We’re back with a completely reworked and expanded 2026 version of one of our most requested redo episodes: Alexandra Feodorovna, the last empress of Russia.

Originally covered way back in 2018, we realized there was so much more to unpack about the woman who would become the tragic final tsarina of Imperial Russia. So this time, we’re slowing down, diving deeper, and fully embracing the gaudy, dramatic chaos of the Romanov court.

In part one, we explore Alexandra’s early life as Princess Alix of Hesse, Queen Victoria’s favorite granddaughter, whose happy childhood was shattered by tragedy, illness, and loss. We talk about the spread of hemophilia through Europe’s royal families, Alexandra’s intense religious beliefs, and the deeply romantic (and deeply codependent) love story between Alix and the future Tsar Nicholas II.

From doomed romance to catastrophic public relations disasters, this is the beginning of the end for the Romanovs.

Timestamps:

00:00 Return to Imperial Russia & Alexandra Feodorovna Redo
02:39 The Revised “Rasputin” Cocktail Recipe
03:40 Alexandra Feodorovna’s Birth, Family & Triple Gemini Chaos
05:24 Queen Victoria, Royal Upbringing & Life in Hesse
10:12 Hemophilia in Europe’s Royal Families Explained
16:22 Alexandra’s Religion & the Divine Right of Kings
21:42 Alexandra Feodorovna’s First Trip to Russia
22:22 Young Nicholas II Meets Alexandra for the First Time
27:14 Nicholas and Alexandra’s Romantic Letters & Courtship
34:26 Nicholas II Proposes & Alexandra’s Religion Crisis
38:03 Alexandra Arrives in Russia as the Tsar Dies
45:40 Alexandra Feodorovna’s First Impressions at Court
47:35 Nicholas II’s Coronation & the Khodynka Field Disaster
53:06 “She Came to Russia Behind a Coffin” — Bad Omens Begin

Sources:

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