Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia - Last Years

Last Years

During World War I, Michael was made a chairman of the commission to consolidate Russian orders abroad, but was denied permission to come back to Russia and serve with its armed forces. On 31 October 1916 the Grand Duke wrote to Tsar Nicholas II warning him that British secret agents in Russia were expecting a revolution, and that he should satisfy the people's just demands before it was too late. Excerpts of Michael's correspondence in French with the Emperor during his exile have been published (usually beseeching the Czar for money from his London exile).

With the war and later after the Russian revolution, the Grand Duke’s financial situation deteriorated. He lost a good deal of his money, which was tied up in the Romanovs' fortunes. He had to move to a more modest house at 3 Cambridge Gate, Regent's Park. However, King George V and Queen Mary helped with 10,000 pounds.

In 1916 his youngest daughter, Nadejda (Nada) married Prince George of Battenberg, eldest son of Prince Louis and Princess Victoria Battenberg. The Battenberg family was itself the product of a morganatic marriage, but one whose members had been allowed to use the style His/Her Serene Highness. A year after Nadeja and George's wedding, however, the English branches of the Battenberg family gave up their princely title, and Prince George, who was eventually to become 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven, took the surname Mountbatten and bore the courtesy title of earl, his wife becoming known as Countess of Medina. Anastasia (Zia), the eldest daughter, in 1917 married the baronet Sir Harold Wernher, who was extremely wealthy. These marriages helped to alleviate the loss of income from Michael's imperial estates. Their son-in-law Sir Harold Wernher provided a good deal of financial support.

Their son, Michael Count de Torby (known as Boy Torby) lost his job and came to live with them but the relationship was difficult, not least because Boy suffered a recurring form of epilepsy. Between bouts of this he was a painter of some accomplishment. Once the World War was over, Michael Mikhailovich and his wife returned to Cannes after six years. After the news of the murders of so many close relatives came through, many people thought Michael became unbalanced. He had become short-tempered and rude to the servants and a great trial to his wife.

By 1925, the Grand Duke had become so troublesome that his son-in-law Harold regarded him as "perfectly crazy". On 4 September 1927, his wife died, aged fifty-nine. King George V wrote a kind letter of condolence and the Prince of Wales attended her funeral. By November, according to Harold, the Grand Duke was again behaving well, as he no longer had his wife to argue with. He survived her for less than two years. Grand Duke Michael contracted influenza and died in London on 26 April 1929, aged sixty-seven. He was buried with his wife in Hampstead Cemetery.