Rare Last Photos Of The Romanovs

Joy the Dog

This photograph shows Alexei posing with his dog named Joy. It was taken in 1916 only two years before his death. Many people thought that Joy was also executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918. However, the Siberian Times wrote that Joy actually escaped death. Apparently, one of the executioners felt bad for the dog and saved him from death. The dog was allegedly later taken to Windsor, presumably to be with the English royal family. The survival of Joy was miraculous as two other of the family’s dogs were shot along with the family. Later, a grave belonging to Joy was discovered in England on the Sefton Lawn in Windsor.