Keeping a photo of Grand Duchess Anastasia

Inspired by what Louis Mountbatten did, I've kept this photo of Anastasia at my bedside. Just need to find a frame for it.

Sometimes when I look at this photo, I try to imagine Anastasia's blue eyes and strawberry-blonde hair. But as there are no existing colour photos of her, just imagining has proven very difficult. I couldn't help but cry when looking at Anastasia eyes.

It has always left me frustrated. Why didn't the Romanovs hire Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky (renowned for his pioneering work in real colour photography) to photograph their formal portraits? Such photos would've looked modern and never grow old. Nonetheless, while this photo is black and white, Anastasia's eyes have never failed to capture me.

When I saw those icons of Anastasia and her family as passion bearers, I found it so emotional that I cried again. Somehow, I find it too painful to see them.

Louis Mountbatten kept this photo of Grand Duchess Maria in his bedroom. So lovely.

Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna and Louis Mountbatten

Louis Mountbatten (left) in 1914, when he was aged 13-14

Maria was a year older and their birthdays were only one day apart

"I was mad about her, and determined to marry her. You could not imagine anyone more beautiful than she was!"

"Oh, they (OTMA) were lovely and terribly sweet, far more beautiful than their photographs show. I was crackers about Marie, and was determined to marry her. She was absolutely lovely. I keep her photograph on the mantlepiece in my bedroom - always have."

Ignoring the fact that they were first cousins (cousin marriages were pretty common in royal families anyway), I think they would've made a lovely couple. Of course, I'm only saying this because it would've meant saving Maria from her tragic fate, which still greatly bothers me. Furthermore, Mountbatten had little in common with his wife Edwina, who had an alleged affair, or so I read. But did Maria also have a crush on Louis? And even if they were married and lived in England, would Maria have been able to cope with the death of her family?

On the other hand, Mountbatten was himself brutally murdered by the IRA in 1979, aged 79. Even if they had married, it is likely that Maria may have met her cruel fate anyway, albeit 61 years later. Or be forced to cope with the tragic loss of yet another loved one. She might never have had a peaceful life as a result. I can only hope there's a heaven and that the Romanov family and Louis are at peace.

A postcard sent to Louis from Maria and Anastasia.