▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁sen ator . ▁From ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁to ▁ 2 6 ▁February ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁he ▁commanded ▁the ▁Life ▁Gu ards ▁ 2 nd ▁Don ▁C oss ack ▁art illery . ▁In ▁spite ▁of ▁his ▁appoint ments , ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁And rei ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁much ▁interest ▁in ▁his ▁military ▁career . ▁Instead , ▁he ▁purs ued ▁a ▁life ▁of ▁le is ure ▁enjo ying ▁the ▁privileges ▁provided ▁by ▁his ▁royal ▁status ▁and ▁wealth . ▁ ▁Rel ations hip ▁with ▁K sch ess in ska ▁▁ ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁And rei ▁was ▁tall , ▁sh y ▁and ▁good ▁looking . ▁E ff ort s ▁to ▁make ▁him ▁sett le ▁down ▁with ▁a ▁b ride ▁of ▁royal ▁blood ▁were ▁un success ful . ▁He ▁was ▁very ▁close ▁to ▁his ▁mother , ▁particularly ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁father ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁and ▁manip ulated ▁her ▁to ▁his ▁advantage , ▁which ▁his ▁sib lings ▁res ented . ▁His ▁p li able ▁person ality ▁made ▁him ▁more ▁popular ▁within ▁the ▁Roman ov ▁family ▁than ▁his ▁sib lings . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁good ▁friend ▁of ▁his ▁cousin ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁Michael ▁Alexand rov ich , ▁who ▁was ▁a ▁year ▁older . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁And rei ▁was ▁invited ▁by ▁his ▁brothers , ▁Grand ▁D uk es ▁Kir ill ▁and ▁Bor is , ▁to ▁a ▁dinner ▁party ▁at ▁the ▁house ▁of ▁Math ilde ▁K sch ess in ska . ▁K