Anna Pavlovna

Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna, the youngest daughter of Tsar Paul I, was born in Saint -Petersburg in 1795. She stayed in the Netherlands for 48 years, always close to ‘her Willem’. Although she saw herself mainly as a devoted wife, mother and sister, Russia may have remained her biggest love.

In the Netherlands Anna Pavlovna had her own Russian baker. She drank tea with water from Russian samovar, bathed according to Russian custom in ice-cold (sea) water and celebrated birthdays, according to Russian custom, the night before. In the palace park she walked with her Russian confidante and the Russian dogs and used troika to ride. There were many Russian elements in the palaces: furniture, portraits, vases from her homeland that she missed so much. Far away from her family, Anna Pavlovna often felt alone in the Netherlands. (Paul Rem. Anna Pavlovna. A colorful Romanov at the Dutch court).

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Crown Princess Amalia of Orange turned 18 on December 7, 2021. Following the tradition of the Royal House, the next day, December 8, she was presented to the members of the Council of State. From this day on, Princess Amalia has the right to take part in its work. The meetings are held in the Kneuterdijk Palace, which in the first half of the 19th century was the official residence of Crown Prince William of Orange and his wife, Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna. The palace remained in the property of the royal family until 1937. The Council of State has been located at Kneuterdijk Palace since 1983.

How to visit the Pavlovsk Palace without leaving home? It is possible now thanks to a virtual tour, which was recently presented by the State Museum Pavlovsk. You can virtually visit halls, exhibitions, open funds; change the viewing angle and scale of the image, as well as “move” from hall to hall, following special signs on the screen. Panoramas are accompanied by texts with information about the museum and its’ collections (in Russian).

Due to coronavirus restrictions the gardens of Paleis Het Loo (Apeldoorn) were closed for several months. Now they are again open for everyone. The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm, except Monday. Tickets with a timeslot are available online. Wearing a mask is mandatory in all indoor areas.  We would like to remind you that Paleis Het Loo is currently closed for renovation.

More info: Paleis Het Loo web-site

Curator Kristin Duysters tells a story of a water jug from the Het Loo Palace collection. According to family legend it was given by Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna as a gift to her lackey Emmanuel Reeser.