‘After descending from the train, I inspected the Guard of Honour, followed by two soldiers in the Russian manner. The troops did a march past actually in the station. They have to be battle-ready at all times as their main task – railway security involves many hazards including contending with armed bandits.’
These formalities completed Chakrabongse introduced the bevy of Generals to Katya and they were then taken on a tour of Old and New Harbin. As it was cold with a chill wind and a sky dark with rain, they were glad to return to their train for luncheon to entertain all who had welcomed them. But although due to leave almost immediately, there was an inordinate delay spent in strolling round the station, of which they must have become heartily tired as the Russian Express came in six hours late!
Continuing their journey, the train passed first through flat cultivated country then twisted and turned among wild hills, where each halt was the centre of an entirely Russian-style village. When Chakrabongse awoke about 8 am they had reached the Bay of Armur, its shores covered by thick dark forest. Shortly afterwards Vladivostock – meaning ‘possession of the East’ – came in sight.
‘Waiting to receive us were the Governor General and a number of notabilities including General Iramen – who fought at Port Arthur – and of course the Mayor.’ After presentation of the traditional bread and salt and a bouquet for Katya, there was the usual inspection of the Guard of Honour, followed by luncheon in a restaurant-car that had been joined to their train. At three, they stepped into a motor-car for a tour of the city with the mayor. While ascending a steep hill, the gear-box broke down and, to pass the time before a horse-drawn carriage arrived, they visited what Chakrabongse described as ‘a massive store selling everything under the sun.’ Thus while the Mayor may have been discomfited by the performance of his motor-car, it must have been delightful for Katya to indulge in a little feminine shopping as a break from the repeated displays of military protocol, bugling and fanfaring that punctuated their long and exhausting journey.
Prince Chakrabongse at Harbin.
Prince Chakrabongse at Vladivostock.
Indeed, reception committees and guards of honour were on hand at all the various stops made by the train on the way to St Petersburg, where they arrived on 4th June to be installed in the Europe Hotel, just off the Nevsky Prospekt and at that time the finest hotel in the city. The rooms were large and spacious with much walnut panelling, mirrors and even pretty marquetry pianos in the best rooms. Unfortunately, Chakrabongse’s diary preserves its factual tone and one can only imagine the excitement they both felt at being back in the city where they had met and fallen in love. In addition, the timing of their visit was most opportune as June in St Petersburg is the time of the famous ‘white nights’ when dusk does not come till two o’ clock in the morning and the Nevsky prospect and banks of the river are thronged with strolling couples into the early hours.
Next day they were up early to devote the morning to Chakrabongse’s wardrobe – a Russian tailor measured him for a new white general’s tunic, followed by an English tailor charged with equipping him with English court dress: black satin knee-breeches and silk stockings for the Coronation. Later a cobbler attended to take instructions for making buckled shoes. These vital sartorial matters dealt with, after luncheon he and Katya visited Deguy, Chakrabongse’s personal tutor in the Corps des Pages, who was in hospital, and they ‘discussed certain matters in full’. Perhaps Poum was the subject of this talk as he had been advised to quit St Petersburg during Chakrabongse’s visit, as a result of his refusal to return to Siam in 1906 when commanded by King Chulalongkorn and thereby becoming ‘persona non grata’ with the Siamese royal family. However despite the two old friends being unable to meet, Chakrabongse and Katya would have had all the latest news of him from Madame Chrapovitzkaya, to whom Poum remained devotedly attached.
In late afternoon Chakrabongse was delighted by his visit to the Siamese Embassy for ‘all was exactly the same – even every chair and table in the same place as I remembered it, and my bedroom also completely unaltered.’
On 6th June, wearing ‘full dress Summer uniform – grey tunic, holster belt and sash’, Chakrabongse left by special train accompanied by the Head of the Protocol Department to call on the Emperor at Tsarskoe Selo. After a short 40 minute trip he arrived at the pretty cream-painted station to be greeted by Grand-Duke Cyril and a guard of honour, together with some old friends, with whom he had been in the Hussars. After inspecting the Guard and presenting his own suite, the whole company bowled off in open carriages to the Alexandrovsky Palace, which he writes ‘was surrounded by flower-beds, some filled with wallflowers, which not only looked beautiful but smelled wonderful.’
Chakrabongse and Katya visiting the Siamese embassy at St Petersburg together with his aide-de-camp Prince Amornthad Krisdakorn (generally referred to by his nickname Tapong).
At the Palace, he was received by dignitaries of the Imperial Household, then a page conducted him to a reception room adjoining the Tsar’s Audience Chamber where, shortly afterwards, he was shown into the imperial presence. The Emperor was ‘wearing Hussar uniform and the Chakri sash and chain, and received me in the most charming manner and showed he was really pleased to see me again.’ The Tsar talked of the long journey from Siam to Russia, and enquired after King Vajiravudh and the Queen Mother before saying how much he regretted the death of his old friend Chulalongkorn. He also asked after Katya and, as there is something sad and almost cruel in the manner in which a morganatic wife is generally completely ignored by royal personages, this pleased Chakrabongse immensely. (This incident draws attention to the fact that Chakrabongse himself, while mentioning every detail of protocol, dress and deportment of the procession of personalities that stream through his voluminous diaries, also hardly ever mentions the appearance or reactions of his pretty young wife.)
After Chakrabongse had presented the Emperor with a richly chased gold and enamel box which was received with every mark of pleasure, they returned to the reception room, where tables were set out with an enticing assortment of ‘zakuska’ before luncheon was served, and 26 guests sat down at a long table glittering with silver and a profusion of pale pink roses; Chakrabongse sitting on the right of his host and next to Prince Dolgourouky.
Afterwards Chakrabongse and the Tsar moved to a terrace where the Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna reclined on a chaise-longue, suffering from a ‘nervous disorder’, that effectively sequestered her at Tsarskoe Selo and exempted her from her public duties. Her state of health often retained her husband by her side to the detriment of his role of Emperor, and also laid him open to the evil influence of Rasputin, whose star had been in the ascendant since 1908, the year of his introduction to royal circles. Also present grouped around their mother’s couch, were the four young Grand Duchesses and the Tsarevitch.
‘The young girls’, wrote Chakrabongse ‘were much grown – the two eldest are now young ladies, and the Tsarevitch, now seven, looks very sweet. The Empress was extremely gracious – much more so than the last time we met, and she enquired most kindly after all my relatives – except my wife.’ He presented the Empress with a gold fan encrusted with diamonds before he rose to go and then, accompanied by the Emperor as far as the library, he took leave and left.