A ranar 1 ga Maris, 1881, bayan kisan kakansa, Tsar Alexander II, Nicholas ya zama magaji a kan hauhawar mahaifinsa a matsayin Alexander III. Nicholas da sauran danginsa sun shaida mutuwar Alexander II, kasancewar suna nan a Fadar Winter a Saint Petersburg, inda aka kawo shi bayan harin. Saboda dalilan tsaro, sabon Tsar da danginsa sun koma mazaunin su na farko zuwa Fadar Gatchina a waje da birnin, suna shiga babban birnin ne kawai don ayyukan bukukuwa daban-daban. A irin waɗannan lokutan, Alexander III da danginsa sun mamaye fadar Anichkov da ke kusa. Tambaya: Wane fadar ne Tsar ya koma?
Gatchina