4,000 photos, 4 social networks, 1 family: #Romanovs100 kicks off with first stories

Thousands of rare photos from the Romanovs’ private archives are hitting the web, starting April 8, in a hundred-day-long project dedicated to the lives of Russia’s last reigning royal family.

Nicholas II was a real photo buff and his wife and five children followed suit: they used different cameras, including the legendary Kodak Brownie, to take photos of their daily lives. #Romanovs100 will publish these images via four major social media accounts: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.

The various platforms all have their unique storyline and the photos will not be cross-posted, but the team behind #Romanovs100 promises that it won’t be necessary to follow all platform accounts to stay in the loop: choosing one or a few would be enough. The original content was provided by Russia’s State Archive.

Facebook focuses on high-quality photos and panoramas (that the Romanovs took with a special camera), mixed with lyrical stories about the lives of Nicholas II, Alexandra, their children and friends, often told in their own words, from diaries and personal letters. Follow HERE.

YouTube publishes mini-videos based on the Romanovs’ photo collection, featuring historic aspects of the era in which the last Tsar’s family lived, as well as little-known facts behind the rarely seen photos. Follow HERE.

Eurovision contestant Peter Nalitch wrote original music to all of the project’s clips, adding his unique style to the mosaic of #Romanovs100. Artist Marina Amaral, who worked with the team on #1917LIVE, will collaborate with RT once again, adding color to some exciting images.

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Instagram delivers lifestyle images, presenting the most artistic, unusual and difficult photos taken by the Romanovs. Also, Tsarevich Alexei’s spaniel Joy brings an unusual and somewhat playful, canine, perspective to the lives of his humans, on a separate account. Follow HERE & HERE.

Twitter’s offering unfolds in a time-line of first-person stories from accounts followers may already know from #1917LIVE. Renowned author Helen Rappaport will lend a voice to the four royal daughters. Follow HERE.

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The project will run for 100 days, until the centenary date of the Romanov family’s execution by the Bolsheviks. Look out for #romanovs100 on your preferred social media platforms, for a unique history experience brought to you by RT, or head to romanovs100.com as your starting point.