decor ated . ▁He ▁used ▁the ▁building ▁to ▁entertain , ▁offering ▁concert s , ▁plays ▁and ▁d inners , ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁gather ing ▁place ▁for ▁artists , ▁particularly ▁from ▁the ▁bal let ▁world ▁. ▁The ▁palace ▁has ▁surv ived ▁to ▁the ▁present . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁it ▁houses ▁a ▁registry ▁office ▁for ▁wed d ings . ▁ ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁And rei ▁could ▁neither ▁open ly ▁live ▁together ▁with ▁Math ilda ▁nor ▁did ▁there ▁exist ▁the ▁possibility ▁of ▁contract ing ▁a ▁m organ atic ▁marriage ▁with ▁her . ▁Only ▁in ▁their ▁tri ps ▁to ▁Western ▁Europe ▁did ▁they ▁enjoy ▁enough ▁freedom ▁to ▁live ▁as ▁a ▁couple , ▁but ▁even ▁abroad ▁they ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁maintain ▁appearances . ▁The ▁couple ▁always ▁had ▁to ▁travel ▁with ▁his ▁A ide - de - camp , ▁Fe odor ▁Von ▁K ube , ▁and ▁when ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁And rei ▁was ▁invited ▁to ▁events , ▁Math ilda ▁could ▁not ▁join ▁him . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Imperial ▁family , ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁And rei ▁took ▁some ▁duties ▁of ▁representation . ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁honor ary ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Imperial ▁Fire ▁prevent ion ▁society ▁and ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁committee ▁for ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁mem orial ▁to ▁Emperor ▁Alexander ▁II ▁in ▁St . ▁Petersburg . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 7 , ▁he ▁went ▁to ▁Bulg aria ▁on ▁an ▁official ▁visit ▁with ▁his ▁father . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁he ▁visited ▁Ferdinand ▁I ▁of ▁Bulg aria ▁for ▁a ▁second