Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich

Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich was the second child and second son of Alexander III and Maria Fyodorovna. He was born in St Petersburg on 26 May/7 June 1869. Maria Fyodorovna wrote to her father, King Christian IX of Denmark, on 26 June/8 July: “He, thank God, is an extremely plump and healthy child, with an adorable, tiny, round, chubby face and blue eyes. And his little nose, naturally, points upwards – which could not be any other way, given what beautiful noses his honourable parents have. I am still constantly amazed that I already have two children. Even now, I am still ready to commit some folly, like turning a cartwheel or such like – which, however, as an esteemed mother of two sons, I no longer permit myself.” But her joy was short-lived when the baby fell ill. The child cried incessantly and lost weight. Finally, on 20 April/2 May 1870, Alexander died of dropsy at the age of only eleven months.