The illegitimate son of Napoleon, Charles Léon, claimed that the main reason for the 1812 war was Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna, daughter of Emperor Paul I. There is some truth to this statement. Napoleon, seeking to connect with the Russian imperial family, chose Anna Pavlovna, daughter of Paul I. Napoleon's ambassador, Kolenkur, noted that although she was not particularly beautiful, she had a gentle expression, beautiful eyes, and was quite developed for her age. At that time, Anna was only 15 years old.

Napoleon initially approached Alexander I with a request to marry Anna. However, Alexander was slow to respond and ultimately stated that Anna's fate was determined by her mother, Maria Feodorovna. The widowed empress, who did not harbor any sympathy for Napoleon, politely replied that her daughter was still too young for marriage. Thus, Napoleon failed to connect himself with the Romanovs.

After this, the war began and the Foreign Campaign took place, and in 1816, Anna Pavlovna found her love. She became engaged to Prince William of Orange and moved to the Netherlands. There, being an active and educated sister of Alexander I, she learned Dutch, engaged in charity work, and helped all those in need, winning the love of the Dutch people. During the armed conflict between the Netherlands and Belgium, she supported her new homeland by opening numerous hospitals for wounded soldiers at her own expense.

In 1840, the prince's father abdicated the throne, and William and Anna became the new kings of the Netherlands. However, their coronation was criticized for its excessive pomp, and William appeared at the ceremony in a Russian uniform from 1812. Anna Pavlovna lived a long and fulfilling life, passing away at the age of 70. Her death caused deep sorrow in the Netherlands, and many residents voluntarily donned mourning attire.