Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna Romanova was Nicholas II (Anastasia's father) Romanov's widow mother, Alexander III's wife, and Anastasia's grandmama. She never got along with her daughter-in-law (Anastasia's mother Alexandra) though Empress Marie was very close to Marie and Alexis, but not as close as her youngest grandaughter, Anastasia. Anastasia and Marie had a very close granddaughter and grandmother relationship, which was noticed by how much more time Marie spent with Anastasia, Marie brought Anastasia wonderful gifts from France! Including a meticulous French porcelain doll Anastasia was very fond of. They shared secrets with each other. And when Marie went back to Paris, Anastasia lost her spunkiness for 2 days, and would mope around the palace garden.

But when her family moved to Siberia, to hide from the Revolutionists, Empress Marie told the family to come to Paris to live with her so they'd be safe. Two weeks before their arrival, Marie received news that the family had been murdered. Including, her beloved grandaughter Anastasia. She was heart-broken by the news. She lost her son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and granddaughters. But years passed and soon scientists discovered Anastasia's corspe was missing. So it might be possible she was alive. When Marie heard this she soon set out a reward of 8 million dollars to anyone who could retrieve her youngest granddaughter. Several young women claimed they were Anastasia, but Marie dismissed all. Then came Anna Anderson the most famous and near-convincing imposter. Anna Anderson addressed everything that the real Anastasia would know about, even had some physical resemblance! But with one look Marie dismissed her too! But just in case, they took DNA blood samples which proved she was a fake! Marie had been right!

More about Empress Marie

Empress Marie's real name Dagmar, she was born a Danish princess. So how did this Danish princess ever become wife of a Russian tsar? Queen Louise, Empress Marie's mother, had remained in contact with the Imperial Russian court, where she had wanted to find a substitute husband for her eldest daughter in the event that an alliance with Great Britain did not materialize. Princess Dagmar of Denmark would marry the Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich, heir of Tsar Alexander III. But the Tsarevich suddenly fell sick and died in 1865. At barely 18 years of age, Marie found herself without her dashing groom. None too soon her mother and future mother-in-law decided to marry Marie off to the new Tsarevich. Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich of Russia (Nicholas' father). Soon after, Alexander and the newly baptized Maria were married in a sumptuous ceremony in St. Petersburg attended by many other royalty. But in March 13, 1881, Tsar Alexander III was assassinated outside the Winter Palace by leftist revolutionaries. Marie was left to raise her children who arrived in such order in her and Alexander's marriage: Alexander in 1867, Nicholas in 1868, George in 1870, Xenia in 1872, Michael in 1878 and Olga in 1882. But of the six imperial children, Alexander did not survive infancy, George died of tuberculosis in 1898, and Nicholas and Michael were killed during the Russian Revolution.