From the author of A Most English Princess comes a rich novel about young Princess Alix of Hesse—the future Alexandra, last Empress of Imperial Russia—and her sister, Princess Ella. Their decision to marry into the Romanov royal family changed history.
They were granddaughters of Queen Victoria and two of the most beautiful princesses in Europe. Princesses Alix and Ella were destined to wed well and wisely. But while their grandmother wants to join them to the English and German royal families, the sisters fall in love with Russia—and the Romanovs.
Defying the Queen’s dire warnings, Ella weds the tsar’s brother, Grand Duke Serge. Cultivated, aloof, and proud, Serge places his young wife on a pedestal for all to admire. Behind palace gates, Ella struggles to secure private happiness.
Alix, whisked away to Russia for Ella’s wedding, meets and captivates Nicky—heir apparent to the Russian throne. While loving him deeply, Alix hears a call of conscience, urging her to walk away.
Their fateful decisions to marry will lead to tragic consequences for not only themselves and their families, but for millions in Russia and around the globe.
The Romanov Brides is a moving and fascinating portrait of two bold and spirited royal sisters, and brings to vivid life imperial Russia—a dazzling, decadent world on the brink of disappearing forever.
Reader review:
The follow-up to the writer’s previous book A Most English Princess (William Murrow, 2020) this is an account of the machinations leading to the marriage into the Romanov household of two princesses of the House of Hesse and By Rhine. While fictionalised the story is rooted in historical fact. Clare paints a colourful, detailed picture of the extraordinary lives of minor and the grandest European Royal households. Clare highlights the difference between the status of these monarchs, some are essentially constitutional while others autocratic, and how this impacts upon their relationships with their people. Looming over them all (as in Clare’s first book) is Queen Victoria who sees her mission in life to arrange the marriage of every one of her grandchildren. And of course, these arrangements are largely political, rarely a love match. I formed the impression that for all their comfort and ease the women had significantly constrained lives with limited agency. The story travels through late 19thC Europe and the UK, from one gilded palace to another. A compelling story of a lifestyle, an era that was swept away by the catastrophe of the First World War. If you know the history, then you know it is a bittersweet story for all involved. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and Clare’s previous book.
- James McNeill