and uncle, blaming them for the forced separation from their real father, who had abandoned them. Grand Duke Sergei was strict and demanding, but devoted and affectionate towards the children. Marie wrote in her memoirs: "In his fashion he loved us deeply. He liked to have us near him, and gave us a good deal of his time. But he was always jealous of us. If he had known the full extent of our devotion to our father it would have maddened him." Maria Pavlovna also commented that she could not entirely disagree with those who thought Grand Duke Sergei heartless, self-centered and cruel. Maria had a somewhat strained relationship with her aunt. Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna found difficult to relate to the children and was cold and distant towards them. The teenage Maria was described by her maternal aunt, Grand Duchess Maria Georgievna of Russia, as "full of life and very jolly, but inclined to be self-willed and selfish, and rather difficult to deal with." Grand Duke Sergei, who served as Governor General of Moscow, was a polarizing figure. Targeted by the SR Combat Organization, he was assassinated by a terrorist bomb at the Kremlin in February 1905. The bomber had refrained from an earlier attack because he saw that Grand Duchess Elisabeth, along with fifteen-year-old Maria and her younger brother Dmitri were in the carriage and did not want to kill women and children. After the assassination of their uncle, both children were emotionally distraught, particularly Dmitri. Grand Duke Paul claimed the custody of his children, but the Tsar made Elisabeth their guardian. Grand Duke Paul was allowed to visit them, but not to return to Russia permanently. After her husband's assassination Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna regretted treating the children poorly and became closer to them. First marriage During the next two years, Maria's aunt turned towards religion and charity work. Planning to retire from court and to form a religious order, Grand Duchess Elisabeth decided to find a husband for her niece. Shortly after Easter 1907, Prince Wilhelm, Duke of Södermanland the second son of King Gustav V of Sweden and Victoria of Baden visited St Petersburg and he was introduced to the sixteen-year-old Maria Pavlovna. She was plump, mischievous and proud. The prince was tall, thin, dark and distinguished looking "with beautiful grey eyes", Maria recalled. He stayed for dinner, and the following day, Maria was