Mathilde (1872-1871) was a prima ballerina on the Mariinsky Theatre. She is famous for being the lover of Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich (future Tsar Nicholas II). Their relationship lasted from 1890-1894, it ended after Nicholas became engaged to Princess Alix of Hesse and he soon became Emperor. Nicholas swewtly nicknamed her "Little K". Mathilde in later years was a key figure in learning more about Nicholas shortly before he became Emperor, who he was, what he thought, how he acted, etc. After her darling Nicky was married and forever out of her reach, Mathilde had an affair with 2 Grand dukes; Sergei Mikhailovich and his cousin Andrei Vladimirovich. In 1902 Mathilde gave birth to a son, Vladimir (known in the family as Vova). It is unknown exactly which Grand duke fathered Vova, but Andrei later adopted him and married Mathilde. Mathilde converted from Catholicism (her family was of Polish origin) to Orthodoxy, taking the name "Maria". After escaping the Russian Revolution, she moved to Paris, opened a ballet school and happily lived there for 50 years, dying there just 8 months short of her 100th birthday in 1971.
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