No Shame
Amid the political turmoil and power struggles, Catherine faced scrutiny regarding the legitimacy of her children. While the parentage of her first two children, Paul and Anna, remained uncertain, the circumstances surrounding her third child left no room for doubt. Catherine, pregnant during her plotting against Peter, gave birth to a son in April 1762, just months before assuming power. In a departure from ambiguity, the child, named Alexey, was unequivocally the son of Count Grigory Orlov, brother of Catherine’s lover, Alexey Orlov.
The calculated decision to openly acknowledge the paternity of her third child reflected Catherine’s pragmatic approach to personal matters. As she navigated the complexities of her personal life, Catherine demonstrated a keen understanding of the political consequences of transparency.
