Russians from a lost age

Emperor Alexander II of Russia with his Danish-born wife, Empress Marie Fedorovna.

The Empress Yekaterina the Great. The young Grand Duchess was a pure, shy girl when she came to Russia, and soon became corrupted by the court of the Empress Elisabeth. Empress Catherine hated her husband, and usurped the throne from him.

The beautiful Empress Marie Fedorovna. She is wearing her trademark diamond kokoshnik.

Empress Marie, in a signed photo from 1989.

Identical sisters: Empress Marie and her sister, Queen Alexandra of Denmark, often dressed together in society to amuse themselves.

After the deaths of their husbands and long years of hardships, the two sisters had grown much apart, but nevertheless bought and shared a house together in Hvidore, Denmark, in their later years. Alexandra died in 1925, Maria in 1928, ten years after the assassination of her son, Nikolai II, and his family.

The Last Empress of the Persian Empire

Farah Diba was only 21 years old when she married the 38-year-old Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi. She was born 14 October 1938.

Farah was the only person to hold the office of Shahbanou since pre-Islamic Iran. The title of Shahbanou is the feminine equivalent of Shahanshah, which means "King of Kings."

Farah Pahlavi had four children, Reza, Farahnaz, Ali Reza, and Leila. She has  4 grandchildren, Princesses Noor, Farah, and Iman (daughters of her oldest son, Reza), and Princess Iryana Leila, daughter of Ali Reza.

The Last Empress, Farah Diba Pahlavi, spends her exile between Washington, D.C., and Paris. She makes an annual pilgrimage to Cairo to visit the Mausoleum of her husband, Shah Reza Pahlavi.

The Persian Imperial Family were ousted in 1979, and they spent a grueling number of years afterwards, trying to find a country that would grant them asylum. They moved first to Egypt, then to Mexico. The Shah died of cancer in 1981.

Farah at her coronation in 1967. She acted as Queen Regent of Iran after her husband's death in 1980, until her son, Reza Pahlavi, took over the role of Emperor-in-Exile.

The Pahalvi's suffered greatly after their exile. Farah's youngest daughter, Princess Leila, because of the death of her father and the pain of exile, which both happened when she was so young, suffered from depression and had a dependence on medication, which led to her untimely death at the age of 31, in 2001. Farah's younger son, Prince Ali Reza, commited suicide in 2011. He had a daughter, HIH Princess Iryana Leila, born in 2011, months after Ali Reza had already died.

The Russian Imperial Family

From an old commemorative book on the reign of King Haakon VII of Norway, the Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna of Russia arrives via Christiania Port.

The Tsarevich Alexei and his mother, Empress Alexandra Fedorovna of Russia.

Empress Alexandra Fedorovna, wife of Tsar Nicholas I. This painting was in a special Hermitage Exhibition at an art museum in Seattle over 7 years ago now, and it stands about 10 feet tall.

A postcard of Tsar Nicholas, Empress Alexandra, Grand Duchess Ella, and the Tsar's two youngest Daughters, Olga and Maria.

The Empress Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, wife of Tsar Alexander II, and mother-in-law to Empress Maria Fedorovna.

A lovely, simply picture of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fedorovna.

The Grand Duchess Elizabeth, who became a nun after the assassination of her husband, the Grand Duke Sergey, who was the Governor General of Moscow. 

The Empress Maria Fedorovna, wearing a large diamond kokoshnik tiara, and a necklace, which also converts for wear as a tiara.

The family of Tsar Alexander III.

Alexandra Fedorovna and Tsar Nicholas, at  the time of their engagement.

Tsar Nikolai II and his son, the Tsarevitch Alexei.

Tsar Nikolai, with his four daughters, from left to right: The Grand Duchesses Anastasia, Olga, Tatiana, and Maria, with Alexei in front. 

The Japanese Imperial Family

These pictures are from special commemorative souvenir books, from when the Japanese Emperors visited the United States.

Crown Prince Akihito of Japan and King George V of England.

The beautiful Empress Michiko and Emperor Hirohito of Japan.

Empress Michiko wearing a beautiful dress and tiara, pictured with her husband, the Emperor Akihito and Mr and Mrs Eisenhower.

Empress Michiko with a large, fake stuffed tiger.

Empress Michiko and her husband, Akihito.

The Empress Nagako Kojun, pictured at her coronation in an elaborate kimono.

The Empress Nagako Kojun in a diamond tiara.

Pearl and Diamond Diadems

The grand pearl and diamond diadem of the Empress Eugenie of France, the last Empress or Queen of France, who died in 1920.

A large Russian aigrette-style tiara, with tall, feather-like diamond tendrils coming out  of the tiara base. Large brioche diamonds dangle from each tendril.

A diamond and pearl tiara that also converts into a necklace

A diamond and pearl tiara originally belonging to Princess Marina, the Duchess of Kent. It  is now in the collection of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.

An oriental pearl and diamond Russian diadem, which went up for auction when the Communist party of Russia auctioned off the Tsarist Crown Jewels.

An oriental pearl, button pearl, and diamond tiara. I saw this tiara in a fashion shoot in a magazine, and it was placed far back on the model's head around a low bun.

Fabulous Fabergé Tiaras

 A tall and grand diamond Faberge tiara, belonging to the Duke and Duchess of Westminster.

 An emerald and diamond tiara sketch. Many Faberge tiaras must have been disassembled or lost during the years, as there doesn't seem to be that many left these days.

 Another Faberge drawing of an elaborate diamond and emerald tiara.

 A more delicate design, a diamond and emerald tiara sketch.

 A very sharp and angular tiara of diamonds and emeralds.

 A large diamond and cabochon sapphire tiara belonging to the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, the last empress of Russia.

 The preliminary drawing for the tiara pictured above, that belonged to the Empress Alexandra of Russia.

 A page out of one of Faberge's catalogues. There is a diamond tiara, two necklaces, a brooch, and two other accessories.

 A delicate little Faberge tiara. The base looks to be a pale blue ribbon, but it is actually a patterned and textured blue enamel.

 A diamond floral wreath, very similar to the one that the Crown Princess Mathilde of Belgium often wears.

 A Faberge tiara in its original box.

 A sketch of a diamond and pear-shaped Sapphire tiara.

A kokoshnik-shaped tiara, with cabochon sapphire elements which are redolent of flowers, and a matching brooch.