Photo: irishnews.com
Alexandra Hamilton, also known as Duchess of Abercorn, has died on December 9 following an illness, the Irish news reports. She was 72 years old. The duchess was born in a family distantly related to the Russian Emperor Nicholas I and the poet Alexander Pushkin.
Hamilton engaged in social activities and paid much attention to the popularization of Russian culture and literature in Northern Ireland, including the work of her great ancestor.
Almost three decades ago she established the Pushkin Prize – a contest for young poets and writers. Thanks to Alexander Hamilton, the award winners were able to travel Russia and visit Moscow, St. Petersburg and places associated with Alexander Pushkin. The competition was later joined by Russian schoolchildren, who studied the poet’s legacy within the Pushkin Awards program. The Duchess of Abercorn also was one of the organizers of Pushkin through the eyes of children exhibition presented to the residents of Scotland and Ireland. For six years the duchess was the patron of Russian Culture Festival in Dublin.
Her work was marked with the Tsarskoye Selo prize and the Order of the British Empire. The Russian authorities awarder her work the Pushkin medal.
The Duchess visited Russia multiple times. Her family and she attended the burial ceremony of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II and his family in St. Petersburg’s Peter and Paul Fortress. She presented her collection of poems there and became the honored guest of the celebration of the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum anniversary.
Russkiy Mir
