You might see startling links between far-flung branches of your tree, and learn the unexpected ways that individuals perhaps from different backgrounds and living in different countries shared the same bloodline. How were the British Royal Family related to the Romanovs? Following his fathers death on the 6th May 1910, George became King. Andrew Andreevich. The most commonly cited example is the fact that Nicholas, his wife, Alexandra, and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany were all first cousins of King George V of the United Kingdom through Queen Victoria. So, why was Prince Philip not King Philip? Without the support of either the politicians or the generals, the Tsar had to submit. The Tsarina did not learn Russian until after her betrothal, and though she has a good accent she speaks it very slowly. Other grandchildren became monarchs in their own right or consorts. "But if you look to history, there was another.alternate reality in which the Romanov family was saved at the 11th hour. In his memoirs, Wilhelm calls his third cousin Nicholas weak and vacillating and stated that he tried to mend the relationship between the two countries because of a promise he made to his grandfather on his deathbed. This means that he is first cousins with King George V. Wilhelm and Nicholas were not first cousins, but they were third cousins. There's even a chart just for radio podcasts here, featuring all your favorite iHeartRadio personalities like Bobby Bones, Elvis Duran, Steve Harvey and dozens of others. Empress Alexandra of Russia and King George V were grandchildren of Queen Victoria, also making them first cousins. During the First World War, blood ties and family bonds among the royal households was of little significance, even among wartime allies. AETNUK. The two men bore a remarkable resemblance to one another, something commented upon all their lives. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Russias disastrous entry into World War I in 1914 and the ensuing defeats and hardships increased resentments toward the family, eventually erupting into the 1917 February Revolution. The cousins were known for looking uncannily alike and, throughout their lives, had a very close friendship. In March 1917, riots broke out in St Petersburg, and a week later Nicholas II heard that a hastily assembled provisional government had decided that he must abdicate. It is unfortunate that this indirect family feud could have been prevented due to the family ties but were not utilized correctly. Tsar . Therefore, all the royal houses of Europe, and Russias WWI allies must share the blame.. In terms of succession, the law looks only to blood, and not to gender. All Rights Reserved. This happens to avoid inbreeding, since many royal families share common ancestors, and therefore share much of the genetic pool. Kings were no more guaranteed to be good soldiers or military strategists than they were to be good rulers. Princess Alix of Hesse (1872-1918) was Queen Victorias granddaughter. by Franz Xaver Winterhalter. The unprecedented slaughter of the Great War mechanised, brutal and shorn of chivalry was a savage rebuke to the idea that close familial links between royal families would somehow prevent nations from descending into bloodshed. [CDATA[// >