RUSSIA: PRINCE DIMITRI ROMANOV RETRACES HIS ANCESTORS' FOOTSTEPS IN CRIMEA The Romanovs were the last Russian royal family to reign, and they were all executed during the 1918

revolution by the Bolsheviks. Tsarina Alexandra was one of Queen Victoria’s grandchildren, and she married the last Tsar Nicholas II in 1894. They had only one male heir, Tsesarevich Alexei,

who was a haemophiliac — meaning his blood does not clot, which can lead to major internal bleeding. His parents were incredibly worried about his health as a result and so turned to a

faith healer, a peasant, called Grigori Rasputin. Rasputin became a divisive figure within the Russian court but the Tsarina began to lean on him after believing that he could cure her son

believed he could help heal her haemophiliac son (Image: Getty) “There’s no way, and no proof, that she would have looked to Rasputin for sex.” He claimed that these allegations were spread

as propaganda against the Romanovs. Mr Smith said: “Those on the left, who wanted revolution and the overthrow of the Romanovs, spread such tales to indict the monarchy as hopelessly corrupt

and debased. “Those on the right, who resented the royal couple’s embrace of a peasant they viewed as a dangerous charlatan, spread such tales hoping to convince Nicholas and Alexandra to

send Rasputin away for good.” READ MORE: QUEEN VICTORIA FIRST ROYAL TO CARRY DISEASE WHICH DEVASTATED FAMILY Alexandra was one of Queen Victoria's grandchildren, pictured with the

monarch, her husband Nicholas and the then Prince of Wales (Image: Getty) RELATED ARTICLES He added: “They couldn’t stand the fact that she preferred the company of [Rasputin], an uneducated

Siberian peasant, to their peasant, to their own.” Mr Smith did concede that Rasputin took “many mistresses”, despite being married and was “was downright creepy towards many women he met”.

However, the historian claimed that the monk was actually a scapegoat of history in terms of his supposed affair with the Tsarina. Mr Smith explained: "The myth of the wildly debauched

peasant, sham holy man, who seduces the empress, cuckolds the emperor, and becomes the power behind the throne makes for a good story, which explains part of its staying power.” DON'T

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confession about death to Queen Victoria [EXPOSED] Alexei pictured with Nicholas II -- he was the only male heir to the Russian throne (Image: Getty) Rasputin's closness with the

Tsarina triggered a wave of rumours of a relationship between them (Image: Getty) The Romanovs continue to be a source of fascination even today, more than a century on from the family’s

execution. Rasputin is regularly depicted as a monstrous figure who helped bring down the Russian royals. He was also credited with having mystic powers, claims which only amplified after he

appeared to stop Alexei’s internal bleeding one time. However, it is thought that the bleeding stopped due to Rasputin's insistence that doctors stop administering aspirin, a

blood-thinning agent, to the young royal. The Romanovs were the last of the Russian royals, and were all executed in 1918 (Image: Getty) RELATED ARTICLES The occasion amazed the Tsarina, and

she promoted Rasputin to her close adviser - but their friendship only accelerated the German-born Empress’ downfall. His power in court meant triggered whispers that he was the puppet

master and the real power behind the Russian throne. He was killed by a group of noblemen in 1916, as they believed he posed a threat to the monarchy.