Marriage To Russian Noble
Olcott became the first wife of Count Alexis Constantinovitch Zarnekau, a Russian nobleman and cousin of Czar Nicholas II, whom she secretly wedded. Vera Ivanova, as she was known when married, eventually tired of her husband's lavish attention and the luxuries he bestowed on her. She made her way back to United States and was soon divorced by Zarnekau. The Count made provisions for his final Slavic estates to be given to Olcott. When he died in front of the Winter Palace, his land was taken by Bolsheviks.
Another newspaper article reported Olcott in Berlin searching for Zarnekau in September 1926. This story described her acting upon a clue that he did not die in battle, an event which was never verified. Olcott supposedly received a mysterious letter from abroad stating that Zarnekau was still alive. According to this news item Olcott returned to the United States at Zarnekau's instruction during World War I. She ventured to Europe in 1926 with a desire to reunite with him, so that they could resume their position in Czarist circles. At the time there was still hope of a royal restoration in Russia.
Read more about this topic: Vera Olcott
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