About
Grand Duchess who was canonized as a passion bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church following her and her family's infamous assassination by Bolshevik revolutionaries during the Russian Revolution of 1917. Known for her exquisite beauty, pure heart, and benevolence, she wished to become a Red Cross nurse like her older sisters. Too young to do so, she instead became the patroness of a hospital and regularly visited the wounded soldiers it housed.
Before Fame
She was the third daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra. Her birth in 1899 caused widespread disappointment throughout the public of Russia, as they had hoped for a male heir to be born. Nicholas II adored her all the same, however, and her humble, kind-hearted nature quickly made her a beloved figure to many.
Trivia
Her Russian title of Velikaya Knyazhna Великая Княжна roughly translates to "Grand Princess." This implies that she, as an "Imperial Highness," held higher rank than other European princesses, whose titles were merely referred to as "Royal Highness."
Family Life
She was the daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra. She had two older sisters. They were the Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna and Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna. Her younger sister, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, was rumored for 90 years to have escaped the imperial family's assassination and inspired the Disney film Anastasia. She also had a younger brother named Tsarevich Alexei of Russia.
Associated With
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elizabeth II, was her maternal first cousin. When the remains of two children believed to be those of her and her brother's bodies were discovered in 2007, his DNA was used to identify them.
