Princess Paley dead at 63

November 3, 1929

United Press is reporting the death of Princess Olga Paley, the morganatic wife of the late Grand Duke Paul of Russia. She died today in Paris. Princess Olga was 62 years old.

The princess divorced her first husband, a Russian engineer, in order to marry Grand Duke Paul, the youngest son of Alexander II.. (The Grand Duke was first married to Princess Alexandra of Greece, who died after giving birth to the couple's second child, Grand Duke Dimitri.)

The romance between Olga and Paul caused a great scandal at the Imperial court. After their marriage in 1902, Grand Duke Paul was forced to give up his army rank, and he and Olga went to live in exile. He was later pardoned by Nicholas II, and allowed to return to Russia with his wife and their children. Nicholas created Olga as Princess Paley.

The former Olga Karnovich was the daughter of a Russian colonel. She was never allowed to sit at the "high table" at State dinners, but was recognized as a member of the Romanov family. She lived with Grand Duke and their three children at the Winter Palace.

She is survived by her one son, Alexander,and four daughters: Olga Kudischew, Marianne, Countess von Zarnekau, Princess Irene, who is married to Prince Feodor of Russia, and Princess Nathalie, the wife of the French designer Lucien Lelong.

Princess Paley fled Russia with her two daughters in 1919. The couple's son, Prince Vladimir Paley, was killed in July 1918 by the Bolsheviks.

Grand Duke Paul and three other Grand Dukes were executed on January 28, 1919.