Natalia Dragomiroff

Dame Wendy Hiller as Princess Dragomiroff in the 1974 film

Princess Natalia Dragomiroff is one of the main characters in Murder on the Orient Express.

Dragomiroff has been played on screen by various actresses, including Dame Wendy Hiller, Leslie Caron, Dame Eileen Atkins, and Dame Judi Dench.

Biography

Early Life

Dragomiroff was born in St. Petersburg, Russia (called Petrograd at the time).

She grew up in the Dragomiroff Family, an ancient Russian nobility family. Her father was a Tsar, and her mother was a Tsarina.

When she was a young woman, Dragomiroff's mother died, and she became Princess.

Dragomiroff married a rich ballet dancer named Yevgeny who gained all of his money before the Russian Revolution; this man would eventually become Prince Yevgeny Dragomiroff.

Natalia, who would frequently visit America, became great friends with the Shakespearean Broadway actress Linda Arden, and became an admirer of her work. The two of them became best friends, and Dragomiroff even became the godmother to Arden's daughter Sonia Goldenberg.

The Russian Revolution

In March 1917, the Russian Revolution began. Middle-class and working-class Russian citizens would form the Bolshevik Party, and they revolted against the Russian government. This revolution struck most of the Russian royal families from their power.

At the time of the Revolution, Yevgeny Dragomiroff invested the entire family's wealth abroad.

The Dragomiroff Family was among those targeted for assassination, and the entire family was overthrown and assassinated, except for Prince and Princess Dragomiroff; the two survivors of the Dragomiroff Family were exiled from Russia by the Bolsheviks.

Even though they were out of the country, Natalia still feared for her life that the Bolsheviks would hunt them down and execute them as they had done the rest of the family.

Life in Exile

The Dragomiroffs fled to Dusseldorf, Germany, and owned an estate.

In 1920, Yevgeny Dragomiroff died, leaving Natalia with no children or heir.

Preparing to relocate to America, Dragomiroff hired a Fräulein named Hildegarde Schmidt - who had worked at their estate since their arrival - to be her lady's maid, and both of them left for America.

In 1921, Sonia Goldenberg married Colonel John Armstrong and settled down in Great Neck, Long Island, New York. Hildegarde Schmidt would later go on to serve the Armstrongs as their cook.

In 1927, Daisy Armstrong was born to Sonia and Colonel Armstrong. After Daisy's birth, Dragomiroff christened her.

Daisy Armstrong's Kidnapping

After the kidnap and murder of Daisy Armstrong, the perpetrator Cassetti was arrested and tried but got off on a technicality because of his wealth and influence. Linda Arden gathered a group of interested parties for the purpose of avenging the crime and bring the criminal to justice. Princess Dragomiroff joined in and boarded the Orient Express with the rest of the group.

Schmidt went back to work for Dragomiroff, and they both relocated to 17 Avenue Kléber, in the 16th Arrondisment of Paris, France. Meanwhile, Cassetti, who had changed his name to Samuel Edward Ratchett, lived in the 10th Arrondisment of Paris.

The Orient Express

5 years later, in December 1935, Princess Dragomiroff, who had been staying with the Austrian Embassy, and Arden - masquerading as Caroline Martha Hubbard - boarded the Orient Express along with the rest of the jury.

While at lunch on December 17, Dragomiroff decided what she would have for dinner: cooked chicken and boiled fish without sauces, with a bottle of mineral water and a large glass of orange juice.

At 12:37am on December 18, the jury entered Ratchett's compartment and all took turns stabbing him to death. Dragomiroff planted a handkerchief embroidered with the letter "H" beside Ratchett's body.

As they left the compartment, the train stopped because of a snowbank.

The body would later be discovered at 9:45am, and Hercule Poirot was called on to solve the case.

During Dragomiroff's interview, Poirot asked her about the Armstrong Family, and she told him that they were personal friends of hers, especially Linda Arden and Sonia Goldenberg. She also said that, even though she had not kept in touch with her, she believed that Sonia Armstrong's younger sister Helena married an Englishman. When Dragomiroff asked Poirot why he is asking about the Armstrong Family, Poirot responded that the man who was murdered last night was responsible for Daisy Armstrong's kidnapping and murder. After the interview ended, Dragomiroff said that Poirot looked familiar, and when Poirot revealed who he was, she said, "This is destiny", before walking away.

Dragomiroff was later pulled in for a second interview, and confronted about how most of what she said was false. She also pointed out that the handkerchief that Poirot is carrying - as evidence to the scene of the crime - is one of her's, as she has her handkerchiefs embroidered with Russian characters, and that the "H" is actually the Cyrillic letter "N", for her Christian name: Natalia.

Poirot revealed that all of them are responsible for murdering Ratchett, but he let them go because, even though what they did was sinful, Ratchett deserved what he got.

Physical Appearance

In the novel, Princess Dragomiroff is very ugly, described as being "ugly as sin". She is an elderly woman with a yellow, toad-like face, dark, jewel-like eyes, and heavily beringed hands. She has a clear and courteous voice, but an autocratic tone. She also suffers from rheumatic pains in her back.

She wears a small but expensive black toque, a sable coat with a collar of large pearls, and rings covering her hands. It is presumed that these are the only clothes she has worn since 1917.

• In the 1974 film, Dragomiroff has greying blonde hair in a bun, grey eyes, pale makeup, and red lips.
  • She is dressed entirely in jet-black clothes - a veil, shawl, and dress - with jet jewelry. She also wears golden earrings with black jewels, and a golden necklace with a cross and black jewel inserts.

Trivia 

• It is presumed that Princess Dragomiroff's favorite food is fish - specifically sole - as she orders this in most of the adaptations.
  • In the novel, she orders cooked chicken and boiled fish without sauces, with a bottle of mineral water and a large glass of orange juice.
  • In the 1974 film, she orders poached sole with 1 new potato and a small green salad with no dressing.
  • In the 2006 video game, she orders the same dish as in the novel, but when she is told there is no chicken or fish on the menu for tonight, she orders lamb without sauces.
  • In the 2017 film, she orders a similar dish to the 1974 film: sole with potato and velouté sauce, replacing the original dish: grouper with escarole and beef sauce.
• Princess Dragomiroff is allergic to nuts.
• Princess Dragomiroff lives at 17 Avenue Kléber, Paris, France.
  • This is a real address, and it belongs to Hôtel Raphael, a 5-star hotel in the 16th Arrondisment of Paris.
  • This would most likely be the residence of Princess Dragomiroff, because not only was it built in 1925, but the other buildings at 17 Avenue Kléber are La Terrasse - a restaurant - and Bar anglais - a bar.
• In the 1974 film, 2010 television film and 2017 film, Princess Dragomiroff is played by an actress who was knighted, i.e. made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).
  • In the 1974 film, Dragomiroff is played by Wendy Hiller, who was made a Dame in 1975.
  • In the 2010 episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot, Dragomiroff is played by Eileen Atkins, who was made a Dame in 2001.
  • In the 2017 film, Dragomiroff is played by Judi Dench, who was made a Dame in 1988.