Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna of Russia

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Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna of Russia (24 June 1825 - 10 August 1844) was a daughter of Nicholas I of Russia and his wife, Charlotte of Prussia. In the family, she was known as "Adini", and she was reportedly her father's favorite child.

She was famous in Saint Petersburg society for her beauty. On 28 January, 1844, Alexandra married Friedrich Wilhelm Karl George Adolf, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (1820-1864) in St. Petersburg. Her husband was the only son of Prince William of Hesse and Princess Louise Charlotte of Denmark.

Alexandra became acutely ill with tuberculosis shortly before her wedding, and this complicated the pregnancy which soon followed. She went into labor prematurely, three months before the child was due, and gave birth to a son, Wilhelm. The infant died shortly after he was born, and Alexandra died later the same day. She was buried with her baby son in her arms, at the Fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul in St. Petersburg.

Some years later, Friedrich Wilhelm married Princess Anna of Prussia (1836-1918) as his second wife.

In the gardens of the Peterhoff palace near Saint Petersburg there is a memorial bench with a small sculpture buste of the Grand Duchess.

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