Princess Olga Valerianovna | |
---|---|
Countess of Hohenfelsen | |
Born |
Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire |
2 December 1865
Died | 2 November 1929 Paris, France |
(aged 63)
Spouse | Erich von Pistohlkors Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia |
Issue |
Alexander Erikovich Pistohlkors Olga Erikovna von Pistohlkors Olga Erikovna von Pistohlkors Marianna Erikovna von Pistohlkors Prince Vladimir Pavlovich Paley Princess Irina Pavlovna Paley Princess Natalia Pavlovna Paley |
Father | Valerian Karnovich |
Mother | Olga Vasilyevna Meszaros |
Princess Olga Valerianovna Paley (Ольга Валериановна Палей) (2 December 1865–2 November 1929), was the second wife of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia.
She was born Olga Karnovich at St. Petersburg, the daughter of Valerian Karnovich and his wife Olga Vasilyevna Meszaros. She married Erich Gerhard von Pistohlkors (1853–1935 Riga) in 1884, by whom she had four children:
She later began an affair with Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia, causing a great society scandal, and bore him a child, Vladimir. Her marriage to Pistohlkors was terminated by divorce, and Paul asked permission of Tsar Nicholas II to marry Olga, but he refused.
In 1902, Paul married her morganatically, but the marriage was not approved, and she was given no titles. In 1904, Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria granted Olga the title of Countess von Hohenfelsen. Nicholas II later acquiesced to the marriage and made her Princess Paley.
Olga and Paul had three children:
Olga left Russia in 1920 with her two daughters to Finland, after her son and her husband were executed by the revolutionary government. She died in exile in Paris on 2 November 1929, at the age of 64.