Princess Xenia Georgievna of Russia - Anna Anderson Controversy

Anna Anderson Controversy

In the summer of 1927, Xenia involved herself in the Anna Anderson/Anastasia Tchaikovsky affair by telephoning Gleb Botkin with an invitation for Anna to live as a guest at Kenwood. Xenia explains her hospitality: "I had heard that Botkin was arranging to bring 'the invalid' to the United States through a newspaper organization. This bothered me because I had heard so many conflicting stories. It then occurred to me that I should take her myself and avoid all this proposed publicity. For if she were indeed an impostor it would save much unpleasantness for my family, and if she were the real Anastasia it was ghastly to think that nothing was being done for her.... This solution would be simple, so it seemed to me."

As children, Xenia and her sister Nina had played frequently with the two youngest daughters of Tsar Nicholas II, Maria Nikolaevna and Anastasia Nicholaevna, as well as the youngest child and only boy, Tsarevitch Alexei. Both sisters possessed vivid memories of their second cousin, once removed Anastasia, who they described as "frightfully temperamental" and "wild and rough". According to Xenia, Anastasia "cheated at games, kicked, scratched, pulled hair, and generally knew how to make herself obnoxious."

Princess Nina even said, "Anastasia was madly jealous of me because I was taller than she was. As the daughter of the Emperor she thought she ought to tower over everyone."

Xenia was on a cruise with her husband William in the West Indies at the time of Anna's arrival in New York. She had arranged for Anna to stay with Annie Burr Jennings, a friend of Xenia's who lived in a Park Avenue townhouse. Upon her return, Xenia sneaked unannounced into Annie Jennings's crowded salon to observe Anna. After watching Anna offer her hand to Gleb Botkin, Xenia declared that she knew she was watching an equal. She stated, "It was so matter-of-course, so unforced--in no way a theatrical gesture. With it she radiated a natural grandeur and I was impressed on the spot."

Xenia recognized Anna Anderson as the Grand Duchess Anastasia at once, asserting that Anna was herself at all times, never giving the slightest impression of playing a part. The two remained great friends for life even after Anna Anderson had to leave Xenia's home after quarreling. Prince Christopher of Greece described the stay:

She stayed with my niece, ... who showed her the greatest kindness. Then her treatment of the Grand Duchess Xenia, sister of the last Tsar, led to a quarrel with William Leeds, who turned her out of the house.