Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova (1872-1918), Empress consort of Russia and spouse of Nicholas II, with her son Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia (1904-1918). Alix of Hesse and by Rhine (June 6, 1872 - July 17, 1918), was Empress consort of Russia as spouse of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of the Russian Empire. Born a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, she was given the name Alexandra Feodorovna upon being received into the Russian Orthodox Church. Alexandra is best remembered as the last Tsarina of Russia. Alexei (August 12, 1904 - July 17, 1918), the young heir, was afflicted with hemophilia B, a hereditary disease that prevents blood from clotting properly, which at that time was untreatable and usually led to an untimely death. As a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, Alexandra carried the same gene mutation that afflicted several of the major European royal houses, such as Prussia and Spain. Hemophilia therefore became known as "the royal disease". Alexandra had passed it on to her son.