The Rebel Romanov by Helen Rappaport chronicles the life of Juliane or Julie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
She was born on 23 September 1781 in Bern to Franz Frederick Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Augusta Caroline Reuss of Ebersdorf. If that name rings a bell, Julie was the aunt of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and she was thus also the sister of the future Leopold I of Belgium.
In 1795, she was chosen as a suitable bride for Catherine the Great’s second grandson, Grand Duke Konstantin. She travelled to St. Petersburg with her mother and her sisters, Sophie and Antoinette, where the trio was presented to the Grand Duke, and he was forced to make a choice. Julie was baptised in the Russian Orthodox Church and chose the name Anna Feodorovna. They were married on 26 February 1796.
Their marriage was a great mésalliance. Konstantin was violent and a true military man, and Julie was truly miserable. By 1799, the situation had become dire. Julie left Russia for medical treatment and intended not to return. However, her family was unsupportive, and she was finally forced to return to Russia. By October, she was back in Russia.
In 1801, another chance to escape presented itself. Emperor Paul I was assassinated in March, and Julie ‘became ill’. Julie returned to Coburg and now she had the consent of the new Emperor, Alexander I. She arrived back in Coburg in one piece and refused to return, and she never did. Instead, she began divorce proceedings against her husband. The divorce was denied, also due to fears that Konstantin might contract a morganatic marriage.
Nevertheless, Julie tried to live her life. In 1808, she gave birth to her first child, who was named Eduard Edgar Schmidt-Löwe. He was later ennobled by his uncle, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and carried the last name von Löwenfels. She had a second child in 1812. This time, it was a daughter who was named Louise Hilda Agnes d’Aubert. This time paternity was a bit more certain, it was probably Rodolpe Abraham de Schiferli, who was the chamberlain of her household. The child was adopted. Julie refused to consider an attempt at reconciliation and by 1820, Julie was finally officially granted her divorce.
The Rebel Romanov by Helen Rappaport brings Julie’s lost story back to life. From Julie’s family and background to her rising star and downfall at the Russian Court and her struggle to construct a life for herself. She was a part of one of the most famous families of the time but was rendered to the sideline because of her situation. The book was wonderfully written and very well-researched. I have always loved Helen Rappaport’s writing, and she does Julie justice.
The Rebel Romanov by Helen Rappaport is available now in the UK and will be released in the US on 15 April 2025.
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