100 Heroes: Prince Felix Yusupov

Prince Felix Yusupov was a Russian aristocrat from the House of Yusupov who is best known for participating in the assassination of Grigori Rasputin and for marrying Princess Irina Alexandrovna, a niece of Emperor Nicholas II.

Life

Felix was born in 1887. The Yusupov family were one of the richest families in Imperial Russia, having acquired their wealth generations earlier.

Felix was renowned for living a flamboyant life. There are stories of him dressing in drag and hanging out in queer cabaret clubs.

From 1909 to 1913, he studied at University College, Oxford. He shared a house with Luigi Franchetti and Jacques de Beistegui, who we can assume were his lovers.

Marriage

In 1914, Felix married Princess Irina of Russia, a niece of the tsar.

The wedding of Felix and Irina was probably the last grand wedding in the Russian Empire.

Grigori Rasputin

There's a complicated story about the murder of Grigori Rasputin. Rasputin was a mystic and faith healer. He befriended the imperial family of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, through whom he gained considerable influence in the final years of the Russian Empire.

There was a perception among the Russian aristocracy that removing Rasputin would help to protect the Tsar and the Empire.

It's not exactly clear what role that Felix Yusupov played in the murder, but it seems he was involved at some level.

Regardless, the removal of Rasputin did little to prevent the impending revolution.

Life in Exile

After the revolution of 1917, Felix and his family left Russia.

For most of the rest of their lives, they lived in France.

During this period, Felix's significant relationship seemed to be with Victor Contreras - a young art student from Mexico who lived with Felix for five years in Paris.

Death

Felix died in 1967 and was buried in Paris.