine Soltau (b.Preetz 2 Apr 1968)

 1l) Paul Wilhelm Philipp Friedrich Alois Johannes Mose (b.Eutin 4 Oct 1995)
2l) Maria Luise Anna Philippa Helene Julie Margarethe Elisabeth (b.Eutin 12 Mar 1997)

3l) Elisabeth Christine Philine Cécilie Annegret Salome Maria (b.Eutin 16 Dec 1998)

4l) Anna Sophie Phila Wilhelmine Amelie Elisabeth Maria (b.Eutin 26 Mar 2001)

5l) Johanna Amalie Kira Philippa Rose Elisabeth Maria (b.Eutin 10 Sep 2002)

 
2k) Friedrich Wilhelm Louis Ferdinand Kyrill (b.Berlin 16 Aug 1979)
3k) Viktoria Luise Kira Ehrengard (b.Berlin 2 May 1982)

4k) Joachim Albrecht Bernhard Christian Ernst (b.Berlin 26 Jun 1984)

2j) Wilhelm Heinrich Michael Louis Ferdinand Friedrich Franz Wladimir (b.Berlin 22 Mar 1940); m.1st (morganatically) Düsseldorf-Kaiserwerth 23 Sep 1966 (rel) Bremen-Borgfeld 25 Sep 1966 (div 1982) Jutta Jörn (b.Giessen 27 Jan 1943); m.2d (morganatically) Bad Soden 23 Jun 1982 Brigitte Dallwitz-Wegner (b.Kitzbühel, Tyrol 17 Sep 1939)

 
1k) Micaela Maria (b.Berlin 5 Mar 1967); m.Frankfurt 14 Feb 2000 Jürgen Wessolly (b.Köln 2 Feb 1961)
   
1l) Maximilian Wessolly "Prinz von Preussen" (b.Stuttgart 17 Mar 2000)
2l) Marie Charlotte Wessolly "Prinzessin von Preussen" (b.Stuttgart 15 Dec 2001)
 
2k) Nataly Alexandra Caroline (b.Frankfurt-am-Main 13 Jan 1970)

[grandduchessella]

Part II:
3j) Marie Cécile Kira Viktoria Louise (b.Cadinen 28 May 1942); m.Berlin (civ) 3 Dec (rel) 4 Dec 1965 (div 1989) Friedrich August, Duke of Oldenburg (b.Rastede 11 Jan 1936)
4j) Kira Auguste Viktoria Friederike (Cadinen 27 Jun 1943- Berlin 10 Jan 2004); m.(civ) Munich 10 Sep 1973 (rel) Felizenweil 11 Sep 1973 (div 1984) Thomas Liepsner (b.St. Louis, Missouri 20 Jan 1945)
 
1k) Kira-Marina Liepsner, b.Munich 22 Jan 1977
 
 5j) Louis Ferdinand Oskar Christian (Golzow, Neumark 25 Aug 1944-Bremen 11 Jul 1977); m.Rüdenhausen 24 May 1975 Donata Gfn zu Castell-Rüdenhausen (b.Rüdenhausen 21 Jun 1950)

 1k) GEORG FRIEDRICH Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia, succeeded his grandfather as head of house (b.Bremen 10 Jun 1976)
2k) Cornelie-Cecile Viktoria Irene (b.Bremen 30 Jan 1978)
 
6j) Christian-Sigismund Louis Ferdinand Kilian (b.Bad Kissingen 14 Mar 1946); m.Gut Damp an der Ostsee 29 Sep 1984 Nina Gfn zu Reventlow (b.Kiel 13 Mar 1954)
 
1k) Christian Ludwig Michael Friedrich Ferdinand (b.Bremen 16 May 1986)
2k) Irina Maria Nina Kira (b.Bremen 4 Jul 1988)

7j) Xenia Sophie Charlotte Cecilie (Bremen-Oberneuland 9 Dec 1949-Sehlendorf, Holstein 18 Jan 1992); m.Bremen (civ) 26 Jan (rel) 27 Jan 1973 (div 1978) Per-Edvard Lithander (b.Vasa, nr Göteborg, Sweden 10 Sep 1945)
   
1k) Patrick Edvard Christian Lithander, b.Bremen 25 Jun 1973; m.Kleinmachnow 18 Oct 2003 Maja Flechtner
2k) Wilhelm Sebastian Lithander, b.Bremen 21 Nov 1974
 
3i) Hubertus Karl Wilhelm (Marmorpalais 30 Sep 1909- Windhoek, So.Africa 8 Apr 1950); m.1st Oels, Silesia 29 Dec 1941 (div 1943) Maria Frn von Humboldt-Dachroeden (Bromberg 9 Jul 1916-Hamburg 24 Sep 2003); m.2d Schloß Prillwitz 5 Jun 1943 Magdalena Pss Reuss (b.Leipzig 20 Aug 1920)

 1j) Anastasia Victoria Cecilia Hermine (b.Brieg 14 Feb 1944); m.(civ) Bronnbach an der Tauber 8 Oct 1965 (rel) Erbach 8 Nov 1965 Aloys-Konstantin Fst zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg (b.Würzburg 16 Dec 1941)
2j) Marie Christine (Gelnhausen 18 Jul 1947-k.in car wreck at Giessen 30 May 1966)
 
4i) Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Christoph (Berlin 19 Dec 1911- Reinhartshausen 20 Apr 1966); m.Little Hadham, Herts 30 Jul 1945 Lady Brigid Guinness (London 30 Jul 1920-Patmore Hall, Albury, Herts 8 Mar 1995)
 
1j) Frederick Nicholas (b.London 3 May 1946); m.London 27 Feb 1980 Hon. Victoria Mancroft (b.London 7 Mar 1952)
 
1k) Beatrice Victoria (b.London 10 Feb 1981)
2k) Florence Jessica (b.London 29 Jul 1983)
3k) Victoria Augusta (b.London 15 Dec 1986)
4k) Frederick Nicholas Stormont (b.London 11 Jun 1990)

2j) Wilhelm Andreas (b.London 14 Nov 1947); m.London 2 Jan 1979 Alexandra Blahova (b.Brno 28 Dec 1947)
 
1k) Tatiana Brigid Honor (b.London 16 Oct 1980)
2k) Frederick Alexander (b.London 15 Nov 1984)
 
3j) Victoria Marina Cecilia (b.London 22 Feb 1952); m.Albury, Herts 3 May 1976 Philippe Achache (b.Toulouse 25 Mar 1948)
   
1k) George Jean Achache, b.London 8 Jun 1980
2k) Francis Maximilian Frederick Achache, b.London 30 Apr 1982
 
4j) Rupert Alexander Friedrich (b.London 28 Apr 1955); m.London 8 Jan 1982 Ziba Rastegar-Javaheri (b.Teheran 12 Dec 1954)
 
1k) Brigid Elizabeth Soraya (b.London 24 Dec 1983)
2k) Astrid Katherine Rabeéh (b.London 16 Apr 1985)

5j) Antonia Brigid Elizabeth Luise (b.London 28 Apr 1955); m.London 3 Feb 1977 Charles Wellesley, Marquess of Douro (b.Windsor 19 Aug 1945)
 
5i) Alexandrine Irene (Berlin 7 Apr 1915-Starnberg 2 Oct 1980)
6i) Cecilie Viktoria Anastasia Zita Thyra Adelheid (Schloß Cecilienhof 5 Sep 1917-Schloss Königstein 21 Apr 1975); m.Burg Hohenzollern 17 Jun 1949 Clyde Kenneth Harris (Maud, Oklahoma 18 Apr 1918-Amarillo, Texas 2 Mar 1958)
 
1j) Kira Alexandrine Brigid Cecilie Ingrid Harris, b.Amarillo 20 Oct 1954; m.Santa Fe, New Mexico 22 May 1982 (div 1994) John Mitchell Johnson (b.Dallas 12 May 1951)  
 
1k) Philip Louis Johnson, b.Fort Worth 18 Oct 1985

[grandduchessella]

Great job Ella! Who's the baby? Also thanks for all the family tree lists! So there are some living in America today!

You're very welcome Annie. Yes, a lot of the descendants come from Cecile & Willy's daughter who married an American she meant during the post-war American occupation. Alexandrine never married, perhaps due to her Down's Syndrome. Interestingly, as we've talked about how some illnesses/genetic defects, were dealt with by the various royal/Imperial families, the Hohenzollern clan never hid Alexandrine (in fact she's in many photographs) and spent her life with her family. One might think the Hohenzollerns with their militaristic outlook might have shied away, but for whatever reason (perhaps Wilhelm with his withered arm could sympathize) she was never hidden or sent away. The grandchild in AM's arms in the last photo is the eldest son of her son GD Franz and his wife Alexandra of Hannover.

[Agneschen]

For those who can read french, a biography of grand duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna has been published : Anastasia Mikhailovna Romanova, Grande Duchesse de Russie - une Princesse en Avance sur son Temps by Marie-Agnès Domin.

[grandduchessella]

For those who can read french, a biography of grand duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna has been published : Anastasia Mikhailovna Romanova, Grande Duchesse de Russie - une Princesse en Avance sur son Temps by Marie-Agnès Domin.

I can't read French but I heard it had great photos. I was so busy doing other stuff--probably posting on here!   --that I missed the bid on it on Ebay. It went pretty cheaply too.  

Anastasia:

[Martyn]

Charlotte Zeepvatt writes of AM that she loved her husband but absolutely hated Germany and spent as little time as possible there.
Does anyone know why she felt such antipathy towards her husband's homeland?
She seems to have had a bit of a rough deal during the war as she wouldn't go back to Mecklenburg and the French would not let her live in her villa in Cannes.  Somehow, with her love of the high life, I can't see her enjoying Switzerland (which is where she seems to have spent the war).  Any thoughts?

[Eurohistory]

The author of Grand Duchess Anastasia's book at times "believes" herself to be the reincarnated Grand Duchess...now how can that possibly be a good biography?  I read it and have serious doubts about the book's overall contribution.

Arturo Beéche