Coco Chanel called Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov “my prince”. And he really helped turn her life into a fairy tale. Thanks to him, Coco has become a legend in the world of fashion and perfumery.

Younger prince

Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov, the youngest of the Grand Dukes of the House of Romanov, was born in 1891 into the family of Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich, the youngest of the brothers of Emperor Alexander III.
Dmitry Pavlovich was a cousin of Nicholas II, grandson of Alexander II, great-grandson of Nicholas I on his paternal side and great-great-grandson on the maternal side (through his grandmother Queen Olga Konstantinovna of Greece).

Mother Dmitry, the Greek princess Alexandra, died on the sixth day after giving birth, her father was deprived of parental rights due to a morganatic marriage to a divorced woman of low birth. Therefore, Prince Dmitry was brought up in the family of the Moscow governor Sergei Alexandrovich, who was married to the sister of the Empress Elizabeth Feodorovna.

Sergei Alexandrovich's reputation was ambiguous. In the light, there was talk about his unconventional sexual orientation and that his marriage could hardly be called happy (later, similar rumors circulated about Dmitry Pavlovich, talked about his "special relationship" with Felix Yusupov).
However, Sergei Alexandrovich was a good guardian. He overly pampered his pupils, which attracted the jealousy of his wife, who disliked adopted children.

Athlete

Having matured, Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich returned to Petersburg and entered the rank of a cornet in the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment. In the light, he was popular. He was slender, handsome, he drove a car, and was renowned as a good rider. Dmitry Pavlovich was even taken to the Olympic equestrian team of the Russian Empire. As part of the Russian team, he took part in the Summer Olympics in Stockholm in 1912. He took 9th place in individual show jumping and 5th place in the Russian national team in team show jumping.

Warrior

Dmitry Pavlovich asked the highest permission from Emperor Nicholas II to volunteer for Libya back in 1911 - for the Italian-Turkish war, but then he was refused. He entered the First World War with the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment. The Grand Duke took part in the campaign to East Prussia and was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree. The reason for the award was: "Being in the battle on August 6 near Kraupishken as an orderly at the head of the cavalry detachment, in the midst of the battle, with obvious danger to life, he delivered correct information about the enemy, as a result of which measures were taken that were crowned with complete success."

Prince and Rasputin

Dmitry Pavlovich went down in history for two actions. One of them is the murder of Grigory Rasputin, committed by him and other conspirators on the night of December 30, 1916. The Grand Duke believed that the murder of the "elder" would give "the opportunity for the sovereign to openly change course." It is not known what course Dmitry Pavlovich spoke about, but it can be argued who was, in the opinion of the conspirators, the main obstacle - the elder and the empress.

Unlike Yusupov, Dmitry Pavlovich never spoke about this murder during his subsequent life, did not give interviews and did not discuss it even with people close to him.

Saving link

After the murder of Rasputin, the prince was first arrested, and then exiled to Persia - as part of the active army. This link, in fact, saved the young prince from death - during the revolution he was already abroad. First Dmitry was attached to General Batorin's corps, then he served in the British Expeditionary Force. Finally, he went to London and then Paris, where his fateful meeting with Coco Chanel took place.

Coco and the "prince"

Koko called Dmitry Pavlovich "my prince". In Biarritz, where a lot of Russian nobility settled, over time, its own mini-courtyard was formed. Dmitry Pavlovich introduced Koko to representatives of the most notorious families, including Nicholas II's niece Natalia Paley and his own sister, Grand Duchess Maria Romanova. The princess sewed herself and began to cooperate with Chanel - soon Paris was mesmerized by linen shirt dresses with embroidery and long blouses belted with a metal strap.

In Chanel's collections, a clear "Russian accent" began to be felt: capes, coats with fur inside, dress-shirts with an embroidered collar and a belt, inspired by a traditional Russian shirt, appeared. The Chanel palette now has vibrant, pure colors. She is interested in everything Russian - people, art, culture. And the famous perfume Chanel No. 5 was created by the Russian émigré perfumer Ernest Bo, whom Dmitry Pavlovich also introduced to Coco.

After Coco

The affair with Coco was productive and turbulent, but only lasted a year. After Dmitry Pavlovich, Coco Chanel had a short affair with the poet Pierre Reverdi. Chanel maintained friendly relations with the Russian prince.

In 1926, Dmitry Pavlovich in Biarizza married a beautiful wealthy American woman, Audrey Emery, who converted to Orthodoxy under the name Anna and received from the head of the Russian Imperial House in Exile Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich the title of Most Serene Princess Romanovskaya-Ilinskaya. In 1920s in Europe Dmitry Pavlovich participated in monarchist and patriotic movements (including played a significant role in the formation of the Young Russia movement).

In 1928, their son Pavel was born. Soon after his birth, the couple separated, but the divorce was officially formalized only in 1937. Dmitry Pavlovich lived in the Normandy castle of Bomenil, which he bought in 1927, then for health reasons moved to Switzerland. Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich died in 1942.

The son of Dmitry Pavlovich, Pavel, or Paul Ilyinsky, who has survived to this day, was a respected regional politician in the United States - he was repeatedly elected mayor of Palm Beach in Florida, one of the richest and most prosperous cities in America.

We continue to publish on the books of the writer and historian Nikolai Starikov. Today - about one of the most interesting characters of the XX century - Grigory Rasputin. The date of his birth is not known for certain - between 1864 - 1872, more often called 1869, the beginning of January. But he was killed exactly in 1916. 2011 marks the 95th anniversary of the death of Rasputin. In Starikov's book "Who finances the collapse of Russia," we found interesting details about this mysterious favorite of the royal family. We publish excerpts and interviews with the writer. How a man stopped the war On the agenda of big European politics at the beginning of the 20th century was the question of organizing the First World War, or, rather, a large-scale German-Russian clash. It began in 1914, but it could have started earlier. The powder keg in the Balkans had already been laid. All that remained was to set it on fire and put Russia and Germany on top of it. The price of the question is neither more nor less domination over the whole world. And suddenly an illiterate Siberian man stood in the way. In 1912, when Russia for the first time was ready to intervene in the Balkan conflict, Rasputin begged Nikolai on his knees not to enter the war. Count Witte wrote in his memoirs: “He (Rasputin) pointed out all the disastrous results of the European conflagration, and the arrows of history turned in a different way. The war was averted. " Why didn't Nicholas II listen to Rasputin in 1914? Because at the time of this fateful decision, Rasputin was dying! Black PR On June 15 (28), the Austrian heir was killed in Sarajevo, two weeks later, on June 30 (July 13), 1914, Rasputin almost lost his life in his native Siberian village. The two-week difference between the two assassination attempts is not accidental. The political situation does not immediately escalate, from the moment of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand to the outbreak of the First World War, a month and three days will pass. At this decisive moment, Rasputin must be dead, so that he could not keep Nicholas II from a disastrous step. There was a misfire, Rasputin was not killed, but he is still dying, unconscious. Just before the start of the world conflict, barely recovering, the elder sends telegrams, begging the sovereign not to start a war, because the war will end Russia and himself (the reigning persons): "They will lay down to the last man." But it was too late - Russia was dragged into the war. The campaign to discredit Rasputin was not accidental and purposeful. Perhaps this is one of the first cases of "black PR" of this magnitude. Tatyana Botkina, the daughter of a life medic who was shot with the royal family, conveys in her memoirs the words of her father: “If it had not been for Rasputin, then the opponents of the royal family and the revolutionaries would have created him with their conversations from Vyrubova, if Vyrubova had not been, from me, from whom want". "Blue" prince When asked who was the main organizer of the murder, historiography gives an unambiguous answer - Prince Felix Yusupov. This 27-year-old Oxford University graduate was the heir to a noble and wealthy family. He describes his thoughts as follows: “After all my meetings with Rasputin, everything I saw and heard, I was finally convinced that all evil and the main reason for all Russia's misfortunes were hidden in him: there will be no Rasputin, there will not be that satanic power in the hands which the sovereign and the empress got ... "

The well-mannered handsome Felix had one slight oddity: he loved to wear women's clothing. From childhood, Prince Yusupov dressed up in dresses at home, at twenty, in this form, he openly visited public places, restaurants and theaters not only in Russia, but also abroad. Once in Paris at the theater, Felix saw that "an elderly subject from the letterbox was persistently lorning me." This man turned out to be the English monarch Edward VII ... After such a success with the first Don Juan of Europe, the young aristocrat returned to his homeland inspired and decided to perform on the stage of a fashionable Petersburg cabaret. In a woman's dress, of course. Before the audience, "beauty" Felix performed in a tunic made of blue tulle embroidered with silver thread. At the same time, the costume was decorated with a large number of large family diamonds. By them, the protruding "cabaret star" was recognized by the acquaintances of Felix's parents. The prince's father was furious, but, slowly cooled down, decided to heal his son from such strange inclinations. The parents sent the fetishist and homosexual to improve their health to ... Rasputin. The treatment to which Felix was subjected consisted in the fact that the elder would put him through the threshold of the room, flog and hypnotize him. Agree that Yusupov's experience of communicating with Rasputin was, frankly, specific. I don’t know if Rasputin’s treatment helped or if Prince Yusupov simply took his mind, only in 1914 he put aside skirts and crinolines and married the daughter of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov, combining the crowned surname with his truly incalculable riches. The wife of Prince Yusupov, Irina, was the granddaughter of the late Emperor Alexander III and Emperor Nicholas II was a niece. This is our first conspirator - married to the tsar's niece, a wealthy, eccentric transvestite and homosexual. It is hard to believe that such a person could calculate in cold blood the murder of Rasputin. But such a subject could easily be directed in the right direction. Dear friend

The second of the conspirators is Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov. His mother died in childbirth. He had been friends with Felix Yusupov for a long time. Judging by the descriptions of his contemporaries, Dmitry Pavlovich was a frivolous and good-natured creature. He knew about the huge role of Rasputin in the family of Nicholas II, that he was saving the life of Tsarevich Alexei. But this did not embarrass the young Grand Duke. In gratitude for the care and affection of the royal family, Dmitry Pavlovich takes part in a conspiracy to kill the closest person of his “mother” and the main adviser to his “father”. Only such a person could so repay the royal family for good. Friend Felix is ​​more important to him. Because the Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich was also a homosexual. And Felix Yusupov, who loves women's clothes, was more than just a friend to him ... Young Dmitry Pavlovich also has a motive for hatred of Rasputin. The king and queen are considering marrying him to one of their daughters. Rasputin opens their eyes to the sexual preferences of their pet. At the same time, he talks about who addicted Dmitry Pavlovich to "real" male love. The seducer's name is Felix Yusupov. Disappointed and indignant, the emperor and his wife no longer want to hear about such a marriage for their daughter. The mystery of death The truth about the murder of Rasputin appeared only 88 years later, in 2004. And everything fell into place. All the riddles were explained at once. It became clear why on a frosty night on March 10 (23), 1917, Rasputin's body had to be burned and destroyed. So that nothing remains of him, so that it would be impossible to exhume the corpse. Because with a control shot in the forehead, Grigory Rasputin was killed by British intelligence agent Oswald Reiner. It was his name that Yusupov, Romanov and Purishkevich concealed, who became a blind instrument in the hands of the British secret service. On October 1, 2004, a film about the murder of Rasputin was broadcast on the British BBC-2 channel. Retired Scotland-Yard employee Richard Cullen and historian Andrew Cook reliably reconstructed the picture of the murder based on photographs of the corpse, autopsy reports, documents and memoirs of that time. Yes, Yusupov and Purishkevich both shot at Rasputin. However, it was the British agent who fired the third, control shot in the forehead of Rasputin. Felix Yusupov, a homosexual and transvestite, was very "close" with three British intelligence officers.

The behavior of the British Ambassador, George Buchanan, is indicative. At a New Year reception, he spoke to the Russian Emperor: “... Since I heard that His Majesty suspects a young Englishman, a school friend of Prince Felix Yusupov, of complicity in the murder of Rasputin, I took the opportunity to convince him that such suspicions are absolutely groundless ". By taking this step, Buckenen betrays himself. When else does an ambassador make statements using the expression “I heard” ?! After all, this is not just an Englishman talking to the Russian autocrat, it is a representative of the British monarch speaking. You never know what rumors are circulating in the Russian capital, the ambassador cannot, has no right to react to them. About sins and mercies Rumors about Rasputin's debauchery were not documented. The Commission of the Provisional Government through the newspaper offered to respond to the women whom he seduced. Nobody showed up. It is not so important for us whether Rasputin was a devil in rags or an angel in the flesh. The main thing is that at a certain period of Russian history it was he who stood in the way of the "allies" leading Russia to death. And that is why he was killed by them. Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich got off with a slight fright. At first, by order of the Empress, he was placed under house arrest. After October, Grand Duke Romanov (an unprecedented case for the dynasty) will officially go into British service! Then he lived in London and Paris. In 1926, Dmitry Pavlovich married a wealthy American woman, Emery. After that, he and his sister Maria Pavlovna left for the USA, where the Grand Duke was engaged in the wine trade, and the Grand Duchess served as a consultant in a fashion firm. Felix Yusupov was exiled to the family estate until the end of the investigation. In October 1917, having taken several paintings by Rembrandt and a number of family jewels from his house, he hastily left. Until 1919 he lived in the Crimea, and in April 1919, together with the surviving members of the dynasty, he sailed abroad on an English warship. Rasputin's killers did not suffer from the new Bolshevik regime. AUTHOR!

"Rasputin" orgies were staged ... by the actors We talked about the famous elder with the writer and historian Nikolai STARIKOV - Nikolai Viktorovich, so who is Rasputin - an uncouth man who has miraculously penetrated the royal family, a swindler-hypnotist-sorcerer who uses unusual abilities for his own selfish purposes? - The Rasputin phenomenon has not yet been disclosed. There is evidence of his real help to the heir suffering from hemophilia. Rasputin loved Russia, loved the royal family. And it is all the more tragic to realize that it was he who became the reason because of which the royal house was smeared with revolutionaries and Western propaganda with mud from head to toe. Analyzing the life of Rasputin, you come to the conclusion about his inconsistency. He received 10,000 rubles. a year from the Empress, from the Ministry of the Interior. At the same time, the money that the petitioners brought, he immediately distributed to people who needed funds. I did not save money, after his death no capital was found. I think that, having found himself at such a height, Rasputin did not refuse the temptations inherent in high position and glory. But one thing must be said for sure: some forces launched a targeted campaign to discredit him. Actors were hired who drank with prostitutes in the make-up and costume of Grigory Efimovich. At the same time, it is also impossible to give a 100% guarantee that he himself was an ascetic and never succumbed to temptations. - Is there any predestination, a sign of fate in the fact that such a strange person found himself at the most tragic moment of Russian history on its crest? - I do not believe in predestination. Just as I do not believe in the inevitability of a revolution. Nothing in politics is predetermined. The USSR collapsed not at all because of "inevitability" or "economic insolvency", but because of the betrayal of its leadership. Hitler attacked us not because of the "inevitability" of such an attack, but because he was an Anglophile and believed, having received information through Rudolf Hess, that London would make peace with him. In the same way, there was no "guarantee" that the Russian people would destroy their country themselves. But the work for this was carried out. Rasputin became the target of compromise, and the empress and the emperor were smeared through him. Our allies in the Entente, the British, were working to create a revolutionary situation in Russia. The reason is geopolitical - if the Entente wins, Russia would have the Turkish straits. But for 200 years England blocked all our attempts to enter the Mediterranean Sea through the narrow "plug" of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. You cannot give the straits to the Russians. But it will be possible not to give it back if Russia collapses. And so it happened. The interim government immediately abandoned all potential territorial acquisitions. Who benefits from this? To our age-old adversaries. It was from London that all our "freedom fighters" were paid for almost a hundred years. And to this day, by the way, the source of funding has not changed. - If Rasputin had not been killed, could the fate of the royal family have not been so terrible? - The only chance for Russia in that situation could be a separate peace with the Germans. But the emperor categorically refused to even hear about it. The only one who could connect Berlin and Petrograd, at least theoretically, was Rasputin. And only Rasputin could tell the tsar this truth. Wanting the best, Rasputin remained at court, giving rise to slander. Perhaps he had left - events could have gone differently ... - Why did the illiterate peasant Rasputin have so many enemies? - Even the mother of Nicholas II treated Rasputin sharply negatively, knowing that he was helping the heir, stopping his bleeding. I think Rasputin was neither a saint nor a devil. This was a man with his own weaknesses. - Do you believe that Rasputin had a close relationship with the empress? - No, nothing like that happened. This is vile slander. But everyone believed in this lie. It was at this moment that Rasputin had to be removed from the royal family. Whatever benefit it was, the harm from such rumors was much greater. It was this lie that in many ways led to the fact that in February 1917 everything somehow collapsed at once. - Who are they - the murderers of Rasputin? - Rasputin's killers are all very strange people. Felix Yusupov and Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich were bisexual and were in a very close relationship. Deputy Purishkevich was a little out of his mind. For example, on May 1 in the Duma, he inserted a scarlet carnation into his fly and in this form walked along the rows, mocking the left-wing deputies. But they were not the soul of the conspiracy. And British intelligence. Now it is a proven historical fact. The British insured themselves against a possible separate peace between Russia and Germany. The fatal shot at Rasputin was made by the English scout Oswald Reiner, who finished off the victim point-blank, in the forehead. And this was not an accident. Rayner knew Yusupov from studying together in England, was his friend and was also his lover. It was through the transvestite Yusupov that the British formed a group of conspirators. Those who even today send their children to study in England must remember, on the one hand, how acquaintances are made there, on the other hand, how they are brainwashed. - How was the fate of the Englishman who made the fatal shot at Rasputin? - In 1917 (about a coincidence! ) Oswald Reiner was promoted to captain. In 1919 he received the order and began work in Stockholm. It was from neutral Scandinavia that British intelligence was conducting its work at that time. In 1920, he was moved closer - under the guise of journalistic activities, he moved to Finland. Only very naive people can assume that a career intelligence officer next to his "profile country" is just writing articles in the Daily Telegraph about hot Finnish guys. Later, Reiner did not lose touch with the emigrant Yusupov and helped to translate his book into English. Oswald Reiner died in 1961. Interestingly, it was British researchers who disclosed information about MI6's involvement in the murder. And this is just a tiny part of the huge iceberg of UK subversive work against Russia. There are many more discoveries ahead of us.

The "golden boy" of the degenerating Russian aristocracy, he did a lot to become famous, but in history he remained the killer of Grigory Rasputin.

Frivolous aristocrat

The blood of the nomadic ancestors who founded the Yusupov family, oddly enough, left a special imprint on the indirect heir of the dynasty. In all European salons, they talked about Felix's unbridled and frivolous disposition. Contemporaries retained memories of how, after failing at the exams to the military school, he, without hesitation, became friends with the gypsies, participated in the performances of the camp, performing the soprano part. After long attempts to enter Oxford, having finally achieved his goal, he preferred the comfortable chairs of London theaters to the hard benches of university auditoriums.
The prestige of his own family did not seem to bother Felix at all. For a time he even performed in a cabaret - an unheard-of meanness for an aristocrat. Moreover, he played a female role, instead of one of the "blue-eyed actresses" of the "Aquarium" theater. The deception was revealed when one of the guests noticed the Yusupov family diamonds on the singer.

Zinaida Nikolaevna, Felix's mother, wanted a daughter. She even made a pink dress for the unborn child. The woman compensated for the disappointment from the birth of her son by raising the future lady in Felix. Until the age of four, Felix wore a "girl's" dress, adored trying on his mother's jewelry, and painting. "Mother's whim later left an imprint on my character," Felix recalled in his memoirs. Felix Yusupov loved to dress up as a woman even in adulthood. With his high birth, he remained one of the first "freaks" of his time: he liked to come dressed up, in a woman's dress, to a restaurant, and performed romances in this form. They could not help but talk about the strangeness of the "golden boy" gossip at every corner. The marriage with Irina Romanova largely "whitewashed" the biography of Felix, although after the wedding he did not abandon his old habits.

Rasputin's killer

Hundreds of books have been written about this page in the life of Felix Yusupov, dozens of films have been shot. The official version is that the murder was committed in the interests of the monarchy. Rasputin was invited to Yusupov's house, either under the pretext of curing Felix of homosexuality, or for the sake of Rasputin's acquaintance with Irina (who was in Crimea at the time). One way or another, but in history Felix Yusupov remained primarily as the murderer of Grigory Rasputin. The man is not a military man, a refined esthete, he took part in a bloody affair, which largely determined his future life. Wherever Felix found himself after December 1916, he was, in the first place, "the very" murderer of Rasputin.

English spy

Felix Yusupov's connections with British intelligence were unofficial. One of the participants in the murder of Rasputin, Oswald Reiner, a close friend of Yusupov since the days of Oxford, was an agent of British intelligence. The death of the "elder" was beneficial to the British Empire. Rasputin advocated peace with Germany; Russia's withdrawal from the war threatened Great Britain with defeat. To eliminate the influence of the "elder" on the royal family was, therefore, the primary task of British intelligence. Reiner and Yusupov coped with it. It is not surprising in this respect that Kerensky, who was an open lobbyist for the interests of the British, freed Yusupov from exile.

The IrFe fashion house, opened in exile by Felix and Irina, was a unique phenomenon of its kind. Countesses and princesses worked in it as models and seamstresses. One of the models, for example, was Natalie Paley, daughter of Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich, the fatal beauty who later became the face of Vogue. The rise of IrFe was rapid, Felix and Irina were guided by the "Russian style", used silk painting, produced several lines of clothing, including those in a revolutionary "sports" style for that time. However, as quickly the spouses took off, just as swiftly and went bankrupt. The Great Depression, and the habit of the Yusupov spouses to unjustified spending, and the change in the tastes of society towards simplification also affected. In 1930, IrFe went bankrupt.

As they say, if you want to live, be able to twirl around. What did Felix Yusupov take with him abroad, except for an insignificant part of the family jewels? Felix took with him the fame of Rasputin's killer. He was not at all embarrassed by such fame. Even more: this fame allowed him to save up funds for subsistence. He spoke with memoirs, gave interviews, wrote an autobiography. All that he had left of Russia was memory. Not surprisingly, he was very unhappy when they tried to slander this memory. In 1932 the film "Rasputin and the Empress" was released. It proved that Irina Yusupova, Felix's wife, was the mistress of the "elder". No one believed in the success of Felix's venture, but he sued MGM and won the case, receiving $ 25,000 in compensation. It is significant that just after this incident, the credits of Hollywood films began to indicate that everything that happens on the screen is fiction, and any coincidences are unintentional.

Assistant

The Yusupovs were one of the richest families in Europe. If you translate into modern concepts, then in terms of income they were oligarchs. After the revolution, the plundering of the Yusupov house continued for almost a week. The hasty emigration left the Yusupovs "on the beans," from Russia they managed to take out only a few paintings and an insignificant (by the standards of their former wealth) amount of jewelry. Felix's mother, Zinaida Nikolaevna, headed a fund to help refugees from Russia in Rome. Felix and Irina also actively helped in this noble cause. They sold their family jewels for a pittance and donated the proceeds to a fund. In their home in the Bois de Boulogne, they gave shelter to all who needed it.

I wrote about the history of the Yusupov family in a post. I would also like to recall Prince Felix, who became famous as the murderer of Rasputin. The prince's story about the murder of this enemy is reminiscent of a modern horror film. In his youth, Felix led a bohemian lifestyle, his favorite pastime was to sing and dance in city cabarets, dressed in a woman's dress. "Russian Dorian Gray" tasted all the pleasures of a vicious society, where the smell of opium was in the air. In the circles of decadence, such a way of life was considered quite acceptable and commonplace.

The memoirs of Prince Felix are interesting, he with self-irony describes the curiosities of his life when he became the laughing stock of the public, honestly talks about his personal shortcomings and tells in detail without embellishment the murder of Rasputin - "a demon in a peasant's guise."

Prince Felix Yusupov in Russian costume. Here he reminds Fedka Basmanov - the beloved guardsman of Ivan the Terrible. Fedka also liked to "dress up in womens". I have this in my post.

As Prince Felix himself writes, his bride, Princess Irina, niece of Emperor Nicholas II, helped him to revise his views on life and pleasure. The prince called his previous hobbies "poor".

This is how Felix wrote about his future wife:
“I could not forget the young stranger I met on a walk on the Crimean road. From that day on, I knew that this was my fate. Quite still, the girl turned into a dazzlingly beautiful young lady. She was restrained from shyness, but restraint added charm to her, surrounding her with a mystery. In comparison with the new experience, all my previous hobbies turned out to be miserable. I understood the harmony of true feelings. "

You can take Felix's word. But an anecdote is involuntarily presented.
The prince returns home in the morning. And his wife says to him:
- Where have you been?
- I played billiards with the officers.
- Why are you wearing a lady's dress and mother's jewelry?
- Well, Ira, you walk like that every day. Did I even say a word to you?

Felix with his beloved wife Irina

It should be noted that Felix liked to dress up not only in a woman's tsatzki. Often he appeared in the costumes of historical characters, perfectly entering the image of heroes. The prince especially liked the character Cardinal Richelieu.
“At that time, costume balls became fashionable in St. Petersburg. I was a master of costumes, and I had many costumes, both male and female. For example, at a masquerade at the Paris Opera, I exactly repeated myself the portrait of Cardinal Richelieu by Philippe de Champaigne. The whole audience applauded me when I appeared in a cardinal's robe, which was carried after me by two negro women in gold trinkets. "

Once, dressed in a woman's dress, Prince Yusupov won the favor of the English king Edward VII. This incident reminded me of the story of Chevalier d'Eon, who, because of his disguise, almost became a royal favorite.

Masquerade scenes from the early 20th century in the paintings of Konstantin Somov

“Once at a costume ball at the Opera we decided to appear as a couple: we put on - brother dominoes, I - a woman's dress. Before the start of the masquerade, we went to the Teatro de Capusin. We settled down in the first row of the stalls. I soon noticed that an elderly subject from the Lettered Lodge was persistently lorning me. At intermission, when the light came on, I saw that it was King Edward VII. My brother went out to smoke in the foyer and, returning, with a laugh, said that a pompous man had approached him: I ask, they say, on behalf of His Majesty to tell him what the name of your lovely companion is! To be honest, it was pleasant to me. Such a victory flattered pride "- Felix boasted.

By the way, the idea of ​​jokes with dressing up belonged to Nicholas - Felix's brother and his girlfriend Polenka. For the sake of laughter, Nikolai even helped Felix get a job as a singer in the chic cabaret "Aquarium". The debut of the "singer" was very successful, after the performance the conspirators rolled with laughter in the dressing room, reading love messages from enthusiastic fans.

Cabaret "Aquarium", where Prince Felix shone

“Diligently attending cafes, I knew almost all the fashionable songs and sang them myself as a soprano. When we returned to Russia, Nikolai decided that it was a sin to bury my talent in the ground and that I needed to be brought to the stage of the Aquarium, the most luxurious Petersburg cabaret. He came to the director of "Aquarium", whom he knew, and invited him to listen to the French singer-songwriter with the last Parisian verses ...

This is what the avishes of the Art Nouveau era looked like.

Instead of a name on my poster, there were three stars, stirring up the interest of the public. Upon entering the stage, I was blinded by the spotlights. A wild fear gripped me. I was numb and numb. The orchestra began to play the first bars of "Paradise Dreams", but the music seemed dull and distant to me. In the hall, out of compassion, someone patted. With difficulty opening my mouth, I began to sing. The audience reacted coolly to me. But when I sang Tonkinka, the audience applauded violently. And my “Pretty Child” got a standing ovation. I encore three times.

Excited Nikolai and Polenka were waiting behind the scenes. The director came with a huge bouquet and congratulations. I thanked as best I could, and I myself choked with laughter. I put my hand to the director for a kiss and hurried to get him off.

There was an agreement in advance not to let anyone come to me, but while Nikolai and Polenka, I, falling on the sofa, rolled with laughter, flowers and love notes arrived ...

Six of my performances went well at the Aquarium. On the seventh evening in the box I noticed my parents' friends. They looked at me very closely. It turned out that they recognized me by my resemblance to my mother and from my mother's diamonds.

A scandal broke out. My parents gave me a terrible scene. Nikolay, defending me, took the blame. Parents' friends and our family have vowed that they will remain silent. They kept their word. The case was hushed up. The career of a café singer died before it could begin. However, I did not give up this dress-up game. It was too much fun. "

The living room of the Yusupovs' house on the Moika

Bathroom door

You can shoot a comedy about the adventures of Prince Felix. Prince Felix's cabaret adventures may have inspired the filmmakers of Only Girls In Jazz (Some Like It Hot) The dress-up joke once again led to a family scandal.

“I had a tragicomic story. I portrayed the Allegory of the Night, wearing a dress in steel sequins and a diamond star tiara. In such cases, my brother, knowing my eccentricity, accompanied me himself or sent reliable friends to look after me.

That evening, a Guards officer known for red tape hit me. He and three of his friends invited me to dinner at the Bear's. I agreed in spite of, or rather, because of the danger. The fun was breathtaking. At that moment my brother was playing nice with the mask and did not see me. I slipped away.

I came to "Bear" with four gentlemen, and they immediately asked for a separate office. Gypsies were summoned to create the mood. Music and champagne inflamed the gentlemen. I fought back as best I could. However, the most courageous contrived and pulled off my mask. Frightened by the scandal, I grabbed a bottle of champagne and threw it into the mirror. There was a sound of broken glass. The hussars were taken aback. At that moment, I jumped to the door, pulled back the latch and gave a thrust. On the street I shouted for a cab and gave him Polenkin's address. Only then did I notice that I had forgotten a sable coat at the Bear's.

And a young beauty in a half-naked dress and diamonds in an open sleigh flew into the icy frost at night. Who would have thought that a crazy beauty is the son of the most worthy parents! "

Of course, Felix's father was outraged by this behavior and disobedience. Once he already demanded that his son stop the stupid antics that dishonor the family.
“My adventures became, of course, known to my father. One fine day he called me to his place. He called me only in the most extreme cases, so I chickened out. And not without reason. The father was pale with anger, his voice trembled. He called me a villain and a villain, saying that a decent man would not shake hands with me. He also said that I was a disgrace to the family and that my place was not in the house, but in Siberia, in hard labor. Finally he told me to get out. After all, he slammed the door so hard that a picture fell from the wall in the next room ... ”.

Respectable family of the prince.
Mother - Zinaida Nikolaevna, father - Felix Feliksovich, elder brother Nikolai and younger brother Felix.

For the first time, the prince dressed up as a young lady in childhood, together with his cousin they decided to fool around and, having pulled off the outfits from mother's closet, went for a walk along Nevsky Prospect ...
“We were twelve or thirteen years old. One evening, when my father and mother were not there, we decided to take a walk, dressed in a woman's dress. We found everything we needed in Mother's closet. We were discharged, blushed, put on jewelry, wrapped ourselves in velvet coats, not for us in height, went down the far stairs and, waking up mother's hairdresser, demanded wigs, they say, for a masquerade.

In this form we went into the city. On the Nevsky, the haven of prostitutes, we were immediately noticed. To get rid of the gentlemen, we answered in French: "We are busy" - and it was important to move on. They lagged behind when we entered the posh restaurant "Bear". Straight into fur coats, we went into the hall, sat down at a table and ordered dinner. It was hot, we were suffocating in these velvets. They looked at us with curiosity. The officers sent a note - they invited us to have dinner with them in the office. Champagne hit my head. I took off my pearl beads and began to throw them like a lasso over the heads of my neighbors. The beads, of course, burst and rolled across the floor to the laughter of the audience.

The bar of the "Bear" restaurant at the beginning of the 20th century

Now the whole room was looking at us. We prudently decided to give a fight, picked up the pearls in a hurry and headed for the exit, but the head waiter caught up with us with the bill. We had no money. I had to go to explain to the director. He turned out to be a fine fellow. He laughed at our invention and even gave money for a cab. When we returned to the Moika, all the doors in the house were locked. I shouted out the window to my servant Ivan. He came out and laughed to tears when he saw us in our coats. The next morning there was no laughing matter. The director of the "Bear" sent his father the rest of the pearls collected on the floor in the restaurant, and ... the bill for dinner! "

The prince honestly explained his eccentric antics with his vanity and pride:
“In truth, this game amused me and, moreover, flattered my pride, because women liked me little, but men could subdue. However, when I was able to conquer women, my difficulties arose. The women obeyed me, but they could not hold out for a long time. I was accustomed to being taken care of, and did not want to take care of me myself. And most importantly, I loved only myself. I liked to be the object of love and attention. And even that was not important, but it was important that all my whims were fulfilled. I believed that it should be so: I do what I want, and I don't care about anyone. "

Prince Felix himself denied rumors about his dislike for the ladies:
“It was often said that I do not like women. Not true. I love it when I have it, why. Others meant a lot to me, not to mention the friend who made my happiness. But I must admit that the ladies I knew rarely corresponded to my ideal. More often they fascinated and disappointed. In my opinion, men are more honest and disinterested than women. "

Although the prince treated same-sex love with understanding.
“I have always been outraged by human injustice towards those who love differently. You can blame same-sex love, but not the lovers themselves. Normal relationships are contrary to their nature. Are they to blame for being created this way? "

As the chronicler N.M. Romanov wrote: “I am convinced that there were some physical outpourings of friendship in the form of kissing, mutual groping and perhaps ... even more cynical. How great Felix's fleshly perversion was is still little clear to me, although rumors of his lusts were widespread. In 1914 he married the niece of Nicholas II and "reformed".

Irina's sincerity and kindness especially attracted Felix. She did not have the characteristic qualities of secular young ladies, which repelled the prince. Secularism has always spoiled character.
“Irina overcame shyness little by little. At first she spoke only with her eyes, but gradually I was able to appreciate her intelligence and fidelity of judgment. I told her my whole life. Not in the least shocked, she met my story with rare understanding. I understood what was disgusting to me in female nature and why I was more attracted to the society of men. Women's pettiness, unscrupulousness and indirectness repulsed her in the same way ... "

As it turned out, Felix's friend, Prince Dmitry (who later became an accomplice in the murder of Rasputin) also courted Irina, but seeing the reciprocity between the princess and Felix, he retreated.
“My engagement has not yet been officially announced. Suddenly Dmitry came to me asking if I would really marry his cousin. I replied that nothing had been decided yet. “But I also wanted to marry her,” he said. I thought he was joking. But no: he said that he never spoke more seriously.

Now it was up to Irina to decide. Dmitry and I promised each other not to influence in any way the decision of her. But when I relayed our conversation to her, Irina said that she would marry me and only me. Her decision was irrevocable, Dmitry backed down. The cloud darkened our friendship with him and never dissipated ”.

Although historians argue over whom Prince Dmitry loved more - Irina or her fiancé - Felix, or maybe both at once and therefore suffered doubly, not knowing whom to prefer. And while he was suffering and thinking about the choice, both objects of his love decided to get married.

Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich - rival or lover of Felix Yusupov?

However, the bride's parents doubted the correctness of their choice and decided to terminate the engagement. Yusupov learned this news in Paris. Immediately, he went to the Grand Duke Alexander to convince him. As it turned out, in front of his future relatives, Felix was slandered by people whom he considered his friends.

Felix Yusupov in the portrait of Zinaida Serebryakova

“Arriving in Paris at the Gare du Nord, I met Count Mordvinov. With horror I heard that he was sent by the Grand Duke Alexander to announce to me the break of the engagement! I was even forbidden to seek a meeting with Irina and her parents. In vain I was bombarded with the questions of the Grand Duke's envoy. He declared that he was no longer authorized to speak.

I was shocked. However, I decided that I would not allow myself to be treated like a little child. Before judging, they must listen. I will defend myself and defend my happiness. I immediately went to the hotel where the grand duke and the princess lived, went straight up to their room and entered without a report. The conversation was mutually unpleasant. However, I managed to persuade them and achieve their final agreement. On the wings of happiness, I rushed to Irina. My bride once again repeated that she would not marry anyone but me. Later it turned out that those who slandered me in the eyes of Irina's parents, I considered, alas, my friends. I knew before that my engagement was a misfortune for others. It turned out that they even went to meanness, just to upset her. Their affection for me, even in this form, excited me. "
It is believed that Felix's rejected fans decided to interfere with his wedding.

The wedding day has arrived. Again, it was not without a curiosity. The groom got stuck in the elevator, and the king himself, together with his relatives, had to rescue the future son-in-law from trouble.
“On the wedding day, a carriage drawn by four horses went to fetch the bride and her parents to take them to Anichkov Palace. My own arrival did not shine with beauty. I was stuck in an old shaking elevator halfway to the chapel, and the imperial family, led by the emperor himself, amicably rescued me from trouble. "

Description of the wedding from the memoirs of the prince:
“Irina's wedding dress was magnificent: a dress of white satin with silver embroidery and a long train, a crystal diadem with diamonds and a lace veil from Marie Antoinette herself.

But for a long time they could not choose an outfit for me. I did not want to be in a tailcoat in broad daylight and wanted to get married in a business card, but the business card angered my relatives. Finally, the nobility's uniform - a black coat with a gold-embroidered collar and cuffs and white pantaloons - suited everyone.
Members of the royal family who married persons of non-royal blood were required to sign the abdication of the throne. No matter how far Irina was from the throne, she also obeyed the rule. However, I was not upset.

Accompanied by my parents, I crossed two or three halls, already jam-packed and dazzled with ceremonial dresses and uniforms in orders, and entered the chapel, where, waiting for Irina, I took the places assigned to us.

Irina appeared arm in arm with the emperor. The Emperor led her to me, and as soon as he passed to his place, the ceremony began.

The priest spread out a pink silk carpet, on which, according to custom, the bride and groom should pass. According to the omen, who of the young will step on the carpet first, he will be the first in the family. Irina hoped that she would be faster than me, but she got entangled in the train, and I got ahead.
After the wedding, we headed the procession to the reception hall, where we stood next to the imperial family to receive, as usual, congratulations. The line of congratulations dragged on for more than two hours. Irina could hardly stand. Then we went to Moika, where my parents were already waiting. They met us on the stairs, according to custom, with bread and salt. Then the servants came with congratulations. And again everything is the same as in Anichkov.

Finally departure. A crowd of family and friends at the station. And again shaking hands and congratulations. Finally, the last kisses - and we are in the car. A black dog's muzzle rests on a mountain of flowers: my faithful Punch was reclining on wreaths and bouquets.

When the train started, I noticed a lone figure of Dmitry on the platform in the distance. "

Felix Yusupov and Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov are two of those who participated in the murder of the favorite of the royal family on the night of December 17, 1916 - Elder Grigory Rasputin. What connected them? Position in society? Of course. Closeness to the royal family? Undoubtedly. But there was also something that made the situation somewhat piquant and in fact almost never mentioned openly in historical research and documents. But the memoirs of contemporaries nevertheless somehow lift the veil of "secrecy" and inform readers about the true state of affairs and the course of events.

Prince Felix Yusupov and Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich

Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich with Empress Alexandra Feodorovna

Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich

"Felix used to enter the palace thanks to his position and those feelings that he was able to instill in the Romanovs in general, and not only to Nikolai and Alexandra Fedorovna. But apart from the emotional attachment, which I, in spite of everything, still admit on the part of Felix in relation to the king and queen, there was something else. Felix was completely consumed by vice. This vice attracted him to the Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich. Since Felix never considered it necessary to hide his inclinations, this connection became known to everyone at court. Felix's lover Grand Duke Dmitry was the favorite of the tsar and tsarina; he even lived in their palace and was considered a member of the family. When Nikolai and Alexandra Fedorovna found out what was happening between him and Felix, Dmitry was forbidden to see the seducer. Special agents were instructed to openly monitor Felix and thereby contain him. For a while, their efforts were crowned with success, and the young people did not meet. However, Dmitry soon rented a house in St. Petersburg, and Felix settled with him. The scandal went beyond the courtyard and brought a lot of grief to the Romanovs. But the lovers were not at all embarrassed. Dmitry said he was happy. Felix, on the other hand, made it clear to everyone that he was only doing a favor to the Grand Duke. And in this, it seems, he saw a special pleasure. Perhaps he loved Dmitry for some time. But, having received what he wanted, Felix could not help but torment his beloved, who had turned into a victim. And then one day, driven to despair by jealousy, Dmitry tried to commit suicide. Felix returned late at night to find him lifeless on the floor. Fortunately, Dmitry was saved ...

Family life with Irina Alexandrovna Felix called "diet". The experience of vicious passion never left him. (At the same time, I will not deny - Felix loves his wife and lives with her to this day. Although who looked into their bedroom?) Relations with Dmitry, which renewed, then faded, did not attract Felix too much. With the complete submission of Dmitry for Felix, the sharpness disappeared, and therefore the attractiveness of the connection."

From the book "Matryona Rasputin. Rasputin"

Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich

Prince Felix Yusupov

From Wikipedia: " After Felix Yusupov published his memoirs, in which he described in detail the murder of her father, Maria (Matryona) filed against Yusupov and Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich in a Paris court for damages in the amount of $ 800,000. She denounced them as murderers, stating: "Any decent person is disgusted with the brutal murder of Rasputin." The claim was dismissed. A French court ruled that it did not have jurisdiction over the political assassination that took place in Russia."

This is the continuation of the theme of homosexuality in the Romanov family. Just small touches to the biographies of both, written by a contemporary of these people.