How Lovely a Country This Is -- Part I
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A two-part article on the history of the little-known visit of Grand Duchess Victoria Melita to the United States in 1924. The trip played out against the political backdrop of a turning point in Russian-American relations as old loyalties to Imperial Russia were abandoned for a new recognition of the emerging Soviet state.
This is another piece in the series of updates and revisions to past material where I have found new and interesting information. To those interested in the Romanovs in exile, this is quite a tale of a very brave woman on her own during a tough political moment.
From the article:
“It was clear to both Grand Duke Kirill and Grand Duchess Victoria that this kind of visit, one in which the Grand Duchess would be received with honors by distinguished members of foreign society, would be an advantage in consolidating support for his claim. Whether the Imperial Couple hoped for official U.S. recognition for their claim is unrecorded, but rather than dwell on the difficulties, they were ultimately persuaded by Mrs. Loomis’ assurance of success:
The Chairwoman requested Her Majesty to come with a retinue of two ladies and a man. All travel was to be on one of the best liners and in the most luxurious hotels, the grand scale expense to be born by the Club.
Many considerations made Her Majesty waver in her decision to go. Although she was receiving the best possible endorsements of Mrs. Loomis, Her Majesty did not know the woman well and was concerned about her tact in dealing with Her Majesty. Her Majesty was also reluctant to go at the expense of the Club since this would place her in a position of dependence and oblige her to act in accordance with the desires and needs of the organizers of the trip which might not concur with her own. Finally, she was worried about the stress generated by a month of traveling.
Yet Her Majesty understood the importance of this trip for the worldwide promotion of her husband's cause. It could also provide useful contacts in the USA and, not least help in gathering funds for the poverty-stricken Russian emigration.
After much vacillation, much advice and much correspondence with Mrs. Loomis, Her Majesty agreed to go."