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Sunday, July 27, 2008

Grand Duchess Olga wanted to visit the USA


At least, this is what the Los Angeles Times reported on June 8, 1913. The paper's account, based on cables from Europe, stated that Grand Duchess Olga 's travel plans were to include Washington, Newport, and New York in "a few months." The newspaper erroneously described Olga as the heir presumptive (due to the "rather delicate heir apparent." Even in 1913, newspapers could not get their royal succession facts right!

Olga was "exceedingly anxious to visit America," but that her mother "stoutly opposes the idea, which simply enhances the determination of her daughter to put it into execution."

Although Prime Minister Witte was said to support the idea, as he believed that Olga's visit would "help materially to improve Russian-American relations," apparently strained during the William Howard Taft administration.

Utter tosh. Nicholas and Alexandra would never have allowed their eldest daughter to travel alone (although she would have a large retinue with her), prior to arranging a marriage for their daughter. Young and unmarried daughters of the Russian emperor did not get on ships to travel to the US to fly the flag to improve Russo-American relations.

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