On Easter 1893, Alexander III presented his wife Maria Feodorovna with an unusual gift: an egg crafted by Carl Fabergé with golden legs. Miniatures made of ivory depicted the Abastumani Palace and a portrait of their son, Grand Duke Georgy. Georgy, as he was called in the family, was the most beloved son and was being prepared for the imperial throne, but fate had it that his brother Nikolai ascended the throne instead.

From childhood, Georgy stood out for his physical strength and was the main instigator among Alexander III's children. He also possessed a sharp wit, and Nikolai loved to write down his jokes and aphorisms. He kept these notes in a box he called the Curiosities Box. It is said that when he became emperor, Nikolai sometimes reread them and laughed.

Georgy was a capable young man, did well in his studies, spoke several languages, and was particularly interested in history. His tutor was none other than Vasily Klyuchevsky. Despite being the sons of the head of state, Georgy and Nikolai lived in simple conditions: they got up at 6 AM, did exercises, had porridge for breakfast, and ate cabbage soup with cutlets for lunch. It seemed Georgy was a happy and healthy heir.

However, in 1890, during a cruise in the Indian Ocean, his health sharply deteriorated. He could not leave his cabin on his own. In Russia, doctors diagnosed him with tuberculosis. Georgy was advised to change his climate, and he went to the Abastumani Palace in Georgia. There, in a valley at an altitude of 4000 feet above sea level, there was a mild winter and cool summer, and the pine forest was supposed to help him recover.

At first, Georgy did feel better. His parents regularly wrote to him, inquiring about his well-being. But Georgy was not destined to live long. He outlived his father by only five years and died at the age of 28. Now, it remains only to wonder how history would have unfolded if he had ascended the throne in February 1917.