George's mother,
Catherine Dolgorukova, met
Alexander II when he visited the
Smolny Institute in the autumn of 1864. She became his
mistress in July 1866, despite early resistance. Their affair caused great scandal at court, with Alexander's heir (
the Tsarevich) in particular protesting, though it was to be in vain. The Emperor was devoted to Catherine and promised to marry her as soon as he was "free," meaning when his estranged and sickly wife
Empress Maria Alexandrovna finally died. Alexander had ordered that if the circumstances called for it, Catherine, and not the child, must be saved; but mother and son both lived, and the father happily wrote "The Lord is so generous. I praised God, in tears I thank Him". The devotion Alexander showed to his mistress and children concerned all around him, many feeling that the relationship damaged his reputation irreparably. In 1878, Alexander secretly had his children legitimated with
noble status under the name of "Yuryevskii," clearly marking his second family as Russian, compared to the
German heritage of his other children. When revolutionary groups like the
Nihilist movement increased in power, the Emperor's "first family", as well as the princess and their children, removed themselves to the
Winter Palace for security reasons, where their rooms were said to be directly above the dying Empress. The Emperor had believed he was in danger of assassination, and was consequently in favor of a speedy remarriage, as this would help to provide for his second family. The marriage was heavily criticized, with one source speculating that it "deprived [Alexander's] image of both the moral and cultural attributes that had come to justify autocratic power". Catherine took the title
Princess Romanovskaia-Yurevskaia and the status of
Serene Highness, along with her children. The newly married Princess Yuryevsky and her son made their first official appearance on 4 October during a military review of the
Cossacks, with George wearing a Cossack uniform. Alexander begged his heir to accept her into the family, and introduced him to George as his "eldest brother" whom he was "to love and obey" and by whom he would be looked after. Indeed, the Emperor ordered research be done on the subject in order to evaluate how Catherine's coronation might be achieved. The Tsarevich was so upset by these plans that he threatened to leave for
Denmark with his family, but he chose to stay after the Emperor threatened to replace him as heir by his half-brother. Another rumour suggested the Emperor might abdicate, at the urging of his wife, and go to live with her and their children in
France.
Death of the Emperor Emperor Alexander II died on 13 March 1881, when after visiting his cousin
Grand Duchess Catherine Mikhailovna he was assassinated on the road leading back to the
Winter Palace. His death stopped all plans for Catherine's coronation, which some considered fortunate, as they feared it would have caused lasting damage to the monarchy. George and his family attended the Emperor's funeral, but they were ignored as much as possible by the Imperial family, until Alexander III himself approached his father's widow and spoke to her. ==Later years==