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I am Grand Duke Aleksander Mikhailovich. I am the second cousin of Tsar Nicholas II, as well as his brother-in-law, as I am married to his sister, Grand Duchess Ksenia Aleksandrovna (Xenia). But I would much rather everyone just call me Sandro, which is my nickname in the family and with friends (well, to Ksenia I am sometimes "Sandroshka", but only she can call me that). I made my career in the Imperial Navy from the time I was old enough, to 1906 when my crew became revolutionaries and I had to resign in order to keep myself alive and safe.
On top of the navy, I am very interested in aviation and have thought for awhile that aeroplanes would make a great addition to the Imperial Army, though for the longest time other members of the Imperial Family and of society thought this was ludicrous. Astronomy is another one of my interests, as a naval officer I have to know how to navigate using the stars as well as my compass and maps. Archaeology interests me, too, and I even began an archaeological dig at Ai-Todor, which amused many in the family.
At Ai-Todor, the Crimean estate left to me by my mother upon her death, we grow grapes and make our own wine from them--something I enjoy immensely. But not all the grapes made it into wine--Ksenia and I, as well as our children when they were older, would have grape wars, launching grapes at each other in whatever ways we could find, running around the vinyard like lunatics!
Ai-Todor is the best place we could be in Russia, and when not abroad, usually we could be found there at our truest home. We have everything to do there, and so much freedom, completely away from the city and from the chaos that seems to be Russia's destiny! We love to swim in the sea, and on one occasion, in October of 1897, Ksenia and I were snapping photos of each other in our bathing suits and Ksenia got me once in my 'birthday suit' when I was in the water swimming! Of course, that was too inapropriate for other eyes, so we developed that one ourselves--but Ksenia still had to write and tell Nicky about it! He must have been nearly at constant shock about his little sister for many years still. I brought out something in her that had until our engagement been hidden or undiscovered! It's still hard to believe so much passion and everything can exist in such a tiny being!
(My beloved wife and the mother of my children, Xenia Alexandrovna. This photograph is taken in the 1920s. Isn't she still lovely though?)
(Grand Costume Ball of 1903, held in the Winter Palace.)
(In 1906 when I was stationed with my ship, the Almaz, Ksenia came to visit me once a week, as much as she could.)
(This is me, of course...)
(An engraving showing the wedding of Ksenia and I on 25 July 1894 (OS). It was one of the happiest days of our lives, though I couldn't bear all the pomp and ceremony and the traditions of the Romanov family of which I was a part of. Even Ksenia couldn't wait for it all to end, though she put more into the religious part of it than I did.)
Which Grand Duchess Would YOU Be? (Poor Sandro! What am I doing to him!? lol)
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Grand Duchess Xenia
Marie Nikolaievna
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