Olga

I have three older sisters, but Olga is the one I want to talk about today. She's very grown-up. Olga is 18 now and Tatiana, who I'll talk about next, is 16. Tatiana came of age this year. This is what it means when we come of age: We have a huge party. And I mean HUGE! Papa said 3,000 people came to Olga's and almost as many to Tatiana's. Marie and I watched everyone come in and the grand promenade in the ballroom at the Winter Palace, but no one could see us because we were up above, looking down from a balcony. The diamonds and other jewels sparkled so that I could hardly watch for long.

We don't have many jewels ourselves, but we each get a diamond and pearl necklace when we come of age. Mama buys one jewel a year for each of us, so there's not too big a drain on the state funds, she says. She's very thrifty. I wear clothes that went through all three of my sisters, unlesss they're too tattered, or unless we're all dressed for a photograph and wearing the same thing.

Marie and I—well, it was my idea really—had some fun at Tatiana's ball. We dropped peas on the heads of people who passed underneath us in their finery. It was hilarious to see them look up, wondering what had happened. Trina caught us though, and we had to stop.

Anyway, this is Olga.

She's very lively and fun. Mama and Papa want her to marry soon, and they've been talking about suitors. Only one is coming to visit though, Prince Carol of Romania. Olga tells us all secretly that she doesn't want to get married, though, because that would mean she has to leave Russia.

Since she's come of age she wears long gowns and doesn't have to do lessons. That's what I'm looking forward to, but it's still four years away for me. Boring!