The Romanov family, the last royal family of Russia, was executed in 1918 during the Russian Revolution. For decades, the fate of some family members was shrouded in mystery, as their remains were not conclusively identified. In the late 20th century, DNA analysis became a powerful tool in forensic and historical research. In 1991, skeletal remains believed to belong to the Romanovs were discovered, but their identities were uncertain. In 1998, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis was used to compare these remains with living relatives of the Romanov family.