Photo 1-2 : Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Olga N

Photo 1-2 : Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, Skvortsov, Ungern-Shtengern, Fedyushkin and Shvedov “AKSHV” at Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna’s house in Saint Petersburg, 17th March 1913.

“17th March. Sunday.
In the morning were at obednya with Papa in the regimental church. Had breakfast with Papa, Ioan, Gavril and Mama on the couch. Went to Petersburg, first to Grandmama and then to A[unt] Olga, Irina, Andrei, Feodor, Sasha and her Mother, B. Ungernsternberg, Shvedov, Skvortsev, Yuzik, Shangin and Kulikovsky were there. We played, drank tea, had dinner and went back.”

(1913 Diary of Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna)

“Sunday. 17 March. Went to obednya. Otetz Shavelsky performed the service yesterday and today. Had breakfast with Papa, Mama, Ioann and Gavril. At 2 o'cl. 7 min we 4 went to Petersburg to Grandmama’s with them and Lili Obolenskaya. Aunt Olga and Aunt Ksenia were there. Aunt Ksenia is leaving for Paris today. A little after 3 o'clock [we] went to Aunt Olga’s with her. At 3 ½ Tzigern-Shternberg, Gozeko, Skvortsov and AKSHV arrived. Dear, sweet AKSHV, I was so happy to finally see him. Prince Leuchtenberg with Irina, Fedor and Andrusha had tea. We had tea with the same on the little balcony in the sun. It was so cozy. We sat and talked for a long while. Then [we] went to play turkey, rope, and slap-on-hands in the spare dining room. Had dinner at 6 ½. We 3 and Aunt Olga sat with the Cossacks at their table. I also sat with AKSHV at tea. We walked around, sat, talked and laughed until 8 o'cl., it was so nice. Poor darling, he told me that his mother died last year. I am so sad for him. May the Lord save us. Returned at 8 o'clo. 15 min with Olga Yevg[enievna]. In the evening sat with Papa and Mama. Stopped by Tatiana’s [room], she is feeling fine. This afternoon Mama rode in an equipage and felt a bit queasy and tired. Darling Olga took 2 photographs of us three with the Cossacks. Kulikovsky and Shangin were also there.”

Azar, H. (2015) Journal of a Russian Grand Duchess: Complete Annotated 1913 Diary of Olga Romanov, Eldest Daughter of the Last Tsar. p. 82.

Photos from:
Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna’s 1913 - 1914 Album / page 1b, photos 14 and 13