The Last Days of the Romanovs by Helen Rappaport

She was in almost constant pain-her heart, her back, her legs, everything ached-and her faith was her only refuge.

We have no way of seeing into the true workings of their hearts and minds, of course, but we do know from everything their guards later said that Alexandra in particular had by now resolutely given herself up to God. Yet, despite their brevity, they give us a clear and unshakeable image of the family’s state of calm–almost pious acceptance–at this time. Such are the few passing, mundane details from the Tsaritsa’s diary that have come down to us of the family in their final days and hours. Since being brought here they had come to cherish the smallest and simplest of pleasures: the sun had shone Alexey was recovering from his recent bout of illness, and the nuns had been allowed to bring him eggs they had been granted the luxury of an occasional bath.

It was only the fact that they were still together, and in Russia, that kept them going that and their profound religious faith and absolute trust in God. Over the last three months, their lives had become deadened by the extreme constraints placed upon them and by a total lack of contact with the outside world. In light of a new episode of The Crown focused on the Romanovs' relationship with the British royal family, the following excerpt from Helen Rappaport's new book, The Race to Save the Romanovs, details just what happened in the Romanovs' final hours of captivity.įor the Romanov family at the Ipatiev House, Tuesday July 16 in Ekaterinburg was much like any other day, punctuated by the same frugal meals, brief periods of recreation in the garden, reading and games of cards. A century after the brutal murders of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, his wife Alexandra, and their five children (Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei), the execution of the Russian imperial family continues to capture the popular imagination.

The Last Days of the Romanovs by Helen Rappaport