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Nicholas II’s family yachts (PHOTOS)

The last Russian emperor is often considered one of the richest people in history. His worth was estimated at $250-300 billion, if we go by what the ruble was worth in 2010. A multitude of factors must be considered when speaking of the Royal family’s ‘bank account’ ( not all is straightforward there ), but what we know for sure is that living expenses left a massive dent in the Russian Empire’s treasury. In 1894-1914, the family had the largest yacht flotilla of all monarchs on the planet. These floating castles were formally owned by the maritime department, but, in practice, belonged to the Romanov family and built to its specifications. 

‘Standart’ 

In 1892, the maritime department ordered a Danish shipyard to build a cruiser, but Alexander III soon ordered to turn it into a yacht. It was already during Nicholas II that the yacht was finally lowered into water, using ‘Standart’ - a traditional name for a tsar’s vessel (the first yacht of this name saw the light of day during Peter I’s reign, almost 200 years earlier).

Imperial Russian yacht Shtandart (1893–1961), off the coast of the Crimea, near Yalta, in 1898.

The cruiser yacht, meanwhile, was humongous: measuring 128 meters, it had a crew of almost 400! The Standart was the largest and most luxurious emperor’s yacht in the world, boasting a conference room, an exquisite dining hall for official visits, separate living room, ensuite amenities for every guest cabin and so on. The interior was fashioned with expensive wood and matched the Winter Palace in luxuriousness: crystal chandeliers, candelabras, velvet portiers and other bells and whistles.

Imperial Yacht Standart

All of that was, of course, perfect for welcoming the most esteemed guests onboard: a Siamese King, a German Emperor and a French President were all visitors at one point. However, the yacht was just as likely to be used for family outings. Nicholas and his family loved to vacation from June to early August, usually on the Finnish islands. They would live on the yacht and only set foot on land for relaxing walks. 

The Russian Imperial Family aboard the Imperial yacht Standart.

World War I put an end to those walks and yacht trips, for security reasons. In 1917, the tsar-cruiser became the site of a sailor rebellion - just as other vessels at the time, and already in April, the Baltic Fleet’s Revolutionary Committee took up residence in it. 

All of the metamorphoses that had taken place henceforth aboard the yacht did not exhibit even a trace of its former elitist flair. The ship was repurposed into a minelayer, then used in battle. After the war, the vessel served as a barracks on water and, from 1961, as target practice for missiles. By the end of the 1960s, it bore the unglamorous fate of being taken apart for parts and scrap metal. 

‘Polar Star’

The ‘Polar Star’ appeared in the Royal family earlier than the ‘Standart’, in 1888. Its construction was also that of a cruiser yacht, with four 47-millimeter cannons on board. 

Imperial Russian yacht Polyarnaya Zvezda in Copenhagen.

The cruiser served the Romanovs until 1914 and used to take the tsar on visits to European capitals, as well as participating in official military functions and celebrations. And, although the Polar Star was a more modest affair than the Standard, according to Count Ignatyev, “her rival”, which belonged to English Queen Alexandra of Denmark, Nicholas II’s aunt, “paled in comparison”. The Polar Star housed a church and even a cowshed, with a separate cabin. 

Emperor Nicholas II of Russia and Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaievich

The yacht was most frequently spotted not at official state functions, but in a small Copenhagen port, where this “dark blue beauty, fringed with a massive gold rope”, voyaged every year with Nicholas’s mother, Maria Fedorovna, aboard. The Royal family loved going shopping in Copenhagen and, although the Danish capital was only a couple of days’ travel by train, the widowed empress preferred the yacht. 

Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna with Anna Vyrubova in the main deck salon of the Imperial yacht Polar Star

After the Revolution, the vessel faced a similar fate to the Standart. It was first taken up by revolutionary sailors, then, before World War II, it was repurposed to serve as a submarine mothership. In 1954, the former Romanov yacht was likewise turned into a floating barracks and, seven years later - into a target for missile tests. It was finally sunk in the 1960s. 

‘Svetlana’

Nicholas II’s uncle Prince Aleksey’s personal yacht, the ‘Svetlana’, was inspired by the 2nd class French armored cruiser, the ‘Catinat’, so was given to French engineers to design. It was lowered into the water in 1897. 

Due to the fact that the ship was first intended for Grand Duke Aleksey Aleksandrovich, it contained luxurious chambers, fashioned with expensive wood, marble and persian rugs. The Portuguese queen once took a 45-minute tour of the yacht, allegedly never hiding her amazement.

But, aside from taking the Royal family on vacations and serving as an armored minelayer and escort, the vessel also managed to take part in battle. Aside from soft couches and marble, the ship was armed to the teeth: in 1904, it was included in Russia’s Pacific Fleet and sent to fight in the Russo-Japanese War. Having received a direct shell hit during the Battle of Tsushima, the cruiser attempted to get itself to safety, but was detected and sustained heavy Japanese fire. Almost 300 sailors lost their lives. An investigative committee set up after the battle determined that the crew of the Svetlana “showed exemplary fortitude and self-sacrifice”. This appraisal was especially important to those who had survived: prior to the war, the Pacific Fleet’s sailors considered them “maids” and their ship - a “floating hotel”, instead of a fighting unit. 

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Tag: imperial yacht the standart

Nikolai demenkov to grand duchess maria nikolaevna (last letter).

 Linear ship “Empress Maria”. 18 July, 1916. Sevastopol. 

Your Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna! 

Read more NIKOLAI DEMENKOV TO GRAND DUCHESS MARIA NIKOLAEVNA (LAST LETTER)

TSAR NICHOLAS II AND ESTONIA by Liisi Kund

Tsar nicholas ii and estonia.

By Liisi Kund

This Romanov history enthusiast decided to look into my country´s archives to learn what relationship there was between Tsar Nicholas II and Estonia.

Estonia has been part of Russia several times, the latest being 1944-1991 as part of the Soviet Union; prior to that it was 1710-1918, as of what we call “The Russian era”. Between these two time periods, we fought for our independence –  the Estonian Declaration of Independence was read out in Pärnu on 23 February 1918.  So for Estonia, the year 2018 is a centennial celebration, and myself I somehow feel sad,  as it´s also 100 years since the  deaths of the Russian Imperial family.

Read more TSAR NICHOLAS II AND ESTONIA by Liisi Kund

ROMANOV FAMILY: ORIGINAL IMPERIAL “STANDART” OF TSAR PETER THE GREAT

Romanov family: original imperial “standart”, of tsar peter the great.

Most Romanov history buffs know of “The Standard”, the beloved imperial yacht which belonged to the Romanov family. But did you know that the original “Standart” belonged to another member of the Romanov family – Tsar Peter the Great?  Frigate “The Standart” – the first ship in the Baltic navy,  was built on orders of Peter the Great on 24 April, 1703.

Read more ROMANOV FAMILY: ORIGINAL IMPERIAL “STANDART” OF TSAR PETER THE GREAT

OLGA ROMANOV AND PAVEL VORONOV – 1913 ROMANCE.

Olga romanov and pavel voronov – their 1913 romance.

1913 was the Tercentennial  of the Romanov family’s dynastic rule, and the eldest Grand Duchess Olga Romanov was coming of age (she turned 18 in early November). The Grand Duchess’s life was full of romance, pageantry and fun. One of her two love interests during that year was a young handsome officer from the imperial yacht: Pavel Alekseyevich Voronov .

Read more OLGA ROMANOV AND PAVEL VORONOV – 1913 ROMANCE.

OLGA ROMANOV: ACCIDENT ON “THE STANDART”

Olga romanov:  accident on “the standart”.

“Accident on our yacht”:  From lesson book of Olga Romanov.

Read more OLGA ROMANOV: ACCIDENT ON “THE STANDART”

ROMANOV FAMILY: ON THIS DATE IN THEIR OWN WORDS. OLGA ROMANOV. 15 AUGUST, 1913.

From the 1913 diary of Olga Romanov:

Read more ROMANOV FAMILY: ON THIS DATE IN THEIR OWN WORDS. OLGA ROMANOV. 15 AUGUST, 1913.

Tsar Nicholas II and his family at a cathedral

Emperor Nicholas II with his daughters on the deck of the yacht "Standart".

Nicholas II and Grand duchess Tatiana

Family of Nicholas II on Imperial yacht Standard, 1899-1900.

Nicholas II, and his family in Livadiya, Crimea

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Capri floats ring of steel to thwart A-listers and tourists

Barrier used to prevent damage and bad behaviour as tourists outnumber residents in summer months

The yachts draw up each summer to the pristine coves and sparkling waters of Capri .

But under plans put forward last week by the mayor of the Italian island, they will soon be barred from sailing too close.

Frustrated with hordes of tourists clogging up famous sites such as the Blue Grotto, Franco Cerrotta, the mayor of Anacapri, is is proposing a barrier of 40 buoys be placed 100 metres (330ft) offshore for a distance of 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) around the western rim of the island.

A-list visitors like Beyonce, Leonardo di Caprio and Kendall Jenner will be forced to drop anchor outside the perimeter, while tour operators ferrying day-trippers to the Grotto will find their path blocked.

Like Venice, this island off the coast of Naples is joining the list of Italian destinations establishing measures to keep people away.

“No-one has the right to damage the environment or risk hurting children in swimming areas,” Mr Cerrotta told The Telegraph. “There is too much traffic and motorboats are travelling too fast. We have to stop boorish behaviour and defend the sea.”

Tourists have been drawn to Capri for at least 2000 years, following in the footsteps of Tiberius, the Roman emperor, who built a sumptuous hilltop palace here.

But their number now tops that of the entire population over the summer months, with 16,000 foreigners visiting the island in May and June, compared to the 13,000 residents.

No place is more popular with tourists in peak season, according to the Italian travel and tourism body, Federaturismo.

Last week, the mayor met port officials from Naples to discuss his council’s proposal – but it is unlikely to take effect before 2025.

Boat rental companies are furious, saying the move will damage their business. One boat operator, who declined to be named, accused the mayor of acting “as if he was Mussolini” referring to Italy’s former fascist dictator.

During the summer holiday season boat operators earn a premium charging up to €100 (£85) an hour to take visitors on scenic cruises around the island. They claim the buoys would hamper their business and drive tourists away.

“Capri depends on tourism,” the unnamed boat operator said. “We need to respect existing laws and regulate boat speeds in swimming areas, not just make unilateral decisions.

Holly Star, an Australian who runs the Michel’angelo Cooking School with her husband, Gianluca, said: “The volume of day trippers puts pressure on the island’s infrastructure, resources and community and doesn’t enable those travellers to experience the true essence of Capri.

“It’s impossible to grasp the natural beauty and rich culture here without devoting more time.”

Lorenzo Coppola, a hotel owner who heads the local hotel association, said the tourists congregate in key areas that are overcrowded and the inflow needs to be managed more effectively because infrastructure and resources were already stretched.

Capri was forced to temporarily suspend tourist arrivals when its water supply broke down in June and it collapsed again last week. Ferries and buses are crammed with daily arrivals.

The island has doubled its visitors’ fee from 2.5 euros to 5 euros but some say that is not enough to protect the future of Capri and its residents.

Teodorico Boniello, the head of the local consumers’ association, told The Telegraph: “Capri is becoming a dormitory for tourists and residents are being forced out.

“There are more people coming here than we can cope with and families can’t afford to stay. The national government needs to take urgent action to protect the community and the island’s future.”

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