Large 8-1/2″ x 11″ format, 240 pages, featuring 400+ black & white photos
“Keeping the memories of Old Russia alive!”
This second volume of The Lost World of Imperial Russia, features more than 400 additional vintage photographs of architectural gems, people and places of the Russian Empire during the reign of Emperor Nicholas II, between 1894 to 1917. This second volume complements Volume I, which was published in September 2022.
Imperial palaces, palatial mansions, seaside villas, suburban dachas, churches, government buildings, all of which reflect a variety of architectural styles, and many which reflect Imperial Russia itself are featured. In addition, are photographs depicting daily life, social activities, life in the Russian Imperial Army and Navy, and much more.
Like Volume One, this second volume is a photographic record of a lost world, one of great historical value in our understanding and appreciation of the Russian Empire during the reign of Russia’s last Tsar.
Volume II is available in both hard cover and paperback editions, 240 pages, richly illustrated with more than 400 vintage black and white photos! AVAILABLE exclusively from AMAZON.
COVER PHOTO: Andrei Alexeevich Kudinov (1852–1915), standing at the Emperor’s Porch at the Feodorovsky Cathedral in St. Petersburg in January 1914. This is probably one of the last photographs taken of him before his death in June 1915. Kudinov served as bodyguard to Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich [future Emperor Alexander III]. In December 1878, he was assigned to Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna [future Empress Maria Feodorovna]; he stayed at this post when she became Empress in 1881 and continued until his death. Photo by Karl Bulla.
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THE LOST WORLD OF IMPERIAL RUSSIA Volume I – Published in September 2022
*This title is available from AMAZON in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Japan
Portrait of Emperor Nicholas II, late 19th century. Artist: Nikolai Schilder (1828 – 1898) From the Collection of the Russian Cultural Foundation
After the Bolsheviks came to power in October 1917, Russia experienced a massive outflow of art objects from the collections of members of the nobility who were lucky enough to escape. Objects of historical heritage, paintings by outstanding artists, folios and entire archives were sent abroad. Priceless exhibits found their way into private collections, and replenished the museums of European countries or simply disappeared.
To save the cultural heritage that ended up outside Russia after 1917, White Russian officers founded the American Cultural and Educational Society ‘Rodina’ in Lakewood, New York, which existed until the 1980s. Among the carefully preserved items were paintings, books, letters, and awards. Hundreds of rare exhibits, became the basis of the collection of the largest museum in the entire Russian diaspora.
One of the founders of the Rodina Society, Vsevolod Pavlovich Stelletsky (1904-1982), recalled that the guest of honour at the opening of the Historical Museum of the Society was the last of the Romanov family, Her Highness Princess of the Imperial Blood Vera Konstantinovna (1906-2001), who left Russia at the age of 12. Examining the halls, the princess went to the department dedicated to the House of Romanov, with portraits of monarchs and their families, and stopped in front of a full-length portrait of Emperor Nicholas II and looked at it for a long time.
Schilder’s portrait of Emperor Nicholas II, before restoration. From the Collection of the Russian Cultural Foundation
The artist’s signature N.G. Schilder, revealed in the process of restoration. From the Collection of the Russian Cultural Foundation
“Where did you get this portrait from?” The princess said to Stelletsky, who accompanied her.
“This portrait,” he answered, “once hung in the Russian Consulate in New York, Your Highness, and it was given to us by an honourary member of the society, a donor, Prince Beloselsky-Belozersky.
“What a wonderful portrait. God willing, someday it will hang not in a museum, but in the St. George Hall in the Grand Kremlin Palace.
The princess continued to go around the halls dedicated to the Russian Imperial Army and Navy of the museum. When there was no one left in the museum, she once again turned to Stelletsky.
“I want to look at the portrait of the Emperor again,” the princess said decisively.
Approaching the portrait of Nicholas II, she gazed intently at the image of the Tsar in the uniform of His Majesty’s Life Guards Hussar Regiment, moving very close, she said convincingly:
“I wasn’t sure, but now I can definitely see that there is anguish in the Emperor’s gaze.“
Boxes containing the precious cargo arrive in Russia from America, 1990s. From the Collection of the Russian Cultural Foundation
In the 1990s, the collection began to return to Russia. This was the wish of all those who once preserved these unique items wanted. The exhibits of the museum were carefully packed and sent to Russia in several containers.
Between the autumn of 1994 to the Spring of 1995, about 40 thousand items were transferred to Moscow, which were received at two addresses: objects of military history – to the Central Museum of the Armed Forces, and objects of artistic value – to the Russian Cultural Foundation.
The portrait of Emperor Nicholas II now hangs in the Tapestry Hall of the Russian Cultural Foundation.
The Russian Cultural Foundation is located near the Kropotkinskaya Metro Station, on Gogolevsky Boulevard in Moscow. The Foundation and museum is housed in a Neo-Russian Style mansion – the former house of the Zamyatin-Tretyakov Estate – seen in the photo above.
On Thursday, 10th April 2025, the Société des amis du Louvre [Society of Friends of the Louvre] in Paris announced that it had acquired and donated to the Louvre Museum, a triptych icon that belonged to Russia’s last Tsar.
Created in 1895 by Mikhail Evlampievich Perkhin (1860-1903), a leading workmaster of the House of Fabergé, the icon and adorned with precious stones was presented by members of the Russian aristocracy to Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna on the occasion of the birth of their daughter and first child Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna [16th (O.S. 3rd) November 1895].
The 30 cm [12 in.] triptych icon was purchased for 2.2 million euros [$2.5 million USD]. It is made of various materials: Karelian birch, oil painting, gilded silver, gold with enamel, pearls, emerald, ruby and sapphires.
It has been exhibited only once, at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 1977, after which it was stored in the collection of the art dealer Leon Greenberg.
The Society of Friends of the Louvre decided to acquire and donate the icon to the museum “as part of a wider €4 million sponsorship programme aimed at supporting the museum’s major projects, including the creation of a new Department of Byzantine and Christian Oriental Arts”, which is scheduled to open in 2027.
“It will be one of the major works of the new department of the museum, because of its history and its creation by one of the most prestigious goldsmiths of the House of Fabergé, famous for his decorative eggs that marked the end of the Romanov reign,” said a spokesperson for the Louvre Museum
Based in Paris, France the Société des amis du Louvre is a voluntary association created in 1897 whose purpose is to purchase objects of artistic, archaeological or historical value for the museum. It is the largest private patron of the Louvre: today the Society has 67,000 members, , mostly in France, whose contributions and donations allow it to have an annual budget for the acquisition of works of art in the amount of about 3 million euros.
Today – 8th April 2025 – I received the most wonderful and unexpected surprise from the nuns at the Diaconești Monastery in Moldavia, Romania. This beautiful colour drawing and personalised inscription was gifted to me by Sisters Seraphima, Ovidiu and Ioana in recognition for my helping to promote the English language edition of their book The True Story of the Romanov Family, which was published last year by the monastery’s publishing division.
The illustrations were hand painted by the nuns, and framed in a large wooden diptych. Each panel is covered with glass. The diptych has hinges, which allow it to be closed like a book and secured with a clasp.
On the left side of the diptych, Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna are depicted in their Coronation robes and crowns, standing under the Coat-of-Arms of the Russian Empire. The Tsar is depicted holding the Imperial Sceptre and Orb of the Russian Coronation Regalia.
In a separate letter, Sister Seraphima wrote:
“I sincerely believe that it was the Imperial Family themselves who sent you this gift through us, as a token of gratitude for the effort and love you have shown toward them. Our gift was meant, above all, as a gesture of appreciation for your dedication. But of course, it was also a sign of our thanks for helping promote our book—because it is clear that we share the same purpose.
“We chose the Coronation scene specifically for this gift. You may already know that the illustration you received is not only an original one from our book, but also a reproduction of an actual invitation used at the time of Their Majesties’ Coronation. We picked this image because we knew you already own the coronation book, and we felt it would be a fitting complement.”
On the right side of the diptych, under the Holy icon is a personalized inscription, which upon reading moved me to tears. It reads . . .
Dear Paul
Through tireless work, so true and bright, You share the Romanovs’ gentle light. Their legacy, through time restored, In every tale and treasured word.
With gratitude, we warmly say, Your light still shines along the way. The past preserved, the story lives, A gift of love, your heart still gives.
With gratitude, Sister Seraphima, Ovidiu and Ioana
Publishing House Bonifaciu Romania
I would like to note, that my more than 30 years of research and writing are all part of my personal mission to help clear the name of Russia’s much slandered Tsar and his family. While I have never aspired for awards or honours, I cannot deny that it is truly humbling to receive recognition for my efforts by means of a gift such as this.
I believe that it is very important for me to show my support for any event, exhibition, documentary and publishing project which present not only the truth about Emperor Nicholas II and his family, but also keep their memory alive. These are the reasons why I helped to promote The True Story of the Romanov Family on my blog, social media and to those who subscribe to my bi-weekly news updates. This beautifully illustrated graphic study is unique, and a must read for any one who shares an interest in the Holy Royal Martyrs.
PHOTO: “The Testament of Peter the Great. Revival” by Sergei Malinovsky
On 1st April 2025, Metropolitan Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas attended the official unveiling cermony of the painting “The Testament of Peter the Great. Revival”, in the restored bell tower of the Transfiguration Cathedral situated of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin.
The head of the Nizhny Novgorod Metropolia was accompanied by the artist Sergei Viktorovich Malinovsky [b. 1959], who is a member of the Union of Artists of Russia.
The ceremony was dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the revival of the historical tradition established by Emperor Peter the Great of honouring the memory of Kuzma Minin (1570s-1615), a nobleman, who in 1612 headed the militia which liberated Moscow from foreign invaders.
PHOTO: detail of “The Testament of Peter the Great. Revival” which depicts President Vladimir Putin, Emperor Nicholas II and Peter the Great, among others.
Sergei Malinovsky conducted a study of the activities of Peter the Great, bringing together the patriotic deeds of other Russian rulers, who honoured the memory of Kuzma Minin, the Russian national hero, who united the people and the government in the defense of the country and its historical memory.
The painting “The Testament of Peter the Great. Revival” was painted in oil on canvas, measuring 160 x 100 centimeters [5.3 ft. x 3.3 ft.].
In the foreground are Russian President Vladimir Putin and Emperor Peter the Great, who, kneeling, lights a candle on the tombstone of Kuzma Minin’s grave. Numerous other Russian historical leaders are also depicted.
In life, Emperor Nicholas I, Emperor Alexander III, Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, all honored the memory of Kuzma Minin.
PHOTO: Metropolitan Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas (left) attends the unveiling ceremony of “The Testament of Peter the Great. Revival” by Sergei Malinovsky in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin
The canvas also contains the banners of the militia of 1612, 1812, 1855 and the Victory Banner of 1945. Above the crucifixion which includes a piece of the Cross of the Lord, donated by Prince Dmitry Pozharsky to the Transfiguration Monastery in the village of Pureh, the following are depicted in the golden heavenly light: Kuzma Minin, holding the cap of Monomakh, as a symbol of the people who did not allow the fall of Russian statehood; St. Sergius of Radonezh, who appeared three times in visions to Minin, calling him to podvig; the “initial man” of the Muscovite state of that time, representing the spiritual power, the Hieromartyr Patriarch Germogen, according to whose charters the first (Lyapunov-Ryazan) and second (Minin-Nizhny Novgorod) people’s militias were raised; Archangel Michael, the heavenly patron of Nizhny Novgorod.
Portrait of Major General Vladimir Nikolaevich Voeikov (1913-14) Artist: unknown. Private Collection.
Vladimir Nikolaevich Voeikov (1868-1947) was a member of His Imperial Majesty’s Retinue, and served as Palace Commandant from 1913 to 1917. He was one of the most trusted associates of Emperor Nicholas II.
Vladimir was born in Tsarskoye Selo on 15th (O.S. 2nd) August 1868, to the family of cavalry general Nikolai Vasilievich Voeikov (1832-1898) and Princess Varvara Vladimirovna Dolgorukova (1840-1909), daughter of the Moscow Governor-General Vladimir Andreevich Dolgorukov (1810-1891).
He was educated in the Corps of Pages, after which, on 7th August 1887, he was released as a cornet in the Chevalier Guard Regiment.
In 1894, he married Eugenia Vladimirovna Frederiks (1867-1950), a maid of honour at the Russian Imperial Court (1890); and the eldest daughter of the Minister of the Imperial Court Vladimir Fredericks (1838-1927). In society, everyone called her Nina. The couple had no children.
PHOTO: Minister of the Imperial Court Vladimir Fredericks (left), with his son-in-law Vladimir Voeikov(right), Livadia1914
PHOTO: Emperor Nicholas II with Vladimir Voeikov. Livadia1914
Vladimir Voeikov enjoyed a successful and prestigious career, in which he received numerous promotions. In August 1891, he was appointed lieutenant, from April 1898 as headquarters captain and from May 1901 he was promoted to the rank of captain. He served as squadron commander for 5 years and 1 month, then as head of the education school for 5 years and 6 months.
From November 1905, he served as assistant commander of the Chevalier Guard Regiment, and in December 1905, he was promoted to colonel. In 1906 he was appointed adjutant wing to His Imperial Majesty.
From August 1907, Vladimir served as Commander of His Majesty’s Life Guards Hussar Regiment. In December 1909, Emperor Nicholas II promoted him to the position of major general and enrollment in His Imperial Majesty’s retinue.
Upon the birth of the Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich (1904-1918), Voeikov was named godfather to the Emperor’s only son and heir. In 1910 Vladimir began the construction of a summer residence for his godson, located on his estate, located in the Penza region.
PHOTO: after decades of neglect by its Soviet caretakers, Vladimir Voeikov’s unfinished palace for his godson Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, today lies in ruins
The general plan of the estate initially consisted of three buildings (palace, a secondary building, and stables). The palace was designed in the style of an Italian villa, which included a park with rare trees and fountains. The palace consisted of two stories high, made in the neoclassical style, with a rotunda, surrounded by a balustrade and sloping stairs which led to the front entrance.
In 1917, the still unfinished palace was nationalized and placed at the disposal of the local Soviets, who used the building for a variety of purposes up until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. The building has survived to the present day, however, it is in a terrible state of disrepair, despite the fact that the palace is recognized as a monument of history and culture of regional significance.
After the formation of the Russian Olympic Committee in 1912, Vladimir Voikov was elected its honorary chairmanm on 24th December 1913.
In 1913, Voeikov founded a mineral water bottling plant on his Kuvaka estate in the Penza region, with an annual production of 100 thousand bottles of water. The Voeikov estate was located on the territory of the modern city of Kamenka (Penza region) . During the war, Vladimir won a contract for the supply of his mineral water to the front and to hospitals.
PHOTO: in happier times, Vladimir and his wife Eugenia, wearing 17th century dress for the Costume Ball, held in February 1903, at the Winter Palace, St. Petersburg
During the February Revolution, Vladimir was arrested, and held under arrest, first in the Tauride Palace, then in the Peter and Paul Fortress in Petrograd, where he was interrogated by the Extraordinary Investigative Commission of the Provisional Government. He was subsequently released, but in the summer of 1918, under the threat of arrest by the Bolsheviks, he hid in the hospital of St. Panteleimon for the mentally ill, from where he kept in touch with his relatives.
In September 1918, having learned about the arrest of his wife, he fled to the Crimea , from where he went into exile, first to Romania, and then to Finland, where he lived at Dr. Botkin’s dacha in Terijoki (Terijoki), now Zelenogorsk. After leaving Finland, Voeikov moved to Sweden. During his years in exile, Voeikov wrote his memoirs С царем и без царя / With the Tsar and Without the Tsar [see below], published in in Helsinki in Russian in 1936.
In June 1919, during the offensive of General N. N. Yudenich on Petrograd, Vladimir’s wife Eugenia was arrested and transported to Moscow. She was held in a concentration camp in the Ivanovsky Monastery. [situated in central Moscow, inside the Boulevard Ring, to the west of Kitai-gorod]. In 1925 she received permission to leave the USSR, whereupon she moved to Finland with her father and sister. From 1939 she lived with her husband in Helsinki. In 1946 they moved to Sweden and settled in Danderyd.
Vladimir Voeikov died on 8th October 1947, and was buried in a local cemetery in the town of Djursholm, situated in the suburbs of Stockholm. Eugenia died in 1950 and was buried next to her husband. Later, their remains were reburied at the Kauniainen City Cemetery, in the same grave of Count Vladimir Fredericks – who died in 1927.
PHOTO: the proposed cover of the English translation, features this photo of Emperor Nicholas II and Vladimir Voeikov at the Stavka, the headquarters of the Russian Imperial Army, in Mogilev. 1915-1916
I am currently in the process of having WITH THE TSAR AND WITHOUT THE TSAR by Major General Vladimir Nikolaevich Voeikov (1868-1947), translated from Russian to English.
Originally published in Russian in 1936, this will be the first English translation of the sad but captivating story, about the man who, from 1913-1917, served as the last palace commandant to Emperor Nicholas II. Voeikov was the son-in-law of the Minister of the Imperial Court Vladimir Borisovich Frederiks (1838-1927). He was one of the few men at Court, who remained faithful to the Tsar.
His memoirs describe the events the February and October 1917 revolutions and their consequences for the Russian Empire and the Tsar; foreign policy intrigues and the chain of events that led to the First World War and Russia’s participation in it; Court vanity and envy; the private lives of the Tsar and his family at Peterhof, Tsarskoye Selo and Livadia; and Voeikov’s ordeals as he fled Bolshevik Russia.
Translations are very costly – this book is 330 pages – which is why I am reaching out to those who share an interest in the life and reign of Nicholas II.
Please consider making a donation to help fund the translation of Voeikov’s memoirs, a very important historical record on the life and reign of Russia’s much slandered Tsar.
Russia’s last Emperor and Tsar Nicholas II, his family, the Romanov dynasty and the history of Imperial Russia, continue to be the subject of books, exhibitions and documentaries. In addition, the continue to generate headlines in the media.
The following articles were published by American and British media services, in January, February and March 2025. Click on the title [highlighted in red] below and follow the link to read each respective article:
On 6th May 2025, Sotheby’s (Geneva) will offers a menagerie of Fabergé Animals from Castle Howard (England). Some 30 rare and beautiful carvings, with proceeds to benefit the restoration of Castle Howard’s long-lost Tapestry Drawing Room.
On 19th March 2025, Dreweatts (Newbury, England) was the venue for a landmark sale of works by the renowned Russian jeweller Fabergé, featuring over 100 lots.
The Yusupov princes were one of the most influential families in Russia after the Romanovs. They owned lands, palaces, factories, art collections and a huge amount of jewellery.
Pierre Gilliard, a citizen of Switzerland, served in the Court of Emperor Nicholas II for thirteen years as a tutor of French language to the Grand Duchesses and as a tutor to the Heir Alexei, thus living in close contact with the Tsar’s Family. He voluntarily followed the Tsar’s Family into exile, where he was one of its closest friends. He authored a book of memoirs called “Emperor Nicholas II and His Family” where the personality of the Tsar, Tsarina, and the entire august family are portrayed in the extraordinary beauty of their nobility, loftiness, and humility.
In January, Orthodox Christians celebrated the birth of Christ, according to the Old Style Julian Calendar. The Nativity of Christ is traditionally a favorite feast of Orthodox Rus’. Everyone, both adults and children, prepared for it. In high society, the holiday was celebrated lavishly, with many gifts and a feast with all kinds of dishes for the guests, while in the lower strata it was celebrated more modestly. But everyone was united by the joy of the Christmas holidays.
I have published nearly 50 titles to date through AMAZON – featuring one of the largest selections of books on Nicholas II, the Romanov dynasty and the history of Imperial Russia.
Please CLICK on the BANNER or LINK above to review my current selection of titles in hardcover, paperback and ebook editions. Listings provide a full description for each title, pricing and a Look inside feature.
Konstantin Petrovich Pobedonostsev was born in Moscow on 30th (O.S. 18th) November 1827. He remains one of the most interesting, yet controversial persons from the life and reign of Emperor Nicholas II.
Pobedonostsev was a Russian jurist, statesman, and adviser to three Tsars: Alexander II, Alexander III and Nicholas II. Nicknamed the “Grand Inquisitor,” he came to be the symbol of Russian monarchal absolutism.
Pobedonostsev and Tsesarevich Alexander Alexandrovich [future Emperor Alexander III] remained very close for almost thirty years, through Alexander’s ascension as Tsar in 1881 and until his death in 1894.
During the reign of Alexander III he was one of the most influential men in the Russian Empire. He was the mastermind of Alexander III’s Manifesto of 29th April 1881, written about two months after the assassination of his father, Alexander II. ‘The Manifesto on Unshakeable Autocracy’ proclaimed that the absolute power of the Tsar was unshakable thus putting an end to Loris-Melikov’s endeavours to establish a representative body in the empire. The manifesto rejected the more liberal reforms of Alexander II (and some of his father’s ministers) in favor of “unshakable autocracy” which had been given to the tsars as a sacred duty from God. The document summed up Alexander’s counter reform policies, which were strongly influenced by Pobedonostsev.
PHOTO: Konstantin Pobedonostsev drinking tea in the garden of the Cottage Palace, the Peterhof residence of Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, July 1898
Pobedonostsev was the chief spokesman for reactionary positions. He was the “éminence grise” of imperial politics during the reign of Alexander III, holding the distinguished position of Chief Procurator of the Most Holy Synod, the non-clerical Russian official who supervised the Russian Orthodox Church [from 1880 to 1905].
In 1883, Emperor Alexander III appointed Konstantin Pobedonostsev, as chief tutor to his son and heir Nicholas Alexandrodovich [future Emperor Nicholas II].
Nicholas received a thorough training under the direction of the best teachers in Russia. Among his teachers, the one who exerted the greatest influence on him was undoubtedly the ultra-conservative Russian academic Konstantin Pobedonostsev, who was highly intelligent, widely read and very hardworking. Pobedonstsev believed that only the power and symbolism of an autocratic monarchy, advised by an elite of rational expert officials, could run the country effectively.
Pobedonostsev’s guidance and influence imbibed the principles of absolutism, dynasty, military greatness and the official religious tradition on the future Tsar. He constantly reminded Nicholas Alexandrovich that the Tsar was anointed by God and was a divinely inspired source of wisdom and order.
PHOTO: Emperor Nicholas II with Konstantin Pobedonostsev (far right). Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, both dressed in white (center) standing next to the Tsar. This photo was taken on the steps of the Cottage Palace, the Peterhof residence of Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, July 1898
Following the death of Alexander III on 1st November [O.S. 20 October] 1894, Pobedonostev remained an aide to Nicholas II, although he lost much of his influence. While the new Tsar adhered to his father’s Russification policy and even extending it to Finland, he generally disliked the idea of systematic religious persecution, and was not wholly averse to the partial emancipation of the Church from civil control.
In 1901, Nikolai Lagovski, a socialist, tried to assassinate Pobedonostsev, shooting through the window of Pobedonostsev’s office, but missing. Lagovski was sentenced to 6 years.
It was Pobedonostsev who ordered the excommunication of the great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy in 1901.
As the Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod – a position he held until 1905 – Pobedonostsev opposed the canonization of the Monk Seraphim of Sarov in 1903. Standing firm in his beliefs, Emperor Nicholas II ordered the canonization of Seraphim of Sarov.
PHOTO: Konstantin Pobedonostsev’s grave, St. Vladimir Church in St. Petersburg
Konstatnin Pobedonostsev died in St. Petersburg on 23rd March (O.S. 10th March) 1907. He was survived by his wife Ekaterina Alexandrovna, née Engelhardt (1848-1932), and their adopted daughter Martha (1897-1964).
Pobedonostsev’s funeral took place on 26th March (O.S. 13th March) 1907 at the Novo-Devichsky Convent; members of the Imperial Family were not present. He was buried at St. Vladimir Church in St. Petersburg. The church has not survived, however, the grave has survived to the present day.
The only known film-clip of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna visiting Queen Victoria is available to view on YouTube. It is the earliest known film of the Tsar and Queen Victoria at Balmoral. The recording lasts only 1 minute and 10 seconds, but is of great historical value.
The film-clip featuring members of the British Royal Family and the Russian Imperial Family was shot on 3rd October 1896 at Balmoral Castle, a favourite residence of Queen Victoria in the Scottish Highlands. It was filmed by William Edward Downey (1829-1915) of W. & D. Downey Studios (London).
In the recording, Queen Victoria can be seen in an open carriage pulled by a pony. In her arms, the Queen holds her favorite Pomeranian “Turi”. The Queen is accompanied by numerous family members and relatives, including her granddaughter, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna [daughter of Princess Alice of Great Britain, later Grand Duchess if Hesse and by Rhine (1843-1878)], and her granddaughter’s husband, Emperor Nicholas II, dressed in a casual three-piece suit and a Homberg felt hat. The procession is completed by the Queen’s favorite, Abdul Karim (1863-1909), who served Her Majesty during the final fourteen years of her reign, gaining her maternal affection over that time.
William Downey showed the film to Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle on 23rd November 1896. For more than a century, the recording had been gathering dust in the archives, it was discovered and shown to the general public in 2013.
Pages from Princess Alexandra’s Photo Albums (1896) CLICK on each image to enlarge and see photos in greater detail
The Royal Foundation of Great Britain also published several pages from the album of Princess Alexandra of Wales [Alexandra of Denmark, 1844-1925] – the daughter-in-law of Queen Victoria and the maternal aunt of Nicholas II. Alexandra was fond of photography and made a detailed album on her nephew’s stay at Balmoral. The photos are round – this was the format produced by the first Kodak cameras.
In the pictures, we see the happy newlyweds and their newborn daughter Olga, about whom the queen said: “A beautiful child, and so big!”
Photos from Princess Alexandra’s Photo Albums (1896) CLICK on each image to enlarge and see photos in greater detail
The Queen talked a lot with Nicholas II about politics, in particular, about the crisis in Turkey, where mass crimes against Armenians had taken place. Over a cup of tea, Nicholas II and Queen Victoria decided the fate of the Ottoman Sultan. And Alexandra Feodorovna told Granny Victoria about her new life in St. Petersburg and her worries about motherhood.
The Queen enjoyed watching the bathing of Olga, whom she described as “a cute fat baby, cheerful and full of life.” Newlyweds Nicholas and Alix walked with their dogs in Balmoral Park – without retinue and without worries. Another photo (see below) depicts Nicholas II in the uniform of Colonel-in-Chief of the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Grays), bestowed upon him by Queen Victoria.
Photos from Princess Alexandra’s Photo Albums (1896) CLICK on each image to enlarge and see photos in greater detail
They took photographs of each other in the courtyard of the castle. Alexandra Feodorovna also had her own camera, but her photos have not been preserved. But we can leaf through the diary of Nicholas II for their visit to Balmoral, in which the Tsar mainly describes his hunting excursions:
“At 9 1/2 we went on a round-up of the famous grouse [hazel grouse] in the mountains near Birkhall and Glenmuick. I killed only two of them, because shooting at these birds is very difficult. We had breakfast in the tent provided by the generosity of Lord Glenesk, where we drank tea in a large company after the hunt. We returned home at 7 1/2. I’m pretty tired of climbing mountains and standing for a long time on NoNo [numbers, i.e. designated positions] inside earthen towers!”
The day of 3rd October (O.S. 21st September) according to Nicholas’s diary was marked not only by a “whirling shooting”, but also by an important symbolic event. Nicholas and Alexander planted a pine tree each in Balmoral Park.
PHOTO: the Garden Cottage at Balmoral (1913)
The Emperor dug a hole with his own hands, covered the roots of the tree with earth and watered the pine tree. Since Balmoral has been carefully maintained and preserved over the years, it is safe to say that the pines more than likely have survived to the present day. There are no special plaques on the trunks, but the Queen wrote in her diary that Nicholas and Alexandra planted pine trees “not far from the Garden Cottage.”
PHOTO: memorial plaque installed on the wall of the Chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Sestroretsk, dedicated to Nicholas II, founder of the Russian submarine fleet
On 19th March 2025, on the day marking ‘The Day of the Submariner’ in the Russian Federation, two memorial plaques were installed on the walls of the Chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Sestroretsk. The first IS a portrait depicting the Holy Emperor Nicholas II, the founder of the Russian submarine fleet.
The second features a text about the event of 19th March (O.S. 6th March) 1906, when by decree of Emperor Nicholas II, a new class of warship was created in the Imperial Russian Navy – a submarine fleet, which consisted of 10 submarines.
The chapel is located on the grounds of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Situated on the shore of Lake Razliv, near St. Petersburg it is the birthplace of the submarine in Imperial Russia. It was here, in the presence of Emperor Peter I, that the first test of the “secret vessel” of the inventor of Russia’s first submarine Efim Prokopyevich Nikonov took place. Since 2001, it has been recognized as the spiritual and historical ensemble in honour of the Russian submarine fleet.
PHOTO: the Chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Sestroretsk
The dean of the Kurortny District, the rector of the church, Archpriest Mikhail Petropavlovsky, served a Divine Liturgy in honour of all generations of submariners. Bells rang in memory of the Russian sailors who died while serving on submarines. A panikhida[prayer for the dead] was then served at the wall of memory inscribed with the names of all the sunken submarines and the names of the submarine heroes.
“As long as the Lord grants us life, we must lift up prayers of thanksgiving for the living and pray for those who died at sea – many of them have no graves, no relatives are alive, some are completely forgotten, but with God everyone is alive,” said Father Michael.
PHOTO: modern-day icon painted in St. Petersburg, by order of modern day submariners of the Russian Federation
The plaque installed on the wall of the Chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Sestroretsk is based on the icon depicted in the above photo. It was painted in St. Petersburg, by order of modern day submariners of the Russian Federation.
Up until the October Revolution of 1917, ‘The Day of the Submariner’ was celebrated in Russia as a professional holiday, but abolished during the Soviet years. The holiday was revived almost eight decades later, in 1996, by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Admiral of the Fleet Felix Gromov. Since then ‘The Day of the Submariner’ is once again celebrated on 19th March, by military personnel, veterans and civilian personnel of the submarine forces of the Navy of the Russian Federation.
Nicholas II 
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