The Rebel Romanov: Julie of Saxe-Coburg, the Empress Russia Never Had by Helen Rappaport is a great nonfiction that shines a light on lesser known woman in history.

I really liked this one. I have read several books by HR and have always been impressed with her subject matter, passion, and level of research. And this one did not disappoint.

I have also read many books on the Romanovs and Julie is definitely not addressed as much as some of the other family members.

The eighteenth century was a volatile time in its own way just like this century is turning out, however the things that Julie of Saxe-Coburg experienced before, during, and after her marriage to Konstantin of the Russian Imperial Family are just fascinating (well maybe not for her). Knowing what I know of the surrounding historical figures related to her, really adds to this book. I loved learning something new.

5/5 stars

Thank you to St Martins Press for this wonderful physical arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 4/15/25.

This was an amazing read! I never knew of this aunt of Queen Victoria. It's such a tragic tale too! I never understood why European royals would sacrifice their children on the altar of political power. As we have learned time and time again, this has been the case in royal families. I understand the need to make allies. But at the expense of making your child unhappy? NO! And in Julia's case to be married to such a sadistic brute and expected to live with it? TRuly sad! This was a compelling read and I enjoyed it immensely!

Unfortunately, I just could not stand this. The writing was just so dry and I felt myself zoning out every few sentences.

The subtitle of this book (“Julie of Saxe-Coburg, The Empress Russia Never Had”) is a little misleading, because Julie (also known as Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna of Russia) was never meant to be empress of anything. Her brother-in-law, Alexander, was the sibling directly in line for the throne when she married into the Romanov family, and by the time Grand Duke Konstantin could've become tsar of Russia (a job he enthusiastically declined), he and Julie were already divorced. I mean, I suppose in a way that does make her an “empress Russia never had,” but by that definition I'm also an empress Russia never had. If there's ever a biography written about me, I hereby request that it also be subtitled in the same manner as this one, mostly because it'd be hilarious.

Anyway. The Rebel Romanov is an entertaining glimpse into Julie's life and how the Saxe-Coburgs helped to shape the royal families of Europe. And, if I'm being completely honest, Julie is probably one of the least interesting characters in this book. That's not necessarily a bad thing – she certainly has a story worth being told – but her main claim to fame is marrying a Russian grand duke, a dysfunctional marriage that really only lasted a few years (they lived separated-but-still-technically married for a couple of decades, however). From then on out, she lived a relatively low-key existence, although not a poverty-stricken one as she still received a hefty allowance from the Russian government. Meanwhile, many of her relatives went on to hold extremely powerful positions across Europe – her brother, Leopold, became king of Belgium and her niece and nephew were Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of the UK. And that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as Saxe-Coburg royalty is concerned – to say they were an incredibly ambitious family is definitely an understatement.

And, yes, both Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert were relatives of Julie's. European royalty is so inbred, you guys. So many cousins marrying cousins, and one of Julie's brothers even married his niece. Blech. And don't even get me started on all of the infidelity … at least the resulting illegitimate children probably had a deeper gene pool, I suppose?

As the author says in the epilogue, “much of Julie's life remains hidden from us.” There are numerous “might haves” in her story, and many documents that would have shed light on her inner thoughts and feelings have been intentionally destroyed or lost to time. Rappaport, however, has done a tremendous job of compiling the information about Julie that remains, and the history of the Saxe-Coburg lineage is truly fascinating. Anyone looking to learn more about the Romanovs, German history, or even the history of European royalty as a whole will likely find this book informative and entertaining.

My overall rating: 4.25 stars, rounded down.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is April 15, 2025.

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review

The story of a.German princess who finds herself married to a Russian prince. It becomes a clash of power as she fights to gain her freedom n a world dominate by male. Most do not remember much of her n history as she fought against cruelty of the times despite her linage. For those who like history will be interested in this book.

I read two chapters and lost track of who was who. You cannot write a historical novel and present fifty characters in the first two chapters. I lost all incentive to read this book. This kind of book demands simplicity to engage the reader. I was disengaged.

The Rebel Romanov is captivating. In today’s world, it is a pleasure to escape to the Eighteenth Century. This particular study of one woman who suffered the worst of all possible worlds, married off (as that is how social status, expansion of dynasties etc. was done) to a Russian mad man (Konstantine) who terribly mistreated her as well as his troops. It would be interesting to know what the suicidal rate was in the 1700’s. The story here could compete with any reality show or soap opera in the 21st century.. It’s a journey that takes the reader through the life of a remarkable woman..

Julie of Saxe-Coburg was married off at the age of fourteen to Konstatine, a Russian prince. She became a Grand Duchess. This is the story of her life.
I really enjoyed this book. The political assignations were fascinating. I had never heard of Julie before reading this, so I found it very interesting. Highly recommended.

Thanks in advance to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Marriage is hard. It is especially hard when you are a nearly broke German princess and you get married to a Russian prince who, how shall I put this lightly, has a significant personality disorder. Welcome to the story of Julie Saxe-Coburg!

Helen Rappaport tells Julie's story in her book The Rebel Romanov. You may not have heard about Julie, but you probably did hear about many other people in this book connected to her like Catherine the Great, Queen Victoria, Tsar Alexander, and various other royalty. Julie was a major part of the truly weird game of intermarriage that European royalty loved to take part in.

My enjoyment and rating of this book is based mostly on Rappaport's writing. She balances numerous characters (who frustratingly usually have the same names) and gives an excellent picture of the time they all lived in. Major players are highlighted but never completely overtake the narrative.

My singular issue with the book is a big one but not the fault of the author. Julie is not a very interesting main character at least as far as we can tell. Much of her correspondence needed to be kept secret or destroyed to avoid the ire of the Russian monarchy. Her exile from court meant she did not have any major influence on world events. It didn't help that she was also sickly (which may have been her husband's fault) and thus didn't travel as extensively as might be expected. Rappaport works with what she has, and the book is still very good. However, I think non-history nerds might be underwhelmed by Julie's story.

(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)

Deeply researched and intelligently written. Chocked full of historical data but for me personally, it reads like an encyclopedia. I was expecting more of a story. Great for anyone needing research data.

The Rebel Romanov by Helen Rappaport is a captivating biography that delves into the life of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Romanov, a member of the Russian royal family who turned away from her aristocratic roots to become a devout nun and revolutionary figure. Rappaport skillfully blends historical detail with personal narrative, offering a nuanced portrayal of Elizabeth's transformation and her eventual martyrdom. The book provides a deep dive into the complexities of Russian nobility, the upheavals of the early 20th century, and the spiritual journey of a remarkable woman. The Rebel Romanov is a fascinating read for those interested in Russian history, royal intrigue, and stories of personal sacrifice.

Their name is a mouthful.

Saxe- Coburgs. Most associate this royal house with Queen Victoria’s prince consort, Prince Albert and little else.

With this book, the author shines a light on one of his and his wife’s relatives-Juliane. At the young age of fourteen she was give into marriage to one of Tsar Paul’s sons, Konstantin. Their mismatch is not so unusual as so many arranged royal disaster marriages dominate history. What makes this unique is the life she led when she extracted herself from it.

The reader will appreciate the meticulous detail the author brings to this historical figure. She could have faded into obscurity without the author’s contribution.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love learning about the Romanovs and this book did not disappoint. It was about Julie of Saxe-Coburg, a German princess. I will confess I knew nothing about her life before reading this book. It was interesting, although sometimes it did drag on. It took a while to get into this book with all the background information, but once I read through it, I enjoyed it.

This read like a celebrity biography rather than a scholarly biography, and I generally prefer the latter. I picked it up because I enjoy women’s biographies and I’m interested in Russian history, especially of this period, but I quickly floundered as Rappoport immediately diverted her attention to Julie’s brother Leopold and his relationship with the English royal family - a situation which involved Julie (about whom at this point I knew virtually nothing) almost not at all.

Like most celebrity-style biographies, this one is strongly partisan towards its subject, which resulted in some confusing or contradictory assessments. In one chapter it’s heavily implied that Julie’s sister-in-law was being spiteful and inaccurate by suggesting she’d had an affair with the king of Prussia, and a chapter or two later the impassioned tone of Julie’s letters to said king are said to indicate a close and probably romantic relationship. The future Tsar Alexander I is derogatorily described as “effete” half a paragraph before Rappaport discusses his illegitimate child. Other figures are generally characterized only as related to their relationship with Julie, which meant that they didn’t feel real or understandable - and since we know so little about Julie herself in many ways (Rappaport relies heavily on “must haves,” “probablys,” and “hints at,” as well as semi-rhetorical questions) this made the narrative feel unmoored and speculative. Context just isn’t provided. And while Julie undoubtedly suffered, there are moments - as when Rappaport is lovingly describing the luxurious estate bought for Julie by her separated husband’s family, which Julie got to design and decorate, in which Julie would live independently for the rest of her life (surrounded, of course, by upwards of twenty servants plus multiple ladies-in-waiting) - where one wonders if this was really such a terrible fate for a middle daughter from a small and impoverished German principality. She left her husband when she was twenty; she lived into her eighties.

Overall, I enjoyed it, but the lack of access to Julie’s interior life meant that she never really came alive. Was Julie an innocent victim of domestic violence and controlling men or a flirtatious seductress who was an active participant in her own affairs? Rappaport has no idea, and that means the reader doesn’t either. Rappaport faithfully - and exhaustively - chronicles everything Julie DID, but by the end I was left with not much impression of who Julie WAS. The book was well-written but by the end I was still wondering why its subject required a full-length biography.

Pushed into a marriage with the grandson of Catherine the Great in Russia by her father, Prince
Franz, desperate for money for his duchy, Julie of Saxe-Coburg finds herself friendless at the
court except for Elizaveta Alexseevna or Elise, wife of Alexander, her intended, Konstantin’s
sister-in-law. After Julie refused to give in to life with Konstantin, Tsar Alexander finally gave
her permission to leave Russia in 1801.

Julie sought freedom above reputation and wealth, giving birth to illegitimate children she was
forced to give up for adoption before finding love with her own married physician.

The bourgeoisie were willing to look the other way when Julie attended the Bern Musical
Society’s inaugural concert because of her status. This book is the story of this dauntless woman
who suffered ill health as she reached her goal of freedom and is well-worth investing the time in
reading.

Thanks go to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advance copy.

A very detailed and informative book on the life of Princess Julie-Anne Saxe Coburg - someone who I knew little about. With so much written and focused on either the English or French monarchies, this is truly a refreshing look on a lesser known woman. Her life was certainly one that was hard to live and the author does a great job trying to put all the pieces together. Many parts of her life remain unknown but what the author did uncover was dutifully honored and the rest she asks the hard questions and tries to formulate respectable answers. Give this book a go - you will NOT be disappointed. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you for writing yet another insightful book, Helen Rappaport.

Since I follow the author on social media, I knew this books was in the works and having read several of her Romanov books, I was excited to delve into another chapter. As usual, I wasn't disappointed, as happy as I am to read about well known historical figures, I always get a special pleasure out of reading about more obscure people and in Princess Julie-Anne Saxe Coburg, somehow both of these things turned out to be true. While very well known in her own time, Princess Julie deliberately by the end of own long lifetime became a shadow and a hidden figure. She lived the simple life of just another German princess amongst hundreds, then a whirlwind, literally glittering (and horribly painful) life as a Russian Grand Duchess, and then as a private woman whose past trailed behind her, never letting go enough to give her a real chance at what she always wanted: love and family.

Without her precedent and "luck" at marrying so highly, there would be no lasting prospects for the rest of her family: there would be no king Leopold I of Belgium, her younger brother, and no Queen Victoria, the daughter of her younger sister, their entire dynasties in existence because Julie married and survived an abusive Grand Duke,

The Rebel Romanov by Helen Rappaport details the life of Julie of Saxe-Coburg who was forced to wed the grandson of Catherine the Great, Constantine. Constantine was volatile and alternated between violence and being nice to Julie - who miserable with him. She finally obtain permission from Tsar Alexander to leave Russia and despite please from her husband to return, lived her life in Europe. Taking many lovers, she had several illegitimate children that she was forced to give up.

Ms. Rappaport gives a fascinating depiction of this Romanov that I'd never heard of before and gives us her life story - even though it's tragic because she was used as a pawn by her family.

This was an incredibly interesting book that all lovers of European and Romanov history will enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I requested and received an eARC of The Rebel Romanov: Julie of Saxe-Coburg, the Empress Russia Never Had by Helen Rappaport via NetGalley. When I saw this title, my mind immediately focused on the words “Romanov” and “Saxe-Coburg” and I knew that I wanted to read this. In 1795, Catherine the Great went in search of a bride for her grandson, Constantine. She selected Julie of Saxe-Coburg — aunt to the future Queen Victoria — a young, German princess like she had been before marrying into the Russian Imperial family. Julie found herself thrown into a court dominated by rumors and rivalries and paired with a volatile husband who could be sweet in one moment and violent in the next. Eventually, she would be granted permission by Tsar Alexander to leave the court, leaving behind a husband and life she despised. During her lifetime she gave birth to multiple illegitimate children, which she was forced into giving up for adoption. In The Rebel Romanov, Rappaport explores her life and circumstances which have largely been forgotten by history.

In the introduction to the text, Rappaport positions the Saxe-Coburg family in the middle of 19th century, as several siblings married into high stations, some in close proximity to thrones in Europe. With such well-connected relations, how did Julie sort of disappear into history, a sacrifice to the Russian Imperial throne and the success of her family? This definitely made me excited to dive further into the book and tempered how I viewed Julie throughout my reading. The journey to Russia must have been an eye-opening experience for Julie and her sisters, but that would only be the tip of the iceberg. Rappaport describes Constantine’s bizarre and cruel behavior and it really unsettled me. I cannot imagine how difficult this must have been for the young bride.

Julie’s life was certainly a unique one and The Rebel Romanov does a tremendous job of imparting her tale. She was, as Rappaport shows, little more than a sacrificial lamb to the Romanov dynasty for the betterment of her own family. Parts of Julie’s life necessarily remain an enigma due to lack of sources. The author points out certain possibilities, such as who she may have had an affair with, what may have caused her bouts of illness, who may have fathered her children, but does not make any claims that cannot be supported. It’s a shame so many letters and first hand accounts of her life were destroyed, but as Julie herself participated in this erasure it is difficult to begrudge her this act of agency in a life fraught with limitations. Even with this mystery, Rappaport manages to puzzle together a compelling portrait of a woman who it is difficult not to develop sympathy for despite two hundred or so years of separation. Julie seemed to retain a certain charm that really appealed to people until the end of her life, despite her mother describing her as very affected by her time in Russia and her marriage. This was a terrific and very enjoyable read.