sch ess in ska , ▁the ▁Prima ▁B aller ina ▁Ass ol uta ▁of ▁the ▁Mari in sky ▁Theatre , ▁was ▁the ▁el dest ▁among ▁the ▁three ▁most ▁prominent ▁d anc ers ▁of ▁her ▁generation ▁at ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Russian ▁Bal let , ▁along ▁with ▁Anna ▁Pav lo va ▁and ▁Tam ara ▁K ars av ina . ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁And rei ▁sat ▁next ▁to ▁his ▁host ess ▁during ▁the ▁dinner , ▁but ▁accident ally ▁sp ilt ▁a ▁glass ▁of ▁red ▁wine ▁on ▁her . ▁Math ilde , ▁attract ed ▁to ▁the ▁young ▁grand ▁du ke , ▁seven ▁years ▁her ▁junior , ▁took ▁the ▁incident ▁as ▁good ▁o men . ▁Age ▁ 2 8 , ▁Math ilde ▁had ▁been ▁the ▁mist ress ▁of ▁Ts ar ▁Nicholas ▁II ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁he ir ▁to ▁the ▁throne . ▁Their ▁two - year ▁relationship ▁ended ▁with ▁Nicholas ' ▁eng agement ▁to ▁his ▁future ▁wife , ▁Alex andra . ▁Math ilde ▁was ▁am bit ious ▁and ▁eager ▁to ▁maintain ▁her ▁close ▁relationship ▁with ▁the ▁Roman ov s . ▁She ▁subsequently ▁began ▁a ▁long ▁time ▁affair ▁with ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁Serge i ▁Mik h ail ov ich ▁of ▁Russia , ▁Nicholas ▁and ▁And rei ' s ▁first ▁cousin ▁once ▁removed . ▁As ▁she ▁was ▁not ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁Serge i , ▁but ▁enjoyed ▁his ▁company ▁and ▁protection , ▁Math ilde ▁purs ued ▁a ▁relationship ▁with ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁And rei , ▁the ▁third ▁Roman ov ▁to ▁become ▁involved ▁with ▁her . ▁By ▁July ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁they ▁became ▁lo