August 19, 2015

empress Marie  aloneAfter the blood bath of Ekaterinburg, many members of the Imperial family still remained in Russia- They had fled or remained at their estates in Crimea. It would take awhile for the Revolution to catch up with them and undoubtedly kill them. The dowager Empress Marie Feodorvna, the former Tsar Nicholas II's mother, and his sister, Xenia, were still in Russia. "Minnie" Nicholas's mother was still unable to believe her beloved son and her beautiful grandchildren had been slaughtered. At last, she was warned- she must escape now! In April l9l9, the British ship, HMS Marlborough came to rescue the family and their friends and retinues. The warship was soon loaded with the refugees- In a chaotic state,the families fled onto the ship,some even leaving their empty motorcars still running on the dock! In this poignant picture, Empress Marie and Grand Duke Nicholas Nicholaivich view the Russian coast for the last time, and listen to the last of the Imperial Army sing their anthem. Empress Marie and Grand Duke Nicolas Nicholaivich stand on deck as they evacuate