Was born into what was considered the wealthiest family in Russia and became the family heir after his older brother Nikolai was killed in a dual.

Like many others he objected to the infulance that the 'holy man' Grigory Rasputin was deemed to have over Tsar Nicholas II and in particular his wife, Alexandra Fedorova. In his memoirs Felix claims he contributed to a conspiracy to poison Rasputin after inviting him to his house and that he himself shot Rasputin to death after the attempt to poison him failed.  While he was suspected of Rasputin's murder, he and his alleged co-conspirators where never brought to trial.  

Lived in exile following the Russian Revolution eventually settling in France and for some time in the United States.