Letter from Maria Fyodorovna to Nicholas II from Kiev on 16 July 1916

My dear Nicky!

You will probably be extremely surprised to receive this letter with this woman, Mrs Howe, [1] who sent us her books in the winter. She deliberately came here from England, in order to see you and begged me de lui donner une lettre de recommendation pour toi pour pouvoir te parler de son oeuvre de charité chretienné. Je l’ai vue et elle m’a fait une très bonne impression et s’est pour cela que je te prie de la voir un moment. Elle a déjà parle aux ministres à Petrograd qui l’ont beaucoup approuvé, mais je suis sure qu’un mot de toi serait tout pour elle. [2] I hope that you are healthy and happy de nos belles victoires ces derniers jours, Dieu merci. On respire un peu plus librement et on ne peut pas assez admirer les hauts faits de nos splendides incomparables troupes. [3] Nicky [4] is sitting with me, and I am very glad to finally see him. He asks me to tell you that I feel so happy to have seen him & feel comforted & encouraged after having spoken to him. [5] Poor thing, he is in such despair on account of Tino [6] & for all the lies they have written about Tino and his country. [7]

Xenia is coming the day after tomorrow and I am terribly glad. Olga is so busy that I see very little of her. We have four hundred wounded and about twenty-eight officers. The weather is glorious and I am often outside.

My thoughts are always with you, my darling Nicky, and I am glad that darling Alexis is with you. I hug you both tenderly. God protect you!

Your old Mama.

Footnotes

1. A nurse from Great Britain.

2. “To give her a letter of recommendation to you, in order to tell you of the work of her Christian charity. I saw her and she made a good impression on me, and so I ask you to receive her. She has already spoken to the ministers in Petrograd, and they approve of her, but I am sure that your word will be of enormous importance for her” (French).

3. “At our great victories in recent days, thank God. One can now breathe a little more freely, and cannot help admiring the heroic feats of our splendid, incomparable troops” (French).

4. Prince Nicholas of Greece (1872–1938): Son of King George I of Greece, nephew of Maria Fyodorovna.

5. Text in italics in English in the original.

6. King Constantine I of Greece (1868–1923): Nephew of Maria Fyodorovna. Abdicated (1922).

7. Text in italics in English in the original.