Celebrity Genealogy      Research - My Family Ancestry

The Remarkable Story of Olga Constantinovna of Russia: A Royal Connection Across Generations

This story isn’t a direct family connection but rather a fascinating “six degrees of separation” link to the Romanov family, one compelling enough to deserve a place on my website.

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Olga Constantinovna: A Romanov by Birth

Olga Constantinovna of Russia was a distinguished member of the legendary Romanov dynasty and a direct descendant of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia. Her father, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaievich, was Tsar Nicholas I’s second son. Her uncle, Tsar Alexander II, famously sold Alaska to the United States in 1867 before being assassinated in 1881.

Following Alexander II’s death, his son Alexander III ascended the throne. Grand Duke Konstantin, Olga’s father, fell out of favor with the new Tsar due to his liberal political views, which clashed with Alexander III’s conservative rule. Alexander III’s son, Nicholas II, would later become the last reigning Tsar of Russia—a figure most people associate with the tragic end of the Romanov dynasty.

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Marriage to the Greek Monarchy

As a cousin of Tsar Nicholas II, Olga spent her youth in Saint Petersburg, Poland, and Crimea. At just sixteen, in 1867, she married King George I of Greece. Initially homesick and uncertain in her new country, Queen Olga quickly became known for her dedication to charitable causes, founding hospitals and welfare centers throughout Greece.

Her efforts to translate the Gospels into modern Greek caused a national controversy, sparking riots among conservative religious groups. Despite these challenges, Olga earned a reputation as a compassionate and resilient queen.

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Return to Russia and the Fall of the Romanovs

In 1913, tragedy struck when King George I was assassinated. Widowed, Olga returned to Russia. During World War I, she transformed her brother’s Pavlovsk Palace into a military hospital for wounded soldiers. As revolution brewed, Olga attempted to warn Tsarina Alexandra in 1916 about the growing unrest, but her concerns were dismissed. Tensions worsened when Olga signed a petition to pardon her grandson, Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich, for his role in the assassination of Grigori Rasputin, the Tsarina’s controversial spiritual advisor.

When the Russian Revolution erupted in 1917, Olga chose to remain in Russia even as many of her relatives fled. Living with only one loyal servant, Anna Egorova, she survived on meager rations while the Bolsheviks ransacked her palace. Months later, with the help of the Danish embassy, Olga and her servant escaped through Germany to Switzerland.

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The Tragic Fate of the Romanovs

The revolution led to the execution of Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, and their five children, marking the brutal end of the Romanov dynasty. Olga also lost her brothers—Grand Dukes Nicholas and Dmitri Constantinovich—along with several nephews and cousins, including Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna.

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Exile and Later Years

By October 1920, Olga returned to Greece following the death of her grandson, King Alexander. She briefly served as Regent of Greece until her son, King Constantine I, reclaimed the throne. However, political turmoil forced the royal family into exile once again in 1922. Olga spent her remaining years between England, Italy, and France, passing away far from her homeland.

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A Modern Family Connection

So how does Olga tie into my own family history? It’s a classic “six degrees” connection:
Olga Constantinovna is the great-grandmother of now King Charles III and his siblings, all distant cousins of mine. Olga was the grandmother of their father, Prince Philip who in turn was married to yet another very famous and beloved distant cousin of mine,  Queen Elizabeth II.

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Update (July 18, 2020)

Since uncovering this link to the Romanov dynasty, I’ve made even more exciting genealogical discoveries. Through the marriage of my 10th cousin, 8x removed, Princess Frederike Luise Charlotte Wilhelmine of Prussia, to Tsar Nicholas I Pavlovich Romanov, I’ve found additional ancestral connections to the Romanovs. Researching family history continues to reveal new pieces of the puzzle—and with each discovery, another incredible story emerges.