It is 1916. The Romanov family, who have been the Russian Royal family for many centuries, live in an enchanted world of Palaces and grand parties. A special celebration is being held at the Palace. The Empress Maria (grandmother of Anastasia) is watching the celebrations when the young Anastasia joins her grandmother. The Empress gives the child a small music box and a necklace bearing the words 'Together in Paris' as she is going away.
The evil Rasputin arrives uninvited, and with his special powers he, along with his assistant Bartock, destroys the whole family as well as many citizens and special guests. The great Romanov family of Russia is wiped out in one night but, unknown to Rasputin, the young Anastasia escapes through the trapdoor with the help of a kitchen boy. Grandmamma also escapes and goes to Paris. The child, Anastasia, is found confused on the streets and is taken to the Orphanage where she spends the next ten years.
At the age of 18, Anya, as she is now called, leaves Mrs Nastikov's care at the Orphanage to find out who she is and where her family are. Helped along the way by Pearl (the Butterfly), she travels through the Butterfly Kingdom and onto the Land of Snow. Eventually, she reaches St Petersburg where she meets Dimitri, Vladimir the Butler and Clotilda the Cook, who are all from the Royal Palace.
Meanwhile, the Empress Maria offers a reward for anyone who can find out if Princess Anastasia is still alive and if she is, they must bring her to Paris. Dimitri, being tempted by the money, decides to audition suitable girls who could pass as the Princess. When he meets Anya, he thinks she is very suitable for this part and decides to train her in Royal ways. The evil Rasputin, realising the Romanov family lives on, follows Anya to Paris in a desparate attempt to destroy her along the journey, but he fails.
Anya has grown very close to Dimitri on their journey and the couple fall in love. The big day arrives and together they go to see Empress Maria. After a difficult introduction, it is discovered that Anya is the real Princess Anastasia and they are all ecstatic. Rasputin tries one more time to kill Anastasia, but makes the fatal mistake of dropping his magic torch. Dimitri siezes the opportunity, picks up the torch and destroys Rasputin forever. They all return home to the Royal Palace in St Petersburg where Anastasia and Dimitry marry.