 Princess Vera Konstantinovna of Russia was born at Pavlovsk on 24 April 1906.She was the youngest child among the nine children of Grand Duke Constantine Constantinovich of Russia and his wife Grand Duchess Elizabeth Mavrikievna, born Princess Elizabeth of Saxe-Altenburg.She was going to be named Marianne in honor of her mother's favorite sister, Princess Marie Anne of Saxe-Altenburg, but her paternal aunt Grand Duchess Vera Constantinovna of Russia insisted that her niece should be named after her.