Emotional ties with Russian royal Princess Olga Romanoff

‘I wouldn’t sit still for this portrait, so my mother had to give the artist photos of me. I’d never have worn this frilly dress.’ Princess Olga’s memoirs, Princess Olga: A Wild and Barefoot Romanov, are published by Shepheard-Walwyn, £20. She is also patron of the Russian Debutante Ball in London; see russianball.co.uk for details

Left: ‘My father Prince Andrew Alexandrovich of Russia presented this necklace to my mother Nadine McDougall when he proposed in the woods at Balmoral. The ruby is now missing, but it reminds me of them both. Right: I can wear these Christian Louboutin shoes all day. They might be the first and last pair of Louboutins I ever own!’

‘I’ve had Jak, my 12-year-old jack russell, since he was six weeks old. I’m also looking after Ronny, an 11-year-old dachshund, for some friends. They are both enormously entertaining.’

‘My grandfather, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia, used this etching pen to write my father’s name and the time and date of his birth in 1897 on the window of the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. I’m not sure why – perhaps simply because he could!’

‘My great-grandmother Maria Feodorovna, Empress of Russia [left], and her sister, Queen Alexandra [wife of Edward VII ], were Danish princesses. This painting of them hangs in my drawing room. I’m proud of my multicultural heritage.’

‘My grandfather gave me this french bulldog toy after a trip to Paris. My mother took one look and declared that he was far too good for a child. He has lived in the drawing room ever since and feels like part of the house.’

‘After my mother died in 2000, I relocated to restore my family home, Provender House in Faversham. The chimney wobbled, the roof needed replacing and there was no heating. With the help of architect Ptolemy Dean and English Heritage, I brought the house back to life.’

‘I love this photo of my son Nicholas [now 40], taken when he was six months old. The photo alongside is of me with his son Tom [now 12], taken at the same age. It’s incredible how identical they look.’