ast asia , ▁without ▁a ▁doubt ." ▁Although ▁he ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁particularly ▁close ▁to ▁Nicholas ▁II ▁and ▁his ▁family , ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁And rei ▁had ▁met ▁the ▁real ▁An ast asia ▁in ▁family ▁events ▁through ▁the ▁years ▁and ▁while ▁in ▁service ▁as ▁a ide - de - camp ▁to ▁the ▁Ts ar . ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁Kir ill ▁protest ed ▁his ▁brother ' s ▁support ▁of ▁Anderson ▁and ▁disc ou rag ed ▁his ▁inter vention ▁in ▁the ▁case . ▁In ▁later ▁years , ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁And rei ▁rec anted ▁his ▁opinion . ▁ ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁And rei ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁liked ▁to ▁gam ble . ▁Math ilde ▁diss ip ated ▁their ▁remaining ▁wealth , ▁including ▁her ▁own ▁valuable ▁j ew el ▁collection , ▁at ▁the ▁g amb ling ▁tables ▁of ▁Monte ▁Carlo — the ▁remainder ▁was ▁lost ▁in ▁the ▁crash ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 9 . ▁With ▁their ▁resources ▁completely ▁de ple ted , ▁they ▁sold ▁their ▁house ▁in ▁Cap - d ' A il ▁on ▁ 4 ▁February ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁moving ▁the ▁next ▁day ▁to ▁Paris . ▁There ▁they ▁settled ▁in ▁the ▁Villa ▁Mol itor ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁arr ondissement ▁of ▁Paris . ▁To ▁provide ▁for ▁the ▁family , ▁K sch ess in ska ▁opened ▁a ▁bal let ▁school ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁in ▁a ▁studio ▁close ▁to ▁their ▁house . ▁Her ▁students ▁included ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁greatest ▁classical ▁bal let ▁d anc ers ▁of ▁all ▁time : ▁Mar got ▁F onte