Who would have been interested in some princess Dolgorukova (who knew how many princesses there were in Rus'?), if not for the great love that intertwined her fate with the life of Emperor Alexander II? Not a favorite who would twist the Tsar as she wanted, Ekaterina Mikhailovna became his only love, created a family for him, which he dearly loved and protected.

First meeting

Princess E. M. Dolgorukova was born in 1847 in the Poltava region. There, on her parents' estate, when she was not yet twelve years old, she saw the emperor for the first time. Moreover, he honored the girl with a walk and a long conversation.

And the forty-year-old adult did not get bored in the company of the child, but was entertained by the simplicity of communication. Later, two years later, having learned about the disastrous financial situation of Prince Dolgorukov, he helped ensure that both sons of the prince received a military education, and assigned both princesses to

Second meeting

Ekaterina Mikhailovna, Princess Dolgorukova, while studying at Smolny, received a good education. At the institute, noble maidens were taught languages, social manners, home economics, music, dancing, drawing, and very little time was devoted to history, geography, and literature. On the eve of Easter 1865, the emperor visited Smolny, and when the seventeen-year-old princess was introduced to him, he remembered her, strange as it may seem, but even more strange is that he did not forget her later.

And the girl was in the prime of youthful and innocent beauty.

Third meeting

After graduating from the Institute of Noble Maidens, Ekaterina Mikhailovna lived in the house of her brother Mikhail. She loved to walk around the Summer Garden and dream that she would meet Alexander II there. And her dream came true. They met by chance, and the emperor gave her a lot of compliments. She, of course, was embarrassed, but from that time on they began to take walks together. And there it was not far from words of love. While the romance developed platonically, Ekaterina Mikhailovna comprehended her situation more and more deeply and flatly refused to get married: every single young man seemed uninteresting to her.

And the girl decided her fate herself. She wanted to make a lonely person, like the Emperor, happy.

Family of Alexander II

And at home she was a cold and dry person. Alexander Nikolaevich did not have a warm family hearth. Everything was strictly regulated. He had not a wife, but an Empress, not children, but Grand Dukes. Etiquette was strictly observed in the family, and liberties were not allowed. The case of the eldest son, Tsarevich Nicholas, dying of tuberculosis in Nice is terrible. The patient's daytime sleep time changed, and Maria Feodorovna stopped visiting him, since she had scheduled walks while he was awake. Did a middle-aged person who wanted warmth need such a family? The death of the heir, with whom he was close, was a huge blow for the emperor.

Secret family

Open and challenging public opinion, which later turned out not to be in her favor, Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukova surrounded the aging, but still full of strength and ideas, Tsar with warmth and affection. When their relationship began, she was eighteen, and her lover was thirty years older.

But nothing, except the need to hide from others, darkened their relationship. Maria Fedorovna, sick with tuberculosis, no longer got up, and the entire Romanov family expressed an extremely negative attitude towards the young woman, especially the heir, Tsarevich Alexander. He himself had a very strong and friendly family, and he refused to accept and understand his father’s behavior. He expressed his dislike so clearly that Alexander II sent his wife, whom he considered Catherine Dolgorukaya, first to Naples and then to Paris. It was in Paris in 1867 that their meetings continued. But not a single step of the emperor went unnoticed. He was watched by Their extensive correspondence, full of genuine passion, has survived to this day. Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukova was an ardent lover and did not skimp on tender words. All this, apparently, was not enough for Alexander Nikolaevich in his frozen and constrained official family.

Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukova and Alexander 2nd

The one whom the Tsar immediately promised to make his crowned wife at the first opportunity had to show feminine patience and wisdom. She humbly waited for this happy day for her for fourteen years. During this time, she and Alexander had four children, but one of the sons, Boris, died as an infant. The rest grew up, and their daughters got married, and their son George became a military man, but died at forty-one, having outlived his crowned father by many years.

Morganatic wedding

The Empress had not yet died when Alexander Nikolaevich moved his family to Zimny ​​and settled it directly above Maria Feodorovna’s chambers. There was whispering in the palace. When Maria Feodorovna died in 1880, even before the end of official mourning, less than three months later, a modest, almost secret wedding took place. And five months later, Ekaterina Mikhailovna was granted the title of Most Serene Princess Yuryevskaya, and their children also began to bear this surname. Alexander Nikolaevich was distinguished by his fearlessness, but he was afraid of attempts on his life, because he did not know how this would affect the Yuryevsky family. Over 3 million rubles were deposited in the name of the princess and her children, and five months later he was killed by Narodnaya Volya. His last breath was taken by a completely grief-stricken Ekaterina Mikhailovna.

Existence in Nice

At the villa, the Most Serene Princess lived with memories. She kept all the clothes of her loved one, down to the dressing gown, wrote a book of memoirs and died in 1922, forty-one years after the death of her beloved husband and lover. At the age of 33 she lost her husband, and for the rest of her life she was faithful to his memory.

This concludes the description of the life that Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukova led. Her biography is both happy and bitter at the same time.

Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukova (November 2, 1847 - February 15, 1922) - princess, from 1880 His Serene Highness Princess Yuryevskaya; second, morganatic, wife of Emperor Alexander II; before that, from 1866, his mistress. We just interrupted our conversation about Alexander II at the breakup with our previous mistress, . Her fate turned out well. What about the emperor? And he met his true love, no matter how overly romantic it may be for our cynical time. However, it cannot be said that he did not know the girl before. Alexander II first saw Katya Dolgorukova in the summer of 1859, a guest of Prince Dolgorukov on the Teplovka estate near Poltava during military exercises. Soon, Catherine’s father went bankrupt, and her mother with four sons and two daughters found herself without funds. The Emperor took the children into his care: he facilitated the entry of the Dolgoruky brothers into St. Petersburg military institutions, and the sisters into the Smolny Institute. I don’t think he imagined that he was raising his mistress. From Catherine's notes: “Despite all the concerns of the headmistress, I was never able to get used to this life without a family, among strangers. I was slowly losing my health. The Emperor, having learned about our arrival in Smolny, visited me in a fatherly manner; I was so happy to see him, his visits restored my vigor. When I was sick, he visited me in the infirmary. His emphasized attention to me and his face, so perfect, shed balm on my childish heart. The more I grew up, the more his cult in me intensified. Every time he came, he sent for me and allowed me to walk next to him. He was interested in me; I considered him a patron, a friend, I addressed him as an angel, knowing that he would not refuse me patronage... He sent me sweets, and I cannot describe how much I adored him.” March 28, 1865, at Palm Sunday, Alexander II, at the invitation of his boss Leontyeva, replacing the then ill Empress Maria Alexandrovna, visited the Smolny Institute, where he was introduced to 17-year-old Ekaterina Dolgorukova, whom he remembered. They said that after her eighth child the empress was forbidden to have sex. As if this is why the tsar decided to find a girl “for his body”, and therefore went to Smolny. Are there a lot of rumors floating around? From Catherine's notes: “Finally, my imprisonment ended, and I left the Institute... having only 16 and a half years. Still just a child, I completely lost the object of my affection, and only a year later, by a happy accident, I met the emperor on December 24, 1865 in the Summer Garden. At first he did not recognize me... This day became memorable for us, because without saying anything to each other and, perhaps, without even understanding it, our meetings determined our lives. I must add that at that time my parents did everything to entertain me, took me out into the world, their goal was to get me married. But every ball doubled my sadness; secular amusements were contrary to my character; I loved solitude and serious reading. One young man tried very hard to please me, but the thought of marriage, no matter with whom, without love, seemed disgusting to me, and he retreated before my coldness.” They began to meet secretly in the Summer Garden near the Winter Palace; The liaison was the famous court bawd Varvara Shebeko, a close friend of the former mistress of Alexander II, whom I mentioned earlier. From Catherine's notes: “When I returned home, I cried for a very long time, I was so moved to see him happy from meeting me, and after much thought I decided that my heart belonged to him and I was not able to connect my existence with anyone. The next day I announced to my parents that I would rather die than get married. Endless scenes and questions followed, but I felt an unprecedented determination to fight everyone who tried to marry me off, and I realized that this force supporting me was love. From that moment I decided to give up everything, the worldly pleasures so desired by young people of my age, and devote my entire life to the happiness of the One I loved. I had the good fortune to see him again on July 1st. He was on a horse and I will never forget his joy when I met him. That day we were alone for the first time and decided not to hide what was overwhelming us, happy at the opportunity to love each other. I told him that I was giving up everything to devote myself to loving him, and that I could no longer fight this feeling. God is witness to the innocence of our meeting, which became a true relaxation for us, who had forgotten the whole world for the sake of feelings inspired by God. How pure the conversation was in those hours that we spent together. And I, who had not yet known life, an innocent soul, did not understand that another man in similar circumstances could take advantage of my innocence, but He behaved with me with the honesty and nobility of a man who loves and respects a woman, he treated me as a sacred object , without any other feeling - it’s so noble and beautiful! From that day on, we met every day, crazy with happiness, to love and understand each other completely. He swore to me in front of the image that he was devoted to me forever and that his only dream was to marry me if he was ever free; he made me swear to what I did with joy... The continuation and end of my memories will prove that we kept our word, and our love lasted until the grave.” On July 13, 1866, they met for the first time at Belvedere near Peterhof, where they spent the night, after which they continued dating there. Thus, Catherine fooled the emperor for almost a year before surrendering.
Portrait of Catherine, painted by Alexander II At that time, Empress Maria Alexandrovna was already sick with consumption and did not get out of bed. The adulterous relationship caused acute displeasure among many Romanovs and, above all, the Tsarevich, the future Alexander III. By the end of the year, the emperor was forced to send his mistress, accompanied by her brother, to Naples. While still close, they wrote letters to each other every day, and, it must be said, the separation did not cool their relationship. Extensive correspondence between the lovers has been preserved. Many of the letters are extremely frank. To denote their intimacy, Catherine and Alexander invented a special French word, bingerle.
Letter from Alexander II Alexander II - Catherine Dolgorukaya, St. Petersburg, Monday March 6, 1867, 11 1/2 pm. Letter No. 48 “I’ve been so busy all day that only now can I finally start my favorite activity. My thoughts did not leave my adored minx for a moment, and when I got up, the first thing I did was rush with passion to the kind card I received last night. I can’t stop looking at her and I would like to throw myself at my Angel, press him tightly to my heart and kiss him all over. You see how much I love you, my dear, passionately and rapturously, and it seems to me that after our sad parting, my feeling is only growing day by day. It’s for sure that I only breathe with you and all my thoughts, wherever I am and whatever I do, are constantly with you and do not leave you for a minute. The whole morning was spent working and receiving appointments. Only at 3 o’clock was I able to go out to first do my boring walk, however, more pleasant thanks to the weather, sun and up to 7 degrees of heat. But you can’t imagine how bored I am with all these faces that I am forced to see every day. How tired of fear! Then I went to visit my eldest son [...] From him we went, with his wife, to the Catherine Institute, which I promised them a long time ago. ... I find them even more ostentatious than those in Smolny - but you know, my soul, why my heart lies more towards Smolny. Firstly, because I used to see you there, and secondly, now your dear sister is there, who loves us both so much. You will understand, my dear, how impatient I am to look there, especially now that I know that your sister must give me your letter. For me, it is a real torture to have to postpone this happy moment solely out of caution, so as not to arouse attention with too frequent visits. This is how everything happens in this world, most time you have to do the opposite of what you really want. And especially to misfortune, we can apply this to us. I hope that someday God will reward us for all the sacrifices that we must now make one after another. The girls at the Ekaterininsky Institute sang several songs very sweetly, then we were present at their dinner, and when they left, they ran to my daughter-in-law and me, and each wanted to kiss our hands, so we just had to fight. In Smolny, thank God, it has never come to this before. There were a few people there by dinner, and I spent the rest of the evening at work, breaking for half an hour for tea and a short sleigh ride in the magnificent moonlight, from which I had just returned. I will now read Gospel[elie] 21 Chapter [of] Acts of the Apostles, I will pray for you and go to bed, mentally holding you, my everything, to your heart. I love you, my soul, without memory and am happy that I belong to you forever.” “My dear angel, you know I didn’t mind. We had each other the way you wanted. But I must confess to you: I will not rest until I see your charms again.” In the same year, 1867, Alexander II paid an official visit to Paris. Dolgorukova secretly arrived there from Naples. The lovers met at the Elysee Palace... They returned to Russia together. Catherine gave birth to four children from Alexander II (one - Boris (1876) - died in infancy): Georgy Alexandrovich Yuryevsky (1872-1913) Olga Alexandrovna Yuryevskaya (1873-1925), married to Georg-Nicholas von Merenberg (1871-1948), son of Natalia Pushkina. Ekaterina Alexandrovna Yuryevskaya (1878-1959), married to S.P. Obolensky The Empress was still alive when Alexander settled Catherine and her children in the Winter Palace (the emperor placed his mistress in his father’s apartment), which further exacerbated the hostile attitude of many Romanovs towards her. The court was divided into two parties: supporters of Dolgorukova and supporters of the Heir Alexander Alexandrovich. Empress Maria Alexandrovna did not take public action. From the diary of Alexander II (Tuesday, January 27, 1870), 2 am. “More than ever, I feel the effect that balls usually have on me, and I think that D (Olgorukova) should have noticed this when I approached her at the end of the cotillion; she was even more charming than always, in her delightful toilet, in my opinion, the most beautiful of all. I was very pleased that I was able to do a waltz tour with her, and I admit, it took a lot of effort for me to force myself to stop there. Wednesday, January 28 (1870), 11 ... pm. The delightful evening spent with D(olgorukova) made an exceptional impression on me; she was lovely and read the novel with artistic flair. Sunday, February 1, 1870, midnight. I’m in a bad mood because when I came to Smolny with my daughter, all I had in my head was the memory of a famous person who is now so dear to me, and I’m glad to be her slave forever! Monday, February 2, 1870, 11 p.m. Upon returning from the German performance, I had to endure an extremely painful explanation with my wife about my disappearances in the evenings, after visiting the children. This only confirmed my fears. Thank God, D(olgorukova’s) name has not yet been spoken!” Sunday, 2/14 February 1869, noon “Your morning letter found me at the usual hour when the sun rises, but I couldn’t answer you right away, my darling... Now I have to go to the parade, then to the concert, where I hope to meet you... 4.30 in the afternoon Our meeting was very short, like a ray of sunshine, but for me it was happiness, and you should have felt it, dear darling, although I did not even dare to stop you to even shake your hand. I returned from the concert and had to take my daughter for a sleigh ride. 0.15. Half an hour ago I returned from the French performance, where I was bored to death, although I was happy to have a reason to be with you, my happiness, my treasure, my ideal. The end of our evening left me with a very tender impression, but I admit that I was extremely saddened by seeing your concern at the beginning, your tears hurt me, because involuntarily I told myself that my love is no longer enough for you, no, rather , that those short moments that I could devote to you every day were not sufficient compensation to you for the shocks, inconveniences and sacrifices of your current situation. I think there is no need to repeat to you, dear angel, that you are my life, and that everything for me is concentrated in you, and that is why I cannot look at you with composure in your moments of despair... Despite all my desire, I cannot devote my life only to you and live only for you... You know that you are my conscience, it has become my need not to hide anything from you, even the most personal thoughts... Do not forget, my dear angel, that life is dear to me because I don’t want to lose hope of devoting myself entirely only to you... I love you, my darling Katya.” Monday, February 3/15, 08.15 am “I would like to wake up in your arms. I hope in the evening, at about 8 o’clock, to meet in our nest... Yours forever.” N227. Sunday, September 8 1868, 9 am. “Having sent my letter, I performed my toilet, thinking at the same time that I would not be at all ashamed to do this in the presence of my dear, adored wife and that she, for her part, would be pleased by forcing me to be present at her toilet. But both of these activities would last a little longer, since we would not be able to help but interrupt them from time to time to admire each other and caress each other, as we love to do. What to do? We fell in love like cats and can’t help but caress each other. - The sun appeared again and the weather was beautiful again. We walked like yesterday, and while we were drinking coffee, my cousin from Weimar appeared, who always reminds me of the happy days of this spring, when we were still together and thought only about the happiness of meeting on a walk and ending up in our evening sweet little nest to enjoy our caresses there like crazy. O my God, give us such an opportunity and the same happiness after our return, three weeks from now. You can judge for yourself what is happening to your husband at the mere thought of it. Everything in him is trembling and asking to go home. Aw! Hurt! - I want both of us to feel crazy sweet! 8 p.m. I am happy that I can give you a moment of pleasure by sending you my card, which is, in fact, very bad. But what about us, everything is sweet and dear to us. Yes, we understand everything that happens to us and in us, and we don’t need explanations. This mutual understanding is our treasure, which we, of course, should be proud of. The little whims that my evil and adored minx sometimes allows herself to express in a letter do not make me angry at all, but only make me laugh, for I know my nasty minx to the very bottom and love my darling to the point of madness with all her shortcomings, just as God created her, and for me she is still the sweetest in the world. Aw! Hurt! I want to go home and forget everything, and just enjoy our caresses, as we alone know how to appreciate it. Yes, I hope that God will not abandon us and will reward us one day for all our current hardships and torments. I will now pray to Him about this after reading chapter 3. Epistle to the Romans, and I’ll go to bed, mentally with my darling, Bobinka. I hug and kiss her all over.” Letter from E. M. Dolgorukova to Emperor Alexander II Peterhof. June 18/30, 1870 “Oh, what boredom, there’s just no urine. Alas! Today there are no letters or telegrams, which makes me doubly sad, because from your own experience you understand what torment it is to be without news from the being in whom your whole life is... Everything trembles in me from the passion with which I want to see you. I love and kiss you all, my darling, my life is my everything.” Friday, June 19, 1870, 11 a.m. “Hello, dear angel, I love you, and it fills me terribly. My thoughts follow you on your journey and I feel you sigh because you are not with me. We would spend time together so pleasantly and have so much fun that it would be scary. I slept very poorly and the rainy weather irritates me even more. Kiss you. Love you".
Catherine's letter Saturday, June 29, 1870, 10 am. “Hello, dear angel, I love you and am happy to love you. I had an exciting dream, I dreamed that we were kissing. ABOUT! If only it were real! I can only think about the happiness of seeing you again and it fills me completely. Love you. 11 p.m. My thoughts follow you to Warsaw. I hope that you did not arrive too tired and that you will telegraph to me. Oh! How I am drawn to you and how I want you, my darling, my life, my everything. I feel attached to you and in love with you more than ever, and I can only think about the minute when, in 5 days, I see you. ABOUT! God, unite us in good health and do not deny us Your blessing. I kiss, love, hug you all passionately, my darling, my everything. The Lord is with you! Alexander to Ekaterina Dolgorukaya during the Russian-Turkish War, October 7, 1877 “At 10 a.m. Hello, dear Angel of my soul. I slept well, despite a very cold night, only 2 degrees... At 3 1/2 o'clock in the afternoon. [...] I took a walk in a carriage and on foot... and visited the hospital, where many soldiers with frostbitten legs were brought from Shipka, but fortunately, there was no need for amputation. The sun is almost warm and the wind has died down. ...At 7 3/4 p.m. The courier arrived after lunch, and your letter... is like the sun to me. Yes, I feel loved as I never dared to dream, and I answer you the same from the depths of my soul, feeling happy and proud that an Angel like you owns me and that I belong to you forever. What was dictated by my dear baby bump made me happy as usual; the affection he has shown us since birth is truly touching. God bless him and Olya for us, so that both will continue to be our joy. What you sent for the Bryansk and Arkhangelogorod regiments will be handed over to them as soon as it arrives, and I thank you for this with all your heart. This doesn’t surprise me at all, I know and can appreciate your heart of gold, but you understand what pleasure this gives to your Munch, for whom you are an idol, treasure, life. At 10 1/2 p.m. ... Good news has just arrived that the second redoubt, which the Romanians were besieging, has been taken. We don't know the details yet. A good start. Your morning telegram has just arrived and I am glad that your stomach is better... Everything is calm with my son on Shipka, but the poor troops are suffering terribly from the night cold. I love you, kind Angel, and hug you tenderly. Saturday, October 8, 10 a.m. Good morning, dear Angel of my soul, I slept well and am filled with love and tenderness for you, my adorable little wife. The morning was magnificent, the night was very cold. Yesterday before going to bed I received the bad news that the Turks had taken back the redoubt occupied by the Romanians. We are now waiting for details. ...At 7 1/2 p.m. ... Oh! how I remember our glorious afternoons when the children loved to come down to me and tell you about things before drinking their milk. I'm so drawn to you. God grant us to return soon!” Alexander II Following the death of his wife on May 22, 1880, before the expiration of the protocol mourning period, on July 6, 1880, a marriage ceremony took place in the military chapel of the Tsarskoye Selo Palace, performed by Protopresbyter Xenophon Nikolsky. Alexander II explained his decision this way: “I would never get married before the end of mourning, but we live in a dangerous time when sudden assassination attempts, which I subject myself to every day, could end my life. Therefore, it is my duty to ensure the position of a woman who has been living for me for fourteen years, as well as to ensure the future of our three children...” Ekaterina Mikhailovna, in response to the persuasion of the courtiers not to disgrace the emperor in front of the people, answered: “The Emperor will be happy and calm only when he marries me.” The marriage was morganatic, but rumors began to spread throughout the empire that Catherine might ascend to the throne after the death of the emperor. By decree of December 5, 1880, she was granted the title of Most Serene Princess Yuryevskaya, which correlated with one of the family names of the Romanov boyars; their children (all born out of wedlock, but legitimized retroactively) received the surname Yuryevsky. Many of the emperor's relatives and the aristocracy viewed the marriage with extreme disapproval. Minister of Internal Affairs Mikhail Loris-Melikov had to seek a compromise with two rival parties: Princess Yuryevskaya and the heir Alexander Alexandrovich. On September 5, 1880, Alexander II signed a certificate that the Minister of the Court, Count Adlerberg, deposited 3,302,910 gold rubles in the state bank in the name of Princess Ekaterina Mikhailovna Yuryevskaya and her children. Yuryevskaya's notebook, entitled "Souvenirs received from my beloved Munch" (as she called Alexander), has been preserved. This list, which includes the dates of each gift, creates a kind of chronicle of the novel. Can be compared with the dates of key events from her memories. 1866 April 18. Bracelet with a small ruby ​​surrounded by small diamonds. July 11. Ring with ruby. July 29. Bracelet with ruby ​​and four diamonds. Opens. With an image in a medallion. Watch with gold chain. August 27. Bracelet with the inscription "May God protect you", in diamonds. Plain gold cufflinks. Ring of St. Barbara. September 30th. Gospel. October 9. Whip with precious stones. November 24. Bracelet with round pearls. Medallion with pearls and small diamonds. Cufflinks and brooch with rubies. Album with pansies. 1867 .... Round bronze clock. Bracelet and brooch with pansies and diamonds, with the inscription May 30. Bracelet with 3 pansies, different stones. Medallion with ruby ​​surrounded by diamonds. July 29. A gold bracelet. Oriental style pendant with different stones. Cufflinks with "E.A." made of diamonds on rock crystal. 2 October. Lots of things for the toilet. October 6. Bracelet with "Semper" in turquoise. Hairpin with a pommel in the form of an ivy leaf. November 24. The caps are purple and black. Fan in gold frame. Pearl and diamond watch pendant. Bracelet with a large diamond. December 24. Bracelet with chain, rubies and diamonds. Earrings with rubies surrounded by diamonds. Opal seal in gold frame. Figurine made of Saxon porcelain. On March 1, 1881, Alexander II was assassinated by members of Narodnaya Volya. The hostility towards the princess was so strong that after the funeral of Alexander II, she and her children emigrated to Nice. Until the end of her life, Dolgorukova remained faithful to her love, never remarried, and lived for thirty years surrounded by photographs and letters of her only lover. At the age of 75, Ekaterina Mikhailovna died at her villa Georges near Nice. Over the course of fourteen years, the ardent emperor and his beloved wrote about four and a half thousand letters to each other. In 1999, correspondence between famous lovers was sold at Christie's for $250,000. She left behind a book of memoirs, published by her in Europe immediately after the death of her husband, under the pseudonym Victor Laferte. In cinema, her image was embodied by actresses Daniel Darrieu, Romy Schneider, Vera Sotnikova, Natalya Antonova.
From the memoirs of E.M. Yuryevskaya, published under the pseudonym Victor Laferte: “The emperor valued the joys of family life so much that he gladly took advantage of every opportunity that brought him its sweetness, and therefore in the last week of his life, preparing to receive Easter communion, he dined with his beloved wife and beloved children. Having given his hand to his wife, so that, alas! to go with her to the dining room for the last time, he said, shaking her hand: “I feel so happy today that my happiness scares me!” Perhaps someone will be surprised that the heart of a young woman was filled with such a tender and devoted affection for the sovereign, but it is also indisputable that Emperor Alexander II possessed exceptional virtues, and therefore it is quite natural that this sovereign, despite his age, inspired the strongest and the boundless affection for himself that his wife had for him from her early youth. Her love only grew over the years and the inexorable scythe of death could not break it. The sovereign could not enjoy happiness without the joys of the home: loneliness was painful for him, for his sensitive soul felt the need to pour itself out. His beloved wife, whom his great heart chose as his life partner, was raised under his direct influence; he was pleased, so to speak, to pour out his chosen soul into her own, and he had the highest consolation in the fact that his thoughts and feelings were related to the thoughts and feelings of his girlfriend to such an extent that each of the spouses could say: “My thoughts are his thoughts, and my heart is his heart." “If the all-good God had preserved him for me, even without both legs, he could still live... it would still be him!... In this state he would belong to me even more, for he would have to renounce from imperial power! Did I really value his imperial crown, which was only a burden to me and disrupted my happiness? I loved him in him, I loved his personality, and for fifteen years I loved him equally tenderly, both on the first and on the last day! Now that he is no more, my love will survive his loss, I will cherish it to the very grave, where God, out of pity for my misfortune and in his great mercy, will soon call me, according to my deepest desire! Sources.

In March 1855, a new emperor ascended to the Russian throne. Alexander II. The era of his reign, which began with the defeat in the Crimean War and ended with the death of the emperor himself, was one of the most striking periods in Russian history.

Alexander II decided to do what his predecessors were not ready for - he began large-scale reforms that Russia urgently needed.

These reforms affected almost all spheres of life, although the emperor is primarily credited with the abolition of serfdom.

But behind the busy life of Emperor Alexander II, there also remained the life of Alexander Nikolaevich Romanov, an ordinary person, not devoid of feelings and weaknesses inherent in all people. And there was a love story in his life that he had to fight for...

The unloved is waiting for me in the palace...

In 1841, the 23-year-old heir to the throne, Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich, married a 17-year-old Maximilian Wilhelmina Augusta Sophia Maria of Hesse-Darmstadt, daughter of the Grand Duke Ludwig II of Hesse.

Empress Maria Alexandrovna. Portrait of Franz Winterhalter, 1857 (Hermitage)

The parents of the Grand Duke had serious doubts about this union, but the future emperor, distinguished by his amorousness from a young age, insisted on his own. In Orthodoxy, the prince’s young wife took the name Maria Alexandrovna.

Maria Alexandrovna was a worthy wife of the Grand Duke and then the Emperor. She bore him eight children, despite poor health; She devoted a lot of time to charity, did not interfere in her husband’s political affairs - in a word, an exemplary wife of a monarch.

The problem was only one thing - Alexander very quickly lost interest in his wife. Men from the Romanov family were not generally distinguished by marital fidelity, but Alexander II stood out even among them, changing favorites like gloves.

Maria Alexandrovna knew about this, and worries about this did not add to her health. To the credit of Alexander II, he did everything that depended on him for the recovery of his wife. The imperial couple spent a lot of time at foreign resorts, and the empress felt better for some time.

Maria Alexandrovna's health deteriorated greatly after the death of her eldest son, the Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich. The 21-year-old heir to the throne died in 1865 in Nice from meningitis.

The emperor, who was also experiencing the loss of his son, surrounded his wife with care, but not love. His true, sincere love belonged to another...

"I want to see the emperor"

Ekaterina Dolgorukaya. Photo: Public Domain

In 1859, Alexander II went on a trip to Poltava, where exercises dedicated to the 150th anniversary were to take place Battle of Poltava. The Emperor stayed at the Teplovka estate, owned by the guards captain Prince Mikhail Dolgorukov, belonging to an ancient but impoverished branch of the Dolgoruky family.

One day, while walking through the garden, the emperor came across a girl about ten years old. Alexander II asked who she was. “I am Ekaterina Mikhailovna,” the girl answered importantly. “What are you doing here?” - asked the king. “I want to see the emperor,” the girl admitted.

This girl was the daughter of Prince Mikhail Dolgoruky Catherine. The Emperor found Katenka funny and intelligent, and spent several hours talking and walking around the garden with her, which delighted her completely.

Two years after this meeting, the emperor was informed that Prince Mikhail Dolgoruky, with whom he was staying, was completely ruined, and his family was left without a livelihood.

Remembering Dolgoruky’s hospitality and his sweet and funny daughter, Alexander II ordered the prince’s four sons and two daughters to be taken under “imperial guardianship.”

Boys were sent to the capital's military schools, and girls to the Smolny Institute.

Meeting in the Summer Garden

The Smolny Institute was patronized by Empress Maria Alexandrovna, but because of her illness, the educational institution was often visited by the emperor himself. One day he was introduced to a 17-year-old pupil, Ekaterina Dolgorukaya. Alexander II remembered his little interlocutor from Teplovka, but now instead of her a young girl of amazing beauty stood in front of him.

This meeting turned the life of Alexander II upside down. He suddenly discovered that his thoughts were constantly returning to Katya Dolgorukaya.

Egor Botman. Portrait of Alexander II. 1856. (Fragment). Photo:Public Domain

After graduating from the institute, Ekaterina Dolgorukaya settled in St. Petersburg in the house of her older brother Mikhail, and often walked along the alleys of the Summer Garden. Alexander II also loved to walk there alone. Once this habit almost made him the victim of an assassination attempt... But let’s not talk about politics.

During one of his walks in the Summer Garden, the emperor literally ran into Katenka Dolgoruka, a girl about whom he now constantly thought. Alexander II took a long walk with Katya that day and paid her a lot of compliments, which embarrassed her a lot.

From that moment on, their walks together occurred more and more often. The emperor moved from simple compliments to words of love - he lost his head like a boy.

“I consider you my wife before God”

From the notes of Ekaterina Dolgorukaya: “...after much thought, I decided that my heart belongs to him and I am not able to connect my existence with anyone. The next day I announced to my parents that I would rather die than get married. Endless scenes and questions followed, but I felt an unprecedented determination to fight everyone who tried to marry me off, and I realized that this force supporting me was love. From that moment I decided to give up everything, the secular pleasures so desired by young people of my age, and devote my whole life to the happiness of the One I loved.”

Their relationship for several months was purely platonic in nature, which is completely uncharacteristic for Alexander II, who was accustomed to receiving everything from women at once. But this time everything was different - for the first time in his life, he was overcome by a high feeling that did not allow him to treat his young beloved rudely.

They spent their first night together in July 1866 in Belvedere, near Peterhof. Katya Dolgorukaya was not yet 19 years old, Alexander Nikolaevich Romanov was 48...

The Emperor told Catherine: “I am not free now. But at the first opportunity I will marry you, for from now on and forever I consider you my wife before God...”

Ekaterina Dolgorukaya. Own sketch of Emperor Alexander II. Photo: Public Domain

“I won’t rest until I see your charms”

The court quickly learned about the relationship between the emperor and Catherine Dolgoruky. At first, this was taken for another intrigue, but it soon became clear that this time Alexander II fell in love for real.

And his legal wife Maria Alexandrovna continued to fade away, getting sick more and more often.

The Emperor faced strong rejection of his new novel from his family, including his son. Alexander Alexandrovich, heir to the throne.

The conflict was so serious that he decided to send Catherine abroad for a while. However, Alexander II had no intention of leaving her - he even came to visit his beloved in Paris, where their romance was secretly monitored by French police agents.

Those who expected that “the emperor’s passion would pass” were mistaken - the “passion” lasted for years. Alexander and Catherine carried on a correspondence full of passion, and the contents of many letters can embarrass even Russians of the 21st century who are not inclined to puritanism. Emperor to Catherine Dolgoruky: “We had each other the way you wanted. But I must confess to you: I will not rest until I see your charms again.”.

Ekaterina Dolgorukaya to Alexander: “Everything in me trembles with the passion with which I want to see you. I love and kiss you all, my darling, my life is my everything.”

Catherine gave birth to four children from the emperor - two girls and two boys (one of whom died in infancy).

“Son, do you want to be a Grand Duke?”

By the end of the 1870s, an amazing picture emerged: the All-Russian Emperor lived in two families, not really hiding this fact. This, of course, was not reported to the subjects, but members of the royal family, high-ranking dignitaries, and courtiers knew very well about it.

On this basis, the relations of Alexander II with his son and heir Alexander Alexandrovich teetered on the brink of the Cold War.

And Alexander II also added fuel to this family conflict by settling Catherine and her children in the Winter Palace, in separate chambers, but next to her legal wife and children.

Georgy, Olga and Ekaterina Yuryevsky Photo: Public Domain

On May 22, 1880, Maria Alexandrovna died. Alexander II was determined to fulfill the promise made to Catherine 14 years ago.

On July 6, 1880, Alexander II married Ekaterina Dolgoruka. This happened before the end of mourning for the deceased empress. Alexander understood everything, but to those who asked him to wait, he answered: “I would never get married before the end of mourning, but we live in a dangerous time, when sudden assassination attempts, to which I expose myself every day, could end my life. Therefore, it is my duty to ensure the position of the woman who has been living for me for fourteen years, as well as to ensure the future of our three children.”

The marriage was morganatic, that is, it did not make Catherine Dolgorukaya an empress, but it seems that Alexander II was ready to go further.

In any case, members of the imperial family were instructed to behave with Catherine Dolgoruky as with an empress.

Alexander II himself, playing with his little son Georgiy, whom his family called Goga, once asked the child in the presence of the heir to the throne:

Goga, do you want to be a Grand Duke?

Catherine, sitting next to her husband, breaking etiquette, exclaimed:

Sasha, stop it!

What the future Emperor Alexander III thought about all this could be guessed from his changed face.

Love that conquered death

By decree of December 5, 1880, Ekaterina Dolgoruky was granted the title Your Serene Highness Princess Yuryevskaya, which correlated with one of the family names of the Romanov boyars; the children of Catherine and the emperor also received the princely title and surname Yuryevsky.

If the men from the imperial family, with the exception of the heir, reacted to everything that happened with restraint and understanding, then the ladies behaved like market women or inhabitants of a communal kitchen. Streams of dirty gossip and outright hatred accompanied the short period during which Catherine was destined to be the legal wife of Alexander II.

On March 1, 1881, the emperor was mortally wounded by a Narodnaya Volya bomb Ignatius Grinevitsky.

Ekaterina Dolgorukaya was only 33 years old, but along with the death of the man to whom she once decided to devote her life, the world around her faded away. She never remarried, remaining faithful to Alexander.

Alexander II gave his second wife not only a title, but also cash capital in the bank amounting to more than 3 million rubles. The Emperor foresaw that with his death, the Romanov relatives would try to take it out on Catherine and the childrenAnd so it happened. The new Emperor Alexander III did not show nobility, and Catherine Dolgoruky and her children were strongly advised to leave Russia.

Your Serene Highness Princess Yuryevskaya emigrated to Nice, where she spent the rest of her life in her own villa, leaving memories of her happiest years, of her love for the great emperor and an ordinary person.

Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukaya died in Nice in 1922, outliving Alexander by 41 years...

Ekaterina Dolgorukaya (Yuryevskaya) in Nice

Women in history: Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukova

Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukova (November 2, 1847 - February 15, 1922) - princess, from 1880 His Serene Highness Princess Yuryevskaya; second, morganatic, wife of Emperor Alexander II; before that, from 1866, his mistress. Alexander II first saw Katya Dolgorukova in the summer of 1859, a guest of Prince Dolgorukov on the Teplovka estate near Poltava during military exercises. Soon, Catherine’s father went bankrupt, and her mother with four sons and two daughters found herself without funds. The emperor took the children into his care: he facilitated the entry of the Dolgoruky brothers into St. Petersburg military institutions, and the sisters into the Smolny Institute.

From Catherine’s notes: “Despite all the headmistress’s worries, I was never able to get used to this life without a family, among strangers. I was slowly losing my health. The Emperor, having learned about our arrival in Smolny, visited me in a fatherly manner; I was so happy to see him, his visits restored my vigor. When I was sick, he visited me in the infirmary. His emphasized attention to me and his face, so perfect, shed balm on my childish heart. The more I grew up, the more his cult in me intensified. Every time he came, he sent for me and allowed me to walk next to him. He was interested in me; I considered him a patron, a friend, I addressed him as an angel, knowing that he would not refuse me protection... He sent me sweets, and I cannot describe how much I adored him.”

On March 28, 1865, Palm Sunday, Alexander II, at the invitation of his boss Leontyeva, replacing the then ill Empress Maria Alexandrovna, visited the Smolny Institute, where he was introduced to 17-year-old Ekaterina Dolgorukova, whom he remembered. They said that after her eighth child the empress was forbidden to have sex. As if this is why the tsar decided to find a girl “for his body”, and therefore went to Smolny. Are there a lot of rumors floating around?

From Catherine’s notes: “Finally, my imprisonment ended, and I left the Institute... having only 16 and a half years. Still just a child, I completely lost the object of my affection, and only a year later, by a happy accident, I met the emperor on December 24, 1865 in the Summer Garden. At first he did not recognize me... This day became memorable for us, because without saying anything to each other and, perhaps, without even understanding it, our meetings determined our lives. I must add that at that time my parents did everything to entertain me, took me out into the world, their goal was to get me married. But every ball doubled my sadness; secular amusements were contrary to my character; I loved solitude and serious reading. One young man tried very hard to please me, but the thought of marriage, no matter with whom, without love, seemed disgusting to me, and he retreated before my coldness.”

Princess Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukova - student of the Smolny Institute

Unknown photographer. Princess Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukova - a student of the Smolny Institute and her daughter-in-law, Princess Louise

Dolgorukova, nee Marquise Chereche Maggiore (wife of brother Mikhail). 1860s. From the publication E KL452/2005 Alexander I. 2005, p. 10

They began to meet secretly in the Summer Garden near the Winter Palace; The liaison officer was the famous court pimp Varvara Shebeko, a close friend of Alexandra Dolgorukova, the former mistress of Alexander II.

Alexandra Sergeevna Dolgorukaya

From Catherine’s notes: “When I returned home, I cried for a very long time, I was so moved to see him happy from meeting me, and after much thought I decided that my heart belonged to him and I was not able to connect my existence with anyone. The next day I announced to my parents that I would rather die than get married. Endless scenes and questions followed, but I felt an unprecedented determination to fight everyone who tried to marry me off, and I realized that this force supporting me was love. From that moment I decided to give up everything, the worldly pleasures so desired by young people of my age, and devote my entire life to the happiness of the One I loved. I had the good fortune to see him again on July 1st. He was on a horse and I will never forget his joy when I met him. That day we were alone for the first time and decided not to hide what was overwhelming us, happy at the opportunity to love each other. I told him that I was giving up everything to devote myself to loving him, and that I could no longer fight this feeling. God is witness to the innocence of our meeting, which became a true relaxation for us, who had forgotten the whole world for the sake of feelings inspired by God. How pure the conversation was in those hours that we spent together. And I, who had not yet known life, an innocent soul, did not understand that another man in similar circumstances could take advantage of my innocence, but He behaved with me with the honesty and nobility of a man who loves and respects a woman, he treated me as a sacred object , without any other feeling - it’s so noble and beautiful! From that day on, we met every day, crazy with happiness, to love and understand each other completely. He swore to me in front of the image that he was devoted to me forever and that his only dream was to marry me if he was ever free; he made me swear to what I did with joy... The continuation and end of my memories will prove that we kept our word, and our love lasted to the grave.”

Suscipj, Lorenzo. Princess Dolgorukaya Ekaterina Mikhailovna.

On July 13, 1866, they met for the first time at Belvedere near Peterhof, where they spent the night, after which they continued dating there. Thus, Catherine fooled the emperor for almost a year before surrendering.

At that time, Empress Maria Alexandrovna was already sick with consumption and did not get out of bed. The adulterous relationship caused acute displeasure among many Romanovs and, above all, the Tsarevich, the future Alexander III. By the end of the year, the emperor was forced to send his mistress, accompanied by her brother, to Naples.

Belvedere Palace - Peterhof

While still close, they wrote letters to each other every day, and, it must be said, the separation did not cool their relationship. Extensive correspondence between the lovers has been preserved. Many of the letters are extremely frank. To denote their intimacy, Catherine and Alexander invented a special French word bingerle.

Letter from Alexander II Letter from Catherine

Alexander II - Catherine Dolgorukaya, St. Petersburg, Monday March 6, 1867, 11 1/2 pm. Letter No. 48

“I’ve been so busy all day that only now can I finally start my favorite activity. My thoughts did not leave my adored minx for a moment, and when I got up, the first thing I did was rush with passion to the kind card I received last night. I can’t stop looking at her and I would like to throw myself at my Angel, press him tightly to my heart and kiss him all over. You see how much I love you, my dear, passionately and rapturously, and it seems to me that after our sad parting, my feeling is only growing day by day. It’s for sure that I only breathe with you and all my thoughts, wherever I am and whatever I do, are constantly with you and do not leave you for a minute. The whole morning was spent working and receiving appointments. Only at 3 o’clock was I able to go out to first do my boring walk, however, more pleasant thanks to the weather, sun and up to 7 degrees of heat. But you can’t imagine how bored I am with all these faces that I am forced to see every day. How tired of fear! Then I went to visit my eldest son [...] From him we went, with his wife, to the Catherine Institute, which I promised them a long time ago. ... I find them even more ostentatious than those in Smolny - but you know, my soul, why my heart lies more towards Smolny. Firstly, because I used to see you there, and secondly, now your dear sister is there, who loves us both so much. You will understand, my dear, how impatient I am to look there, especially now that I know that your sister must give me your letter. For me, it is a real torture to have to postpone this happy moment solely out of caution, so as not to arouse attention with too frequent visits. This is how everything happens in this world, most of the time you have to do the opposite of what you really want. And especially to misfortune, we can apply this to us. I hope that someday God will reward us for all the sacrifices that we must now make one after another. The girls at the Ekaterininsky Institute sang several songs very sweetly, then we were present at their dinner, and when they left, they ran to my daughter-in-law and me, and each wanted to kiss our hands, so we just had to fight. In Smolny, thank God, it has never come to this before. There were a few people there by dinner, and I spent the rest of the evening at work, breaking for half an hour for tea and a short sleigh ride in the magnificent moonlight, from which I had just returned. I will now read Gospel[elie] 21 Chapter [of] Acts of the Apostles, I will pray for you and go to bed, mentally holding you, my everything, to your heart. I love you, my soul, without memory and am happy that I belong to you forever.”

“My dear angel, you know I didn’t mind. We had each other the way you wanted. But I must confess to you: I will not rest until I see your charms again.”

Portrait of Catherine, painted by Alexander II

In the same year, 1867, Alexander II paid an official visit to Paris. Dolgorukova secretly arrived there from Naples. The lovers met at the Elysee Palace... They returned to Russia together.

Catherine gave birth to four children from Alexander II (one - Boris(1876) - died in infancy): . Georgy Alexandrovich Yuryevsky (1872—1913) .Olga Alexandrovna Yuryevskaya(1873-1925), married to Georg-Nikolai von Merenberg (1871-1948), son of Natalia Pushkina. . Ekaterina Alexandrovna Yuryevskaya(1878-1959), married to S. P. Obolensky.

Children of Emperor Alexander II and His Serene Highness Princess Yuryevskaya - George, Catherine, Olga.

K.E. Makovsky

The Empress was still alive when Alexander settled Catherine and her children in the Winter Palace (the Emperor placed his mistress in his father's apartments), which further exacerbated the hostility of many Romanovs towards her. The court was divided into two parties: supporters of Dolgorukova and supporters of the Heir Alexander Alexandrovich. Empress Maria Alexandrovna did not take public action.

Portrait of Empress Maria Alexandrovna

From the diary of Alexander II (Tuesday, January 27, 1870), 2 am. “More than ever, I feel the effect that balls usually have on me, and I think that D (Olgorukova) should have noticed this when I approached her at the end of the cotillion; she was even more charming than always, in her delightful toilet, in my opinion, the most beautiful of all. I was very pleased that I was able to do a waltz tour with her, and I admit, it took a lot of effort for me to force myself to stop there.

Still from the film "The Emperor's Romance"

Wednesday, January 28 (1870), 11 ... pm. The delightful evening spent with D(olgorukova) made an exceptional impression on me; she was lovely and read the novel with artistic flair.

Sunday, February 1, 1870, midnight. I’m in a bad mood because when I came to Smolny with my daughter, all I had in my head was the memory of a famous person who is now so dear to me, and I’m glad to be her slave forever!

Monday, February 2, 1870, 11 p.m. Upon returning from the German performance, I had to endure an extremely painful explanation with my wife about my disappearances in the evenings, after visiting the children. This only confirmed my fears. Thank God, the name D(olgorukova) has not yet been pronounced! »

Still from the film "The Emperor's Romance"

Sunday, February 2/14, 1869, noon “Your morning letter found me at the usual hour when the sun rises, but I could not answer you right away, my dear... Now I must go to the parade, then to the concert, where I hope to meet you... 4.30 in the afternoon Our meeting was very short, like a ray of sunshine, but for me it was happiness, and you should have felt it, dear darling, although I did not even dare to stop you to at least shake your hand. I returned from the concert and had to take my daughter for a sleigh ride. 0.15. Half an hour ago I returned from the French performance, where I was bored to death, although I was happy to have a reason to be with you, my happiness, my treasure, my ideal. The end of our evening left me with a very tender impression, but I admit that I was extremely saddened by seeing your concern at the beginning, your tears hurt me, because involuntarily I told myself that my love is no longer enough for you, no, rather , that those short moments that I could devote to you every day were not sufficient compensation to you for the shocks, inconveniences and sacrifices of your current situation. I think there is no need to repeat to you, dear angel, that you are my life, and that everything for me is concentrated in you, and that is why I cannot look at you with composure in your moments of despair... Despite all my desire, I cannot devote my life only to you and live only for you... You know that you are my conscience, it has become my need not to hide anything from you, even the most personal thoughts... Do not forget, my dear angel, that life is dear to me because I don’t want to lose hope of devoting myself entirely only to you... I love you, my darling Katya.”

Princess Dolgorukaya Ekaterina Mikhailovna

Monday, February 3/15, 08.15 am “I would like to wake up in your arms. I hope in the evening, at about 8 o’clock, to meet in our nest... Yours forever.” N227. Sunday, September 8 1868, 9 am. “Having sent my letter, I performed my toilet, thinking at the same time that I would not be at all ashamed to do this in the presence of my dear, adored wife and that she, for her part, would be pleased by forcing me to be present at her toilet. But both of these activities would last a little longer, since we would not be able to help but interrupt them from time to time to admire each other and caress each other, as we love to do. What to do? We fell in love like cats and can’t help but caress each other. - The sun appeared again and the weather was beautiful again. We walked like yesterday, and while we were drinking coffee, my cousin from Weimar appeared, who always reminds me of the happy days of this spring, when we were still together and thought only about the happiness of meeting on a walk and ending up in our evening sweet little nest to enjoy our caresses there like crazy. O my God, give us such an opportunity and the same happiness after our return, three weeks from now. You can judge for yourself what is happening to your husband at the mere thought of it. Everything in him is trembling and asking to go home. Aw! Hurt! - I want both of us to feel crazy sweet! 8 p.m. I am happy that I can give you a moment of pleasure by sending you my card, which is, in fact, very bad. But what about us, everything is sweet and dear to us. Yes, we understand everything that happens to us and in us, and we don’t need explanations. This mutual understanding is our treasure, which we, of course, should be proud of. The little whims that my evil and adored minx sometimes allows herself to express in a letter do not make me angry at all, but only make me laugh, for I know my nasty minx to the very bottom and love my darling to the point of madness with all her shortcomings, just as God created her, and for me she is still the sweetest in the world. Aw! Hurt! I want to go home and forget everything, and just enjoy our caresses, as we alone know how to appreciate it. Yes, I hope that God will not abandon us and will reward us one day for all our current hardships and torments. I will now pray to Him about this after reading chapter 3. Epistle to the Romans, and I’ll go to bed, mentally with my darling, Bobinka. I hug and kiss her all over.”

Princess Dolgorukaya Ekaterina Mikhailovna

Letter from E. M. Dolgorukova to Emperor Alexander II Peterhof. June 18/30, 1870 “Oh, what boredom, there’s just no urine. Alas! Today there are no letters or telegrams, which makes me doubly sad, because from your own experience you understand what torment it is to be without news from the being in whom your whole life is... Everything trembles in me from the passion with which I want to see you. I love and kiss you all, my darling, my life is my everything.”

Friday, June 19, 1870, 11 a.m. “Hello, dear angel, I love you, and it fills me terribly. My thoughts follow you on your journey and I feel you sigh because you are not with me. We would spend time together so pleasantly and have so much fun that it would be scary. I slept very poorly and the rainy weather irritates me even more. Kiss you. Love you".

Emperor Alexander II

Letter from Catherine Saturday, June 29, 1870, 10 am. “Hello, dear angel, I love you and am happy to love you. I had an exciting dream, I dreamed that we were kissing. ABOUT! If only it were real! I can only think about the happiness of seeing you again and it fills me completely. Love you. 11 p.m. My thoughts follow you to Warsaw. I hope that you did not arrive too tired and that you will telegraph to me. Oh! How I am drawn to you and how I want you, my darling, my life, my everything. I feel attached to you and in love with you more than ever, and I can only think about the minute when, in 5 days, I see you. ABOUT! God, unite us in good health and do not deny us Your blessing. I kiss, love, hug you all passionately, my darling, my everything. The Lord is with you!”

Emperor Alexander II

Alexander to Catherine Dolgorukaya during the Russian-Turkish War, October 7, 1877 “At 10 o’clock in the morning. Hello, dear Angel of my soul. I slept well, despite a very cold night, only 2 degrees... At 3 1/2 o'clock in the afternoon. [...] I took a walk in a carriage and on foot... and visited the hospital, where many soldiers with frostbitten legs were brought from Shipka, but fortunately, there was no need for amputation. The sun is almost warm and the wind has died down. ...At 7 3/4 p.m. The courier arrived after lunch, and your letter... is like the sun to me. Yes, I feel loved as I never dared to dream, and I answer you the same from the depths of my soul, feeling happy and proud that an Angel like you owns me and that I belong to you forever. What was dictated by my dear baby bump made me happy as usual; the affection he has shown us since birth is truly touching. God bless him and Olya for us, so that both will continue to be our joy. What you sent for the Bryansk and Arkhangelogorod regiments will be handed over to them as soon as it arrives, and I thank you for this with all your heart. This doesn’t surprise me at all, I know and can appreciate your heart of gold, but you understand what pleasure this gives to your Munch, for whom you are an idol, treasure, life. At 10 1/2 p.m. ... Good news has just arrived that the second redoubt, which the Romanians were besieging, has been taken. We don't know the details yet. A good start. Your morning telegram has just arrived and I am glad that your stomach is better... Everything is calm with my son on Shipka, but the poor troops are suffering terribly from the night cold. I love you, kind Angel, and hug you tenderly.

Still from the film "The Emperor's Romance"

Saturday, October 8, 10 a.m. Good morning, dear Angel of my soul, I slept well and am filled with love and tenderness for you, my adorable little wife. The morning was magnificent, the night was very cold. Yesterday before going to bed I received the bad news that the Turks had taken back the redoubt occupied by the Romanians. We are now waiting for details. ...At 7 1/2 p.m. ... Oh! how I remember our glorious afternoons when the children loved to come down to me and tell you about things before drinking their milk. I'm so drawn to you. May God grant us to return soon! »

Still from the film "The Emperor's Love"

Following the death of his wife on May 22, 1880, before the expiration of the protocol mourning period, on July 6, 1880, a marriage ceremony took place in the military chapel of the Tsarskoye Selo Palace, performed by Protopresbyter Xenophon Nikolsky. Alexander II explained his decision this way: “I would never get married before the end of mourning, but we live in a dangerous time when sudden assassination attempts, which I subject myself to every day, could end my life. Therefore, it is my duty to ensure the position of a woman who has been living for me for fourteen years, as well as to ensure the future of our three children...” Ekaterina Mikhailovna, in response to the persuasion of the courtiers not to disgrace the emperor in front of the people, answered: “ The Emperor will be happy and calm only when he marries me" The marriage was morganatic, but rumors began to spread throughout the empire that Catherine might ascend to the throne after the death of the emperor. By decree of December 5, 1880, she was granted the title of Most Serene Princess Yuryevskaya, which correlated with one of the family names of the Romanov boyars; their children (all born out of wedlock, but legitimized retroactively) received the surname Yuryevsky.

Emperor Alexander II and His Serene Highness Princess E.M. Yuryevskaya with their children George and Olga

Souvenirs received from my beloved Munch "(as she called Alexandra). This list, where the dates of each gift are indicated, creates a kind of chronicle of the novel. Can be compared with the dates of key events from her memories. 1866 April 18. Bracelet with a small ruby ​​surrounded by small diamonds. Ring with a ruby. Bracelet with a ruby ​​and four diamonds. Opens with a watch with a gold chain. May God protect you", in diamonds. Plain gold cufflinks. Ring of St. Barbara. September 30. Gospel. October 9. Whip with precious stones. November 24. Bracelet with round pearls. Medallion with pearls and small diamonds. Cufflinks and brooch with rubies. Album with pansies. 1867.... Round bronze watch. Bracelet and brooch with pansies and diamonds, with the inscription 30 May. Bracelet with 3 pansies, different stones. Gold bracelet surrounded by diamonds. in oriental style with different stones. Cufflinks with " E.A"made of diamonds on rock crystal. October 2. Lots of things for the toilet. October 6. Bracelet with " Sempe r" of turquoise. Hairpin with ivy leaf finial. November 24. Purple and black caps. Fan in gold frame. Pearl and diamond pendant with watch. Bracelet with large diamond. December 24. Bracelet with chain, rubies and diamonds. Earrings with rubies surrounded by diamonds. Opal seal in a gold frame. Saxon porcelain figurine.

Your Serene Highness Princess E.M. Yuryevskaya

On March 1, 1881, Alexander II was assassinated by members of Narodnaya Volya. The hostility towards the princess was so strong that after the funeral of Alexander II, she and her children emigrated to Nice. Until the end of her life, Dolgorukova remained faithful to her love, never remarried, and lived for thirty years surrounded by photographs and letters of her only lover. At the age of 75, Ekaterina Mikhailovna died at her villa Georges near Nice. Over the course of fourteen years, the ardent emperor and his beloved wrote about four and a half thousand letters to each other. In 1999, correspondence between famous lovers was sold at auction " Christie

“The emperor valued the joys of family life so much that he gladly took advantage of every opportunity that brought him its sweetness, and therefore in the last week of his life, preparing to receive Easter communion, he dined with his beloved wife and beloved children. Having given his hand to his wife, so that, alas! to go with her to the dining room for the last time, he said, shaking her hand: “I feel so happy today that my happiness scares me!” Perhaps someone will be surprised that the heart of a young woman was filled with such a tender and devoted affection for the sovereign, but it is also indisputable that Emperor Alexander II possessed exceptional virtues, and therefore it is quite natural that this sovereign, despite his age, inspired the strongest and the boundless affection for himself that his wife had for him from her early youth. Her love only grew over the years and the inexorable scythe of death could not break it. The sovereign could not enjoy happiness without the joys of the home: loneliness was painful for him, for his sensitive soul felt the need to pour itself out. His beloved wife, whom his great heart chose as his life partner, was raised under his direct influence; he was pleased, so to speak, to pour out his chosen soul into her own, and he had the highest consolation in the fact that his thoughts and feelings were related to the thoughts and feelings of his girlfriend to such an extent that each of the spouses could say: “My thoughts are his thoughts, and my heart is his heart." “If the all-good God had preserved him for me, even without both legs, he could still live... it would still be him!... In this state he would belong to me even more, for he would have to renounce from the imperial power! Did I really value his imperial crown, which was only a burden to me and disrupted my happiness? I loved him in him, I loved his personality, and for fifteen years I loved him equally tenderly, both on the first and on the last day! Now that he is no more, my love will survive his loss, I will cherish it to the very grave, where God, out of pity for my misfortune and in his great mercy, will soon call me, according to my deepest desire! »

The grave of Princess Yuryevskaya at the Russian Cemetery in Nice. Her younger sister Maria Mikhailovna Berg (née Dolgorukaya, 1850-1907) was buried in the crypt with her.

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorugova is often perceived negatively. “Favourite”, “Mistress”, “Took away”, “Broken the family”... But if you take a closer look at the broken family, you begin to understand that there was no need to break anything there - everything had already fallen apart long ago, even before Katya Dolgorukova appeared at court .

In his youth, Alexander II was passionately in love with Olga Kalinovskaya, a maid of honor at court, a Polish woman, and a Catholic. Olga was quickly married off, and Alexander was sent to Europe to meet foreign princesses and look for his future wife. There he chose the 15-year-old Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt. The young creature with huge eyes and childish curls aroused in the Tsarevich a desire to protect and care. Since he had not met anyone more spectacular then, he decided to marry Maria. “My only desire is to find a worthy girlfriend who would decorate my family hearth and bring the highest happiness on earth - the happiness of a husband and father.” - he will write to his parents. Mary's origins were rather vague, but the Duke officially recognized her as his daughter, so she was still considered a princess. And yet Alexander Nikolaevich made a mistake... At the age of 15, it is still very difficult to guess what a person’s character will be like later. Fifteen-year-old Marie, arriving in St. Petersburg, charmed everyone. At first, the Tsarevich himself seemed to be in love and absolutely happy. But gradually relations in the family began to deteriorate: Alexander did not deny himself the pleasure of flirting with the ladies-in-waiting, Maria became a slave to etiquette and rules. Childish spontaneity and cheerfulness completely disappeared, the Empress turned into a dry and strict German Frau, and the Tsar did not accept such women, he needed something completely different.

P.N. writes very well about this. Krasnov in the novel “The Regicides”: “There was no rest in the family. There was not a wife - but the Empress, not children, but the Heir Tsarevich and the Grand Dukes. There was the same strict etiquette of the Imperial Family.

Over the years, the Emperor was drawn to a calm, not a palace, but a homely hearth. This hearth was created for him in 1868 by a young girl, Princess Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukaya.

The Emperor was fifty years old. Dolgorukaya was seventeen when they got together. The girl “with gazelle eyes” managed to captivate the Tsar with her simplicity of address, sometimes reaching the point of rudeness, and he fell in love with her with a strong, final love.

S.D. writes about the same thing. Sheremetev: “I saw her more than once at large court balls: slender, thin, all strewn with diamonds, with her hair in small curls, she appeared as if reluctantly, was amiable, spoke intelligent speeches, peered intently and with a penetrating gaze; Always restrained, she would rather understate rather than say too much. She seemed to be performing a boring duty, and when she spoke, one might have thought that she wanted to say: “You see, I’m talking to you because it’s accepted, that it’s a duty, but I don’t care about you; I have an inner life, accessible to a select few, everything else is service, duty, boredom “... It seems to me that Sovereign Alexander Nikolaevich felt stuffy with her.”

Empress Maria Alexandrovna

The following case is also noteworthy: in 1867 in Nice, where Tsarevich Nikolai was dying, she could not visit her dying son for a whole week only because Nikolai’s afternoon nap time changed and began to coincide with the time of her walk. But there was no way Maria Alexandrovna could reschedule the walk to another time... When Maria Alexandrovna was asked why it was impossible to take walks at another time, she replied: “It’s inconvenient for me.”

And against the background of all this, Ekaterina Dolgorukova appears in the life of the Sovereign. Can you blame her for the collapse of the family? I don't think so.

Katenka’s father was retired guard captain Mikhail Dolgoruky, and her mother was Vera Vishnevskaya, one of the richest Ukrainian landowners. True, by the end of the 50s of the 19th century, the wealth of the Dolgoruky family was already a thing of the past. The Emperor once came to visit the Poltava estate of the Dolgorukys after regular maneuvers.

Katya was then a little over ten, but she remembered very well this large, stately man with a lush mustache and a gentle look. He was sitting on the veranda after lunch, and she ran past. He called out to her, asking who she was, and she answered importantly:
- I am Ekaterina Mikhailovna.
-What are you looking for here? — Alexander Nikolaevich was curious.
“I want to see the emperor,” the girl admitted, slightly embarrassed.

This story greatly amused the Emperor. He decided to help the impoverished noble family and ordered the admission of the Dolgorukovs' daughters, Ekaterina and Maria, to the most prestigious women's educational institution of that time - the Smolny Institute.

So, Katya and her younger sister Maria were placed in the Smolny Institute. Already there the girls stood out for their beauty. The elder sister was a girl of average height, with a graceful figure, amazingly soft skin and luxurious light brown hair. Her face seemed as if carved from ivory, and she also had amazingly expressive light eyes and a beautifully contoured mouth. Katyusha didn’t really like Smolny; the only thing that brightened up his stay there was the Emperor’s frequent visits.

“Despite all the worries of the director, I was never able to get used to life outside the family, surrounded by people who were strangers to me, I began to get sick more often. The Emperor, having learned about our arrival in Smolny, came to visit me in a fatherly way; I was so happy about him see, his visits gave me courage. When I was sick, he visited me in the infirmary. I turned to him as a guardian angel, knowing that he would not refuse me his protection. So, one day, when the food was especially bad, and I suffered from hunger, not knowing who to turn to, I complained to him, and from that day he ordered me to be fed at the headmistress’s table and served to me whatever I wanted. He sent me sweets, and I cannot describe the adoration. which I felt for him. Finally, my imprisonment ended, I left the institute."

Having only 16 and a half years. Still just a child, I completely lost the object of my affection, and only a year later, by a happy accident, I met the emperor on December 24, 1865 in the Summer Garden. At first he did not recognize me... This day became memorable for us, because without saying anything to each other and perhaps without even understanding it, our meetings determined our lives.

I must add that at that time my parents did everything to entertain me, took me out into the world, their goal was to get me married. But every ball doubled my sadness; secular amusements were contrary to my character; I loved solitude and serious reading. One young man tried very hard to please me, but the thought of marriage, no matter with whom, without love, seemed disgusting to me, and he retreated before my coldness.

Catherine writes about the emerging feeling in her “Notes”, which she published in her later years, living in Nice:

“On that day (the day of the assassination attempt) I was in the Summer Garden, the emperor spoke to me as usual, asked when I was going to visit my sister in Smolny, and when I said that I would go there that very evening, that she was waiting for me, he noticed that he would come there just to see me. He took a few steps towards me, teasing me with my childish appearance, which angered me, but I considered myself an adult, “Goodbye, see you in the evening,” he told me, and headed towards the lattice gates. I went out through a small gate near the canal.
Upon leaving, I learned that the emperor had been shot while leaving the garden. This news shocked me so much that I got sick, I cried so much, the thought that such an angel of kindness had enemies who wanted him dead tormented me. This day tied me even more to him; I thought only about him and wanted to express to him my joy and gratitude to God that he was saved from such a death. I was sure that he felt the same need to see me. Despite the excitement and business that he was busy with during the day, he arrived at the institute soon after me. This meeting was the best proof that we love each other.

Returning home, I cried for a very long time, I was so moved to see him happy from meeting me, and after much thought I decided that my heart belonged to him and I was not able to connect my existence with anyone. The next day I announced to my parents that I would rather die than get married. Endless scenes and questions followed, but I felt an unprecedented determination to fight everyone who tried to marry me off, and I realized that this force supporting me was love. From that moment I decided to give up everything, the worldly pleasures so desired by young people of my age, and devote my entire life to the happiness of the One I loved.
I had the good fortune to see him again on July 1st. He was on a horse and I will never forget his joy when I met him. That day we were alone for the first time and decided not to hide what was overwhelming us, happy at the opportunity to love each other. I told him that I was giving up everything to devote myself to loving him, and that I could no longer fight this feeling. God is witness to the innocence of our meeting, which became a true relaxation for us, who had forgotten the whole world for the sake of feelings inspired by God. How pure the conversation was in those hours that we spent together. And I, who had not yet known life, an innocent soul, did not understand that another man in similar circumstances could take advantage of my innocence, but He behaved with me with the honesty and nobility of a man who loves and respects a woman, he treated me as a sacred object , without any other feeling - it’s so noble and beautiful!

In 1866, the next wedding anniversary of Nicholas I and Alexandra Feodorovna was celebrated in Peterhof. Three miles from the main Peterhof Palace there was a small Belvedere castle, the chambers of which were provided to the guests of the holiday. It was here that Catherine Dolgorukaya was brought to spend the night, and it was here that she surrendered herself to the emperor for the first time. That same night he told her:

“Now, alas, I am not free, but at the first opportunity I will marry you, for from now on I consider you my wife before God, and I will never leave you.”
Let us note that Alexander could “become free” only after the death of his legal wife, Empress Maria Alexandrovna, who was already often ill at that time. So his oath, which he would definitely keep, sounded somehow creepy.
Catherine wrote about this event as follows:

“We celebrated a memorable day on August 26th. He swore to me in front of the image that he was attached to me forever and his only dream was to marry me if he ever became free. He demanded the same oath from me, which I took with joy.” From that day on, we met every day, crazy with happiness, to love and understand each other completely. He swore to me in front of the image that he was devoted to me forever and that his only dream was to marry me if he was ever free; he made me swear to what I did with joy..."

If initially the meetings were secret, then over time everyone learned about the Tsar’s new favorite, including Maria Alexandrovna.

According to Countess A.A. Tolstoy, everyone at court initially mistook the emperor’s new novel for just another hobby. In her “Notes of a Lady-in-Waiting” she writes:
“I did not take into account that his advanced age increased the danger, but most of all, I did not take into account the fact that the girl on whom he turned his gaze was a completely different type than those with whom he was attracted before... Although everyone saw the beginning new hobby, but were not at all worried; even those closest to the emperor did not expect a serious turn of events. On the contrary, everyone was very far from suspecting that he was capable of a real love affair; a romance brewing in secret. They only saw what was happening before our eyes - walks with frequent, seemingly random meetings, exchanges of glances in theater boxes, etc., etc. They said that the princess was pursuing the emperor, but no one yet knew that they saw each other not only in public, but also in other places - by the way, with her brother Prince Mikhail Dolgoruky, married to an Italian.”

When Princess Dolgorukaya, looking around embarrassedly and covering her face bashfully, began to regularly appear at the emperor’s, the courtiers, privy to the secrets of the royal chambers, began to whisper. Rumors quickly reached the princess's relatives, and they hastened to take her to Naples. However, already in June 1867, Alexander arrived in the capital of France. Having learned about this, Catherine rushed there, and the French police, vigilantly monitoring the safety of the Russian distinguished guest, began to carefully record his daily secret meetings, informing their monarch about them. Now again nothing could interfere with their love. They met in the Elysee Palace, where Alexander settled and where there were also many secret staircases and rooms. Catherine herself lived in a modest hotel, and in the evenings she came to her lover through a secret gate on Gabriel Street and Marigny Avenue. She was happy and wrote: “How feverishly we waited for this moment of happiness after five months of torment. Finally the happy day came, and we hurried into each other’s arms.”

After this, the Tsar did not want to remain without his Katya for so long.

“My parents announced that they had decided not to return to Russia - this was too cruel a blow for me... I immediately telegraphed him, asking what I should do, and received a categorical answer: in that case, to return alone, and as for my device - he will take care. I hurried to my parents and said that I was leaving tomorrow, that I wished them happiness, but I would rather die than lead this wandering existence. They understood everything, and when they saw my energy, they went with me. The emperor was shocked by my painful state, but my state of mind helped me... The hours that we spent together always seemed too short to us, but the happiness of sharing joy and happiness was our life."

The firstborn of this love was born in April 1872, it was a boy, he was named George. The following year, the king’s daughter, Olga, was born. The increase in the number of illegitimate offspring worried the royal family even more, but Alexander Nikolaevich every time fell into terrible anger at the slightest hint of the need to break this connection. Soon Princess Dolgoruky gave birth to a third child - daughter Ekaterina.

It just so happened that Catherine Dolgorukaya, for the sake of love for the emperor, ruined her reputation forever, sacrificed not only her life in society with its inherent entertainment, but also normal life in general. family life. When they had a son and two daughters, she had a new sadness: her children were illegitimate “bastards.” Alexander II was very proud of his son, he said with a laugh that this child had more than half Russian blood, and this was such a rarity for the House of Romanov...

“Alexander was doomed to loneliness. And, probably, it is no coincidence that the only person with whom he tried to share this loneliness, with whom he was free and frank to the end, was Katya Dolgorukaya - stupid, extremely far from understanding state affairs, but loving and devoted infinitely; Alexander II undoubtedly perceived her as part of himself.”

Some contemporaries argued that the emperor looked at the world through Dolgorukaya’s eyes and spoke in her words. But it seems that the situation was much more complicated. Alexander II needed a person who could listen to him, a person who was alive and empathetic to him. And Ekaterina Dolgorukaya, who loved him, gradually entered into the essence of many matters that worried the sovereign, listened to him, asked questions, and expressed her opinion. She became his interlocutor, adviser, his inner voice. If in some ways the emperor repeated Catherine’s thoughts, then these were his own thoughts, heard by her.

In addition, Dolgorukaya lived in solitude (the entire family, except for her sister, turned away from her), which means she did not have an influential clan of greedy, intriguing relatives and cunning court dignitaries behind her. Catherine never asked the emperor for anything, but she warmed his uniforms, monitored his medications, pitied him and sincerely admired him. And he could be sure that there was no self-interest behind this.

Over the years, Alexander and Catherine became closer and were equally necessary to each other. “Alexander Nikolaevich managed to create a delightful lover out of an inexperienced girl. She belonged to him entirely. She gave him her soul, mind, imagination, will, feelings. They talked to each other tirelessly about their love.”

The ambiguous and false situation ended with the death of Maria Alexandrovna. The Empress died quietly in the Winter Palace, in her own apartments, on the night of June 2-3, 1880.

The Emperor immediately introduced Ekaterina Mikhailovna into the circle of relatives. Now they were no longer hiding.

Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich recalls: “The old master of ceremonies himself was noticeably embarrassed when, on the Sunday evening following our arrival, members of the Imperial family gathered in the Winter Palace at the dinner table to meet Princess Yuryevskaya. The voice of the master of ceremonies when he knocked three times on the floor with a staff with an ivory handle, sounded uncertain:
- His Majesty and Serene Highness Princess Yuryevskaya!
My mother looked to the side, Tsarevna Maria Fedorovna looked down...
The Emperor quickly entered, leading the young woman by the hand. beautiful woman. He nodded cheerfully to my father and looked at the mighty figure of the Heir with a searching gaze.
Fully counting on the complete loyalty of his brother (our father), he had no illusions regarding the Heir's view of this second marriage. Princess Yuryevskaya kindly responded to the polite bows of the Grand Duchesses and Princes and sat down next to the Emperor in the chair of the late Empress. Full of curiosity, I did not take my eyes off Princess Yuryevskaya.

I liked the expression of her sad face and the radiant glow coming from her blond hair. It was clear that she was worried. She often turned to the Emperor, and he stroked her hand soothingly. She, of course, would have managed to win the hearts of all men, but they were watched by women, and any attempt by her to take part in the general conversation was met with polite, cold silence. I felt sorry for her and could not understand why she was treated with contempt because she fell in love with a handsome, cheerful, kind man, who, unfortunately for her, was the Emperor of All Russia?

Their long life together did not in the least diminish their mutual adoration. At sixty-four years old, Emperor Alexander II behaved with her like an eighteen-year-old boy. He whispered words of encouragement into her little ear. He asked if she liked wines. He agreed with everything she said. He looked at us all with a friendly smile, as if inviting us to rejoice in his happiness, joked with me and my brothers, terribly pleased that we obviously liked the princess."

The wedding ceremony took place on July 6, 1880 in a small room on the lower floor of the Great Tsarskoye Selo Palace at the modest altar of the camp church. The strictest measures were taken to ensure that none of the guard soldiers or officers, nor any palace servant, suspected what was happening. You might think that we were talking about some shameful act, but, most likely, Alexander II took care that his relatives would not try to disrupt the event.

The emperor was dressed in a blue hussar uniform, the bride in a simple light dress. They were married by the Archpriest of the Winter Palace Church, Xenophon Nikolsky, and were present at the ceremony: Count A.V. Adlerberg, Adjutants General A.M. Ryleev and E.T. Baranov, the bride’s sister Maria Mikhailovna and the inescapable Mademoiselle Shebeko. All of them were later subjected to some kind of ostracism from the so-called “big world”.

She was thirty-two years old, he was sixty-two. Their relationship had lasted for many years, and the emperor, having married Catherine, nevertheless fulfilled his oath that he had once given her: to marry her at the first opportunity, for he forever considered her his wife before God.

On the wedding day he said:
“I’ve been waiting for this day for fourteen years and I’m afraid of my happiness.” If only God didn’t deprive me of it too early...

A few hours later, he issued a secret decree, announcing what had happened and assigning to his wife the title and surname of the Most Serene Princess Yuryevskaya. Their children, as well as those who may be born subsequently, received the same surname.

After the wedding, the newlyweds left for Crimea. Their honeymoon lasted from August to November.

S.D. wrote about this stay in Crimea. Sheremetev: “Completely unexpectedly, we were the cause of a major family conflict. The Emperor had long wanted a rapprochement between his children and the children of the Tsarevich, especially for his daughter, and hinted that joint walks in a carriage would be highly desirable. The Tsarevna, who in every possible way wanted to distance this, explained that Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna always rides alone... But here comes an invitation to my daughter Anna to come to Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna... They play together and go for a ride, the Emperor meets them... His face changed. Ksenia Alexandrovna was riding... etc., in a word, there was a stormy explanation, and the crown princess was brought to tears... After this it was no longer possible to avoid fulfilling the will of the Sovereign...

Children of Alexander II and Princess Yuryevskaya

How many times have I found the crown princess in great excitement: her eyes filled with tears... She was not shy in expressing her indignation and was only amazed at the patience and calmness of the crown prince. “Il ne voit rien... quand on lui parle il dit qu’il n’a rien on.” Makovsky at that time was making a portrait of Princess Yuryevskaya; I had to go and admire them. The Tsesarevna drew attention to the hands of Princess Yuryevskaya, that they were very ugly, and asked the Tsarevich, isn’t it true, how ugly the hands are. He replies that he didn’t see or notice anything. I remember one day the Tsarevna left the Tsar’s office all in tears. I accompanied her home. She could not hide her excitement and indignation. On her table I see the book “Mme du Barry”. I paid attention to her. She says that there is nothing to read, and that we have Du Barry on our face. After one explanation, the Emperor became so angry that he shouted to the princess that if she did not want to listen to him as her father-in-law, “alors je vous l’ordonne comme Soverain.” Princess Yuryevskaya never ceased to incite the Tsar. By chance I came across her children; I saw how her son “Gog” rushed to hug the crown prince, rather unnaturally. We can say that the family life of the royal family was hell. The Tsarevich came up with a hunt for Chatyrdagi, where he and the Tsarevna went for a few days to the Kosmodemyansky Monastery to be further from Livadia."

Upon returning to the capital, Ekaterina Mikhailovna settled in the imperial apartments, and Alexander II deposited more than three million rubles in gold into her bank account. It seemed that the emperor was completely happy...

But the happiness turned out to be short-lived. A fatal explosion occurred on the Catherine Canal. Torn to pieces by the explosion, but still alive, the emperor was brought to the Winter Palace. Every minute people came in - doctors, members of the imperial family. Catherine ran in half-dressed and threw herself on her husband’s body, covering his hands with kisses and shouting:
- Sasha, Sasha!
She grabbed a first aid kit with medicine and began to wash her husband’s wounds, rubbed her temples with ether and even helped the surgeons stop the bleeding.
With his eyes clouded from pain, Alexander looked at those around him. His lips moved, but there was no sound. The eyes closed, the head fell back helplessly. Catherine took his last breath. It was four hours thirty-five minutes in the afternoon...

When the life physician, the famous doctor S.P. Botkin, announced the death of the emperor, the princess fell down as if knocked down. Wearing a pink and white peignoir soaked in her husband's blood, she was carried out of the room unconscious. God did not heed the fears of Alexander II - his happiness turned out to be so short. But no one could cross out fourteen years of love.

On the eve of the transfer of the remains of Alexander II from the Winter Palace to the Peter and Paul Cathedral, Catherine Dolgorukaya cut off her beautiful hair and placed it in the hands of her husband as a wreath. Completely heartbroken, she climbed the steps of the hearse, knelt down and fell to the body of the innocent murdered man. The emperor's face was hidden under a red veil, but she abruptly tore it off and began to cover her disfigured forehead and cheeks with long kisses, after which she staggered and left the room.

In Nice, Catherine settled in a villa on the Boulevard de Bouchages, which she named “Villa Georges” in honor of her first-born son, who never ascended to the Russian throne.

S.Yu. Nechaev "Russian Nice"
P.N. Krasnov "The Regicides"