Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia

**Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia** (;  – 20 April 1960) was the elder daughter and fourth child of Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna. She was the eldest sister Tsar Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia.

She married her father's cousin, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia, and had seven children together. She was the mother-in-law of Felix Yusupov and a cousin of Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia who, together, killed Grigori Rasputin, holy healer to her haemophiliac nephew, Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich. During her brother's reign she recorded in her diary and letters increasing concern about his rule. After the outbreak of the Russian Revolution in 1917, she fled Russia with her mother, sister Olga and other remaining Romanov relatives, resettling in the United Kingdom.

## Early life

Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna was born on 6 April 1875 at Anichkov Palace in St. Petersburg. Her mother was Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia.

After her grandfather died, her father became the Russian king. At this time, Xenia was six years old. It was difficult political time because of terrorist threats. Alexander III moved with his family from the Winter Palace to the Gatchina Palace to protect his family. Xenia, like her brothers, was educated by private tutors. She studied foreign languages very much. Apart from her native Russian, Xenia studied English, French, and German. Xenia also learnt how to cook and make puppets and clothes. She liked to ride, fish, draw, play gymnastics, dance, and perform the piano.

## Marriage

Xenia and her first cousin once removed, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia, who would also be her husband, used to play together as friends in the 1880s. Alexander was also a friend of her brother Nicholas. In 1886, twenty year old Alexander was in the navy. Eleven year old Xenia sent him a card when his ship was in Brazil, "Best wishes and speedy return! Your sailor Xenia". In 1889, Alexander wrote of Xenia, "She is fourteen. I think she likes me."

At age 15, though Xenia and Alexander wanted to marry, her parents did not want to allow them because Xenia was too young. They were also unsure if Alexander was really very nice. The Tsarina Maria Feodorovna complained that Alexander was too proud and rude. It was not until January 1894 that Xenia's parents allowed them to engage. The couple finally wed on 6 August 1894 at Peterhof Palace. Xenia's younger sister, Olga, wrote about the joy of her the wedding, "The Emperor was so happy. It was the last time I ever saw him like that."

## Infobox (royalty)

- **name**: Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna
- **image**: Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia (1).jpg
- **caption**: Grand Duchess Xenia, 1910s
- **house**: Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
- **father**: Alexander III of Russia
- **mother**: Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark), Dagmar of Denmark
- **birth place**: Anichkov Palace, Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire
- **death place**: Wilderness House, Hampton Court Palace, Richmond upon Thames, United Kingdom
- **burial place**: Cimetière de Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France