Katya & The Prince of Siam

During the evening there would be singing by a band of gypsies – singing, unique and unimaginable, according to the Baroness de Stoeckl, who heard them at a private party on the Islands at St Petersburg, and had often pictured ‘these wonderful beautiful singers, for whom many young officers ruined themselves’. But when they entered, she could hardly believe her eyes: ‘the women were ugly; one squinted; another, with toothache, had her head wrapped in a kerchief. The men were surly and unkempt. Yet suddenly a voice of extraordinary sweetness rang out, softly followed by others. Then abruptly, wildness seized the whole troupe until the lovely pleading voice came forth again from the mad bacchanalian yells … I began to feel their influence, something one could not define, a feeling of hope, of a dream, as if one could go on for ever listening. Still they sang and danced and played, sometimes wildly, at others the melody could have made one weep’. Afterwards she asked someone: ‘Tell me, what brings on this extraordinary rapture?’, and he answered, ‘The music in their souls.’

After eating and drinking, and being entertained in this style, followed by innumerable toasts drunk in champagne, on at least one recorded occasion, when these valiant fellows had fallen into bed at three a.m., the Grand Duke Michael had the ‘Boots and Saddles’ sounded at four. But, being Hussars, they were ready for inspection in fifteen minutes. ‘Each man as firm in his seat as though he had slept eight hours’.

The Emperor took particular personal pride in the Hussars, in which every Tsarevitch was entered at birth, and dined with them every month, arriving at the Mess alone without even an aide-de-camp. He would take his place amongst them as a friend and comrade, and unless an earlier departure was necessitated by urgent engagements next day, he remained as a rule all night.

After dining, there were songs by the magnificent Regimental choir. The General then advanced, bearing the silver loving-cup studded with precious stones, filled with champagne and declaimed: ‘Nikolai Alexandrovitch!’, and the singers broke into joyful strains. The Tsar, taking the cup, drained it and cried: ‘Your health, my Hussars!’, and all the officers bowed low. The singers then seized their illustrious guest by his imperial legs and raised him above their shoulders. Every officer was then, after a toast and a song, held up in the same manner and passed, standing, to the singers. This ritual, obviously needing judgement and concentration even when cold-sober, must have presented some difficulty under the circumstances.

More singing, this time by the gypsies, ended the night, or rather the morning, except that sometimes impromptu entertainments followed, one of the most popular being Poum’s imitation of an American negro doing the cakewalk - particularly enjoyed by the Tsar.

During the winter of 1902-03 there was much gaiety at court, including a sumptuous ball when the Hussars wore historical dress uniform, and where Chakrabongse and Poum doubtless did credit to the Régisseur of the Imperial Ballet. But it was still towards the Machavaya Ulitsa that the two young men made their way most eagerly, though now Poum sometimes went alone for he had fallen deeply in love with the charming widow – a love that was fully returned. And while he maintained the discretion of an officer and gentleman, Chakrabongse naturally knew of his happiness, though he himself was not so fortunate.

 

Prince Chakrabongse sitting at the dinning table with officers from the Hussars in 1903 (Photograph taken by Nai Poum).

 

 

Prince Chakrabongse in 17th century infantry uniform for the costume ball in the Winter Palace.

 

One young girl who caught his fancy was a certain Natasha, who conveyed to him by tender glances and pressing his hand that she loved him, and with whom he had a gentle flirtation at a variety of social gatherings. When, at a lesson in Military Jurisprudence, he got top marks, he wrote: ‘As Natasha had agreed to think of me during this class, I couldn’t have got anything lower.’