AMANDA MADRU is from Western Massachusetts. She developed an interest in Russian imperial history after visiting a local book sale, where she happened upon an old volume on the life and times of Grigori Rasputin. This book contained photographs of the teen aged daughters of Emperor Nicholas II, and Amanda was intrigued by the four striking young women close to her own age, who met an untimely and tragic fate a century ago.
Several years later, she discovered the Alexander Palace Forum, and her foray into research began. Initially, her focus was solely on the last imperial family, but countless hours of independent study would broaden her horizons, and she started learning about royal portraiture, the genealogy of the royal and imperial dynasties of Europe, Russian rulers from Catherine the Great to Nicholas II. With an academic background in Women’s Studies, however, she is especially well-versed in the history of the lesser-known wives and daughters of the tsars.
A writer by trade, Amanda holds a B.A. in English and an M.F.A in creative nonfiction. In addition to authoring articles for TheRomanovFamily.com, she has since assisted author Helen Azar with work on 1913 Diary of Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, Romanov Family Yearbook and Maria Romanov: Third Daughter of the Last Tsar.
Please contact her via email at amandamadrumfa@gmail.com
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