ROMANOV GRAND DUCHESSES: THEIR LOVE OF CHILDREN
All four Romanov grand duchesses loved little children, but Olga and Marie did in particular.
OTMA regularly went to visit the “Nanny school” – a local orphanage – and in Olga’s diaries we often see references to them playing with children, and clearly enjoying this.
It makes one feel very sad indeed to consider that these loving young women never lived to have children of their own.
From the diary of Olga Romanov:
“….[We] went to the Nanny school and stayed there until 12 o’cl. 45 min., played with the adorable little children.”
“…In the morning we 4… went to the Nanny school’s Christmas party. Played with the children for a long time. “
“After tea we four … went to [see] Count and Countess Apraksin, and played with their children.”
From the diary of Tatiana Romanov:
“In the morning 4 went to the nanny school with Nastenka and gave out presents to the children. Then [we] played with the children…”
“At 3 o’clock went to the nanny school for the Christmas party. Squeezed the children…”
“Yesterday afternoon we 4 went to [visit] Tatiana in Pavlovsk. Romped around lot with her children, all such darlings.”
From letters of Maria Romanov:
“The other day we went to the nanny school and squeezed the little children who were already going to bed…”
“Yesterday we went to the Nanny School and squeezed the children. There is this one refugee child, she is only two years old. Her mother died. She is so cute, but speaks Russian badly and calls her nanny Mama.”
“We are now making all sorts of warm clothes for the children who live in Mogilev across from our train.”
Above excerpts are from the books below:
Tatiana Romanov, Daughter of the Last Tsar: Diaries and Letters, 1913–1918
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