Irina Yusupova was one of the most famous and controversial women of the 20th century. She was the only daughter and granddaughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last emperor of Russia, and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna. She was also the wife of Prince Felix Yusupov, a wealthy and eccentric aristocrat who was involved in the assassination of Rasputin, a mystic healer who had a great influence on the royal family. Irina’s life was marked by glamour, tragedy, scandal, and mystery.
A Noble Birth in a Turbulent Time
Irina was born on March 21, 1915, in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg), Russia. She was named after her paternal grandmother, Princess Irina Alexandrovna of Russia. Her father was Prince Felix Yusupov Feliksovitch, a descendant of Boris Petrovich Sheremetev and Illarion Ivanovich Vorontsov-Dashkov. His ancestors included Boris Petrovich Sheremetev and Illarion Ivanovich Vorontsov-Dashkov. He worked with the shipping company Vlasoff.
Her mother was Princess Irina Alexandrovna of Russia, the daughter of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, the elder daughter of Tsar Alexander III and sister of Tsar Nicolas II. Through her mother’s side, she was a descendant of Christian IX of Denmark.
Irina grew up in a luxurious palace surrounded by servants and tutors. She had seven siblings: Olga (1906-1982), Tatiana (1907-1982), Maria (1908-1982), Anastasia (1910-1918), Alexei (1911-1924), Anastasia (1913-2007), and Maria (1914-2007). Her parents were deeply in love but also had many problems in their marriage. They often argued over money, politics, religion, and social issues.
The Yusupov family faced many challenges during World War I and the Russian Revolution. In 1916, they were forced to flee from Petrograd to avoid being arrested by the Bolsheviks for their involvement in various conspiracies against the government. They settled in various countries such as France, England, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Palestine, India, Japan, China.
A Controversial Marriage and a Tragic Death
Irina married Count Nikolai Dmitrievich Sheremetev on June 19, 1938, in Paris, France. They had a lavish wedding ceremony attended by many celebrities and aristocrats.
Irina suffered from depression and anxiety due to her husband’s erratic behavior and the constant threat of being exposed or arrested by the Bolsheviks or the Nazis. She also felt lonely and isolated from her family and friends, who disapproved of her marriage to Sheremetev. She tried to find solace in religion, art, music, and literature, but she also struggled with her own identity and sexuality.
On August 30, 1983, Irina died of cancer at the age of 68 in Cormeilles-sur-Loire, France. She was buried next to her parents at the Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois Russian Cemetery in Essonne, France. Her husband died two years later on February 5, 1985. Their daughter Xenia survived them both.
