Dear Members,
On Thursday, 21 August and Tuesday, 26 August at 8 pm on BBC2, there will be a two-part documentary called ‘Russia’s Lost Princesses’ about the daughters of Tsar Nicholas II. During their childhood they were much photographed and attracted frenzied press attention, but after the birth of their brother Alexei, their mother Alexandra tried to keep his life-threatneing haemophilia a secret and, as a consequence, the sisters led isolated lives. One of the few outsiders the girls became close to was their parent’s spiritual adviser, Rasputin, whose reputation became a cause for mounting concern in the extended Romanov family.
Our member, Helen Rappaport, has worked on this documentary series as historical consultant, and her recently published book, Four Sisters, featured in both the UK Sunday Times and in the US New York Times best-seller lists – for an eight-week run in the latter. A review of Helen’s Four Sisters will be published in the December issue of the East-West Review. The documentary promises to be gripping viewing!
All the best, and hope you’re having a good summer,
David Holohan.