just one of my early videos... the only pictures I have from Lord Louis with the Romanovs. Hope, you will enjoy... on 01:00 its Louis' favorite photo of his beloved cousin. He kept it in his bedroom til his death...
Maria was considered the beauty of the family. She also suffered from the middle child syndrome and thought the Little Pair was Alexei and Anastasia. She was very close to her father. She took an interest in other people. She also loved children. Had she lived she would've made an excellent mother. She's my fave Romanov sister. I can see why Lord Mounbatten fell in love with her.
Back in 1969 the BBC broadcast Lord Mountbattens autobiography. He clearly mentionned his affection for Maria, but the outbreak of WWI prevented any developments. We all know the rest.
This video should be marked as misinformation because it strongly suggests that Maria and Dickie were in love and the historical record clearly shows they were not. Maria never mentioned Dickie in any of her writings that I've come across. But she did mention someone else, "Demenkov". Whom even the Tsar acknowledged in letters from and to Maria.
Maria actually fell in love during the war with another man - a Russian soldier named Nikolai Dmitrievich Demenkov, an officer of the day at the Tsar's Headquarters. Maria often asked her father to give her regards to Demenkov and sometimes signed her letters to her Dad as "Mrs. Demenkov."
Yes, I agree. I don't understand why we keep seeing videos about this 'love' between these two. It was clear Maria liked someone else. Besides, had she lived I doubt her parents would have allowed her to marry beneath her station in life, i.e. would not allow marrying just a 'Lord' as Mountbatten was. She would have likely married, or even dated, an actual prince to a throne.
@@christophermoreira6198 I actually read that there _were_ discussions about possible "morganatic" marriages for the girls. Many a monarchy was brought down, a lot of fine young men died in the war... One had to be realistic; there weren't many options. Alas, such thoughts were rendered academic... 😞😢
@@thekingsdaughter4233 I understand that but I still doubt she would have married Dickie. In fact, she mentioned someone else regularly in her diary go so far as to ending letters to her father as Mrs. (his last name which escapes me right now). Clearly her thoughts and heart were set on someone else.
@@christophermoreira6198It was Demenkov. So had she lived and perhaps if she had been permitted to marry, she likely would have chosen Demenkov. Nikolai Demenkov, who was born in 1885, clearly remembered and treasured the first time he met the OTMA girls - “We were instructed not to make it obvious that we were there to protect them,” Midshipman Demenkov remembered. As he nervously climbed on deck of “The Standart” for instructions: “When I stepped off the plank, I saw the following picture, which I will never forget … The Grand Duchesses, laughing unreservedly, were playing one of their usual games with the officers of the yacht. … Before I could recover from embarrassment and put my hand to my hat in greeting, the game was interrupted for a few moments - noticing me the Grand Duchesses warmly and kindly welcomed me. Touching, soulful simplicity exuded from their greetings … Later fate deigned to allow me the happiness to witness this very charming simplicity many times - [it was] one of the main character traits of the imperial daughters”. Once during a game of tennis Nikolai Dmitrievich’s button came off his collar. “Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, noticing my involuntary embarrassment, with her characteristic kindness and simplicity deigned to come over to me and offer me the use of her handkerchief, which I clearly remember was white with a blue border which matched the white and blue dresses their Highnesses were wearing that day. The handkerchief served as a scarf around my neck and her Highness deigned to draw the Emperor’s attention to it”. Demenkov expressed an idea to Nicholas II: to make such cravats a compulsory part of the sport uniforms of the officers. But this was only done later, in immigration abroad. That summer they did not have a chance: The First World War broke out.
@@christophermoreira6198 By that time it was clear to everyone that Grand Duchess Maria was not indifferent to him, as it did not even occur to her to hide it. Maria even honestly expressed her feelings in letters to her father: “Demenkov, my darling, of course was not there…”; “We got very lucky during our walk - N.D. was on duty and we had a nice conversation with him through the window “; “Yesterday Voeikov was at church and from the distance he looked a bit like Nikolai Dmitrievich, how dare he, such a pig. “Ah! I hope that I will see my Demenkov at vsenoshnaya, but I’m afraid that [I will] not, as we are probably going to be standing in the prayer room, and we are too embarrassed to stand in church alone, and walk up to the New Testament.” “My Demenkov was very charming, and introduced all the [concert] performers to us.” Grand Duchess Maria’s honesty did not make anyone uncomfortable - it was thought that she was still a child, and friendships with naval officers were even encouraged. Nicholas II, expressed his empathy in his letters to her: “I am glad for you that N.D. stayed at Tsarskoe Selo, but thus he lost his service at “The Rabotnik” Her sisters joked a bit more: “Maria was thrilled, because when we were leaving church, there stood the fatso Demenkov” - Grand Duchess Anastasia wrote. “Marie, of course, is as happy as a pug” - added Grand Duchess Olga. Grand Duchess Maria did not seem to be bothered or hurt by their jokes, while the “fatso” Demenkov himself seemed used to being ridiculed. Anastasia once told this story: “During tea at Anya’s yesterday we all sat on the balcony and it was very warm. The curtains were drawn because people were looking inside, but this one lady with a child in her arms was passing by and at this time we all went silent for some reason, and the boy said “Mama I want ah ah” and repeated it. We thought that no one heard but everyone heard and we were dying of laughter, [we] hooted for a long time, then went silent and then were dying again until everyone had tears [in eyes], while Demenkov did not hear anything and thought we were laughing at him, and then Viktor Erastovich explained to him [whispering] in his ear. ” Such “teas at Anya’s” were part of regular entertainment for the grand duchesses. 3-5 officers chosen by the girls were always invited: their biggest “darlings”. The composition of the guests changed, but Demenkov’s name was almost always on the invitation list: “Everyone is going to Anya’s, who will have two Cossacks and Maria’s friend over”, Empress Alexandra wrote to her husband. “There were wounded friends of the children and Maria’s fatso.” “Ravtopulo, Shvedov, Yuzik, Zolotarev and, of course, Demenkov arrived there.” “Nikolai Dmitrievich was very funny, he was in charge of all the games, and at the end told two jokes,” - the grand duchesses reported. As for Maria, she only wanted to see him, her Demenkov: kind, sincere, shy and clumsy, much like herself.
Lady Mountbatten too bad Dickei did not marry Maria perhaps Alix and the children might have been saved. In light of todays announcement of Prince William and caterine Middleton's engagment it is lovely to see commonsense prevail. I hope you are delighted as well.
@LadyMountbatten Are all these photographs of Lord Mountbatten with the Romanovs? Woww. Who exactly is in the photograph at 0:10? I don't suppose someone could name the people (left to right)? RIP Lord Mountbatten, a man who upheld the greatest traditions of the British monarchy and managed to take it into the modern world of democracy and egalitarianism. The world needs others with that degree of morality, grace and diplomacy if we're to overcome the struggles of the years to come
If Mountbatten had married Maria, his life would have been very happy as Edwina was an unfaithful and quarrelsome wife and a negligent mother. Maria would have been the sweetest wife and a very able mother. She would have also been India's Vicereine.
Not everyone finds that repulsive. In Germany for instance, one could marry a first cousin, or even uncle or aunt. They do recommend genetic counseling if one should go that way- and personally, I do not know anyone who married within the family. Nor did the people I ask knew such a case. Increased mobility and all that, I suppose.
Olga fell in love with a soldier named Mitya at the hospital she was performing nursing duties at during the war, and he seemed to be very fond of her as well. Had they been normal people, they probably would have been able to get married, and have a long and happy life together. But because Olga was a grand duchess, she would not have been able to marry a commoner, and soon Mitya recovered and went back to the front. They never saw each other again, and there's no word about Mitya's fate.
@@karmakuengarabgay6709 I don't recall reading of Anastasia having any major romance--perhaps not suprising since she spent the last year or so of her life under arrest and died at 17.
Are all these photographs of Lord Mountbatten with the Romanovs? Woww. Who exactly is in the photograph at 0:10? I don't suppose someone could name the people (left to right)? Btw as someone who'd prefer a United Ireland, Lord Mountbatten's death was an absolute horrific tragedy, regardless of his politics. But when one learns that Mountbatten was privately advocating a Unified Ireland. Such a moral, forward thinking and intelligent man, it's gutting. The IRA and all paramilitaries are barbaric
@@EmilyGloeggler7984 He DID NOT. Edwina cheated on him first and emotionally abused him so he decided to have an open marriage with her consent and only then had affairs of his own, some ten years after Edwina's affairs.
