Historian, author and TV presenter Simon Sebag Montefiore visited intu Milton Keynes on the century anniversary of the February 23rd 1917 Women's day protests that preceded the start of the Russian Revolution.
Simon discussed his book 'The Romanovs' with senior bookseller Nikki and an audience of around 40 people - some of whom had travelled for miles to hear him speak.
Storm Doris delayed the historian, but it was well worth the wait.
An energetic, entertaining and extremely erudite man, he regaled us with fascinating facts and amazing anecdotes about the most successful dynasty of modern times.
The Romanovs turned a war-ruined principality into the world's greatest empire - and lost it all. Simon touched on most of the Romanov rulers as he deftly answered questions:
" When the first Tsar was chosen, Russia was a failed state..."
"Until 1801, everyone plotted to be Tsar - but after this point they burst into tears in terror at the thought of it."
"Peter the Great's Drunken Synod was like a cross between Stalin's dinners and Led Zeppelin on tour"
"Catherine the Great and her lover Potemkin were the greatest partnership in all of Russian history."
"Alexander wasn't portrayed very fairly in Tolstoy's War & Peace - he was very underestimated."
The book was based on a synthesis of primary and secondary sources including documents and letters - some of them very private, very sexually explicit, and others very political.
The loudest laughter of the night came after Simon revealed some of the contents of letters between the married tsar Alexander II and his 16-year-old mistress, Catherine 'Katya' Dolgorukaya - the raunchiest love letters ever written by a head of state!
"There were some sexual acts described that I'd thought had only just been invented!"
So were there lessons here for democratic politicians to learn today?
"Yes," was Simon's immediate answer. "To understand Russia you have to understand the power of autocracy..."
Simon was thanked for honouring his commitment to attend in spite of his recent family bereavement, with the sudden passing of his sister-in-law Tara Palmer Tompkinson.
Simon said that it had been a harrowing and difficult time for them all and thanked everyone for the messages of sympathy received by the family.
After answering questions on The Romanovs from a very impressed and extremely appreciative audience, Simon signed their books before saying goodnight.
Signed copies of The Romanovs are available at Waterstones MK.
