Features / history
Empress Eugénie’s Bristol links
When she was just a princess, Eugénie de Montijo spent some time at a boarding school in Bristol before becoming empress of France on her marriage to Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, also known as Napoleon III.
A tiara and brooch belonging to empress Eugénie were among the items stolen from the Louvre in an audacious robbery.
Her crown was found near the museum in Paris, seemingly dropped by robbers during their escape with jewels described as “priceless” and “of immeasurable heritage value”.
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Eugénie de Montijo de Guzman image © RMN-Grand Palais (Château de Versailles) / Daniel Arnaudet
Eugénie’s family was Spanish but they were forced to seek refuge in Paris in 1834 after her father, the count of Teba, supported the French during the Napoleonic Wars.
Eugénie received most of her education in the French capital but spent some time at a boarding school for girls in Clifton with her sister Paca.
A blue plaque on the side of a retirement home on Royal York Crescent, now known as Eugenie House, was the location of the school where she was a student in 1836.
Some online sources say that Eugénie was teased by her fellow pupils for her red hair and tried to run away to India, perhaps even managing to climb on board a ship in Bristol’s docks before she was caught.
The plaque commemorating Eugénie is on the side of 1-3 Royal York Crescent – photo: Martin Booth
The thieves behind Sunday morning’s heist at the Louvre have yet to be caught.
They got away with eight 19th century items which once belonged to French royalty or imperial rulers.
As well as Eugénie’s tiara and brooch, other jewellery stolen belonged to empress Marie Louise, queen Marie-Amelie and queen Hortense.
A tiara belonging to empress Eugenie was stolen in the robbery – photo: Louvre Museum
Join Bristol24/7 Editor Martin Booth on a historical walking tour of the Old City and Castle Park. For more information and to book, visit www.yuup.co/experiences/explore-bristol-s-quirkiest-corners
Main photo: Martin Booth
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