page_title: Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia
section_title: Early life
hierarchical_section_title: Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia / Early life
caption_attribution_description: English: Grand Dukes Andrei, Kirill and Boris Vladimirovich in their childhood
context_page_description: Kirill Vladimirovich, Grand Duke of Russia RE was a son of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, a grandson of Emperor Alexander II and a first cousin of Nicholas II, Russia's last tsar.
  Grand Duke Kirill followed a career in the Russian navy serving for 20 years in the Naval Guards. He took part in the Russo-Japanese War, barely surviving the sinking of the battleship Petropavlovsk at Port Arthur in April 1904. In 1905, he married his paternal first cousin, Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who both defied Nicholas II by not obtaining his consent. They had two daughters and settled in Paris before they were allowed to visit Russia in 1909. In 1910 they moved to Russia, where Nicholas recognised their marriage.
  In World War I, Grand Duke Kirill was appointed Commander of the Naval Depot of the Guards in 1915. He achieved the rank of rear admiral in the Imperial Navy in 1916. During the February Revolution of 1917, Kirill marched to the Tauride Palace at the head of the Naval Guards and swore allegiance to the Russian Provisional Government.
context_section_description: Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia was born on 12 October [O.S. 30 September] 1876 in Tsarskoye Selo, at his parents' country residence, the Vladimir Villa. His father was Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, the third son of Tsar Alexander II of Russia. His mother was  Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, née Duchess Marie Alexandrine of Mecklenburg. As a grandson in the male line to a Russian Tsar, he was titled Grand Duke, with the style Imperial Highness. Kirill's parents, wealthy and sophisticated, were influential figures in Russian society. Grand Duke Vladimir was cultured and a great patron of the arts, while Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna was a renowned hostess in the Imperial capital. Both had imposing personalities and left a big imprint in the lives of Kirill and his siblings.  
  Grand Duke Kirill was six months old when his eldest brother, Alexander, died in childhood. He also had three younger siblings: Boris, Andrei, and Elena. The four surviving children were close to each other and to their parents, who were devoted to them. Kirill Vladimirovich  grew up between his parents' residence in St Peterburg, the Vladimir Palace, and their country retreat, the Vladimir Villa in Tsarkoe Selo.  Until he was fourteen years of age, Grand Duke Kirill was educated at home by private tutors. His education was supervised by General Alexander Daller, a retired artillery officer. He received military training and religion instruction, and learned the languages spoken by the Romanovs: Russian, English, French and German. During breaks from his daily lessons, he trained in a gym with his brothers at the Vladimir Palace. He traveled extensively with his parents visiting many European countries, including Spain. A love for music and carpentry work remained in him for the rest of his life.
caption: Kirill (centre) with his brothers Andrei (left) and Boris (right)
exif: {}