themauveroom:

Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna on her niece, Anastasia:

“But she was a shvipsik [a family nickname meaning ‘imp’] indeed. As she grew older, she developed a gift for mimicry. Ladies who came to see my sister-in-law never knew that somewhere unseen in the background, their Empress’ youngest daughter was watching every movement of theirs, every peculiarity, and later it would come out when we were by ourselves. That art of Anastasia’s was not really encouraged, but oh the fun we had when we heard duplicated the fat Countess Kutuzova, one of my mother’s ladies-in-waiting, complaining of a heart attack brought on by the appearance of a mouse. Very naughty of Anastasia, but she certainly was brilliant at it!” 

Source: The Last Grand Duchess: Her Imperial Highness Olga Alexandrovna by Ian Vorres

(via frickyeahanastasia)