The Empress (TV series)

The Empress
Official poster
Genre	Historical drama Romance
Created by	Katharina Eyssen
Written by	Katharina Eyssen Bernd Lange Janna Maria Nandzik
Directed by	Katrin Gebbe Florian Cossen
Starring	Devrim Lingnau Philip Froissant
Composers	Johannes Lehniger Lisa Morgenstern Sebastian Damerius
Country of origin	Germany[1][2]
Original language	German[3]
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	12
Production
Executive producers	Jochen Laube Fabian Maubach
Production location	Germany
Cinematography	Christian Almesberger Christopher Aoun
Running time	51–61 minutes
Production companies	Netflix Sommerhaus Serien Inferno Pictures
Original release
Network	Netflix
Release	29 September 2022 (2022-09-29) – present (present)

The Empress (German: Die Kaiserin) is a German historical drama television series based on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, starring Devrim Lingnau in the title role, and Philip Froissant as Emperor Franz Joseph. It was released on Netflix on 29 September 2022. It was Netflix's second-most watched series worldwide for two weeks and the seventh most popular non-English series of 2022, with over 150 million hours streamed. On 8 November 2022, Netflix renewed it for a second season,^[4][5][6] which premiered on 22 November 2024. Netflix also commissioned a companion novel, The Empress: A Novel, by Gigi Griffis, which was published two days before the series premiered on the streaming service.^[7]

Premise

Sixteen-year-old Bavarian Duchess, Elisabeth "Sisi" von Wittelsbach, falls in love with Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria, the intended fiancé of her older sister, Duchess Helene, and they marry. Arriving in Vienna, Sisi finds herself navigating the complexity of court politics and her husband's scheming family. Her mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophie, who is also her aunt, antagonizes her almost immediately. Maximilian, Franz Joseph's younger brother, tries to outshine his brother and prove that he is more worthy to rule.

Cast

Introduced in Season 1

• Devrim Lingnau as Elisabeth ("Sisi") von Wittelsbach, Duchess in Bavaria turned Empress of Austria
• Philip Froissant as Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria
• Melika Foroutan as Sophie, Archduchess of Austria, mother of Emperor Franz Joseph and Elisabeth's aunt turned mother-in-law
• Johannes Nussbaum as Archduke Maximilian, younger brother of Emperor Franz Joseph
• Elisa Schlott as Duchess Helene ("Néné") in Bavaria, Elisabeth's older sister (season 1)
• Jördis Triebel as Ludovika, Duchess in Bavaria, Elisabeth's mother
• Almila Bagriacik as Ava, a revolutionary posing as Countess Leontine von Apafi
• Hanna Hilsdorf as Countess Amalia von Salm-Reifferscheidt, a lady-in-waiting who has dedicated her own life to the Austrian empire (season 1)
• Runa Greiner as Countess Charlotte von Stubenberg, a naive lady-in-waiting who later becomes the matron of the empress's maid service
• Svenja Jung as Countess Louise Gundemann (later Baroness von Sina), Franz Joseph's old lover
• Andreas Döhler as Maximilian, Duke in Bavaria, Elisabeth's father
• Wiebke Puls as Countess Sophie Esterházy, matron of the empress's maid service and Sophie's confidant (season 1)
• Michael Fuith as Franz Karl, Archduke of Austria, Sophie's husband and Franz Joseph's supposed father who becomes Elisabeth's father-in-law (season 1)
• Felix Nölle as Archduke Ludwig Viktor ("Luiwuzi") of Austria, the youngest brother and sibling of Franz Joseph
• Martin Butzke as Gustav, Prince of Vasa, Sophie's old lover who claims to be Franz Joseph's biological father (season 1)
• Alexander Finkenwirth as Baron Alexander von Bach, the interior minister and a conservative advisor of Franz Joseph
• Leopold Hornung as Count Karl Ferdinand von Buol, the foreign minister and a militaristic advisor
• Patrick Rapold as Franz Liszt, a Hungarian composer (season 1)
• August Schmölzer as Joseph Othmar von Rauscher, Prince-Archbishop of Vienna and cardinal
• Raymond Tarabay as François-Adolphe De Bourqueney, French ambassador (season 1)
• Eric Bouwer as Doctor Fritsch, a maternity doctor
• Irene Della Casa as Baronesse Francesca, Archduke Maximilian's lover at the start of the series (season 1)
• Rauand Taleb as Theo, Emperor Franz Joseph's valet
• Erol Nowak as Johann Baron Kempen von Fichtenstamm, the Inspector General of the police (season 1)
• Noëmi Emily Krausz as Countess Margarete von Lamberg, Archduchess Sophie's lady-in-waiting and closest confidant
• Andreas Bongard as Johann Strauss, an Austrian Composer (season 1)
• Vladimir Korneev as Alexander Nikolayevich, Grand Duke of Russia, son of Tsar Nicholas I (season 1)
• Elzemarieke De Vos as Maria Alexandrovna, Grand Duchess of Russia, Alexander's wife (season 1)

Introduced in Season 2

• Josephine Thiesen as Princess Charlotte Marie of Belgium, Archduke Maximilian's wife
• Marlene Spakarowski as Archduchess Sophie ("Fienchen") of Austria, the first child of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth
• Carla Hütterman as Countess Pauline von Bellegarde, Empress Elisabeth's lady-in-waiting
• Christophe Favre as Napoleon III, Emperor of the French
• Jérôme Pouly as Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont
• Cornelius Schwalm as Dr. Johann Seeburger, Empress Elisabeth's physician who is constantly at odds with her
• Alexander Beyer as Maximilian, Duke in Bavaria, Elisabeth's father (season 2)
• Lena Geiseler as Duchess Maria Sophie ("Mimi") in Bavaria, Empress Elisabeth's younger sister
• Mina Christ as Countess Gabriele von Metternich-Zichy, Princess Charlotte's lady-in-waiting
• Leonie Euler as Baroness Caroline von Bransner, Princess Charlotte's lady-in-waiting
• Rainer Haustein as Count Karl Ludwig von Grünne, Emperor Franz Joseph's chief military advisor
• Alberto Vecchiato as Adolfo Tadini, an Italian revolutionary disguised as a dignitary
• Matthias Matschke as Count Michael von Apafi, the father of the real Leontine von Apafi
• Bernd Birkhahn as Field Marshal Josef Radetzky, Viceroy of Lombardy-Venetia prior to Archduke Maximilian
• Christian Bayer as General Ferenc József Gyulay, Commander of the Austrian forces in Lombardy-Venetia
• Asena Uzun as Duchess Sophie Charlotte in Bavaria, Empress Elisabeth's youngest sister
• Levi Oskar as Duke Maximillian Emanuel ("Mapperl") in Bavaria, Empress Elisabeth's youngest brother and sibling
• Lorenzo Motta as Gino Tadini, Adolfo's younger brother and an ardent Italian revolutionary
• Fabiana Chiorri as Giulia, Gino's girlfriend and fellow revolutionary
• Marcello De Nardo as Count Giuseppe Marino, the head of the Lombardo-Venetian delegation

Episodes

Season	Episodes		Originally released
1	6		September 29, 2022 (2022-09-29)
2	6		November 22, 2024 (2024-11-22)

Season 1 (2022)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	1	"One's Place in the World"	Florian Cossen and Katrin Gebbe	Katharina Eyssen, Bernd Lange, and Janna Maria Nandzik	29 September 2022 (2022-09-29)
Franz has recently taken over as a young emperor following the Revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire. In 1853, there is an assassination attempt against his life. That same year, Elisabeth (Sisi) and Helene travel with their mother, Ludovika, to meet the 23-year-old Franz, who is expected to ask for Helene's hand. Franz's mother and Elisabeth's aunt, Archduchess Sophie, is of the opinion that her son's union with the Bayern Helene will validate Austria's claim to the German states. Meanwhile, Nicholas I of Russia seeks an alliance with Austria against the Ottoman Empire. Franz's brothers Maximilian and Ludwig "Luziwuzi" are also present. Franz meets Elisabeth and admires her outspokenness; however she repulses his advances as she doesn't want to betray her sister. During his birthday party the next day, he stuns everyone by deciding to marry Elisabeth; Elisabeth accepts it because she has grown fond of Franz. Helene is upset at Elisabeth.
2	2	"The Arrival"	Florian Cossen and Katrin Gebbe	Katharina Eyssen, Bernd Lange, and Janna Maria Nandzik	29 September 2022 (2022-09-29)
Elisabeth arrives in Vienna along with family for the wedding, though her father tells her not to fully trust Sophie. Esterházy, Sophie's confidant introduces her to the maids, including Amalia, Leontine and Charlotte. She also teaches her the palace etiquettes, but Elisabeth feels her freedom is diminished. During the council of war, Franz decides that he doesn't want the House of Habsburg to join either side in the Crimean War. It is revealed, Leontine is part of the revolution and wants to kill the royal family. Johann Strauss II helps Elisabeth and Franz during their waltz rehearsal, while Swedish Prince Gustav, Sophie's old lover, privately claims to be Franz's father to Sophie. Franz has a secret meeting with Mr. Stephenson, an engineer, to build a major railway, connecting Vienna to the rest of the world, to bring prosperity and peace to his people. On the night before the wedding, Elisabeth goes with her maids to a soiree organised by Maximilian, Franz's brother. Maximilian tries to kiss Elisabeth, but she rejects him. The next day, Elisabeth gets an anxiety attack before her wedding; Helene helps her manage it and they bond.
3	3	"The Wedding"	Florian Cossen and Katrin Gebbe	Katharina Eyssen, Bernd Lange, and Janna Maria Nandzik	29 September 2022 (2022-09-29)
Elisabeth marries Franz and is crowned the empress. Meanwhile, Amalia is suspicious of Leontine due to her mysterious background and unsettling demeanor. Franz's old lover, Louise is also present. The Russians have amassed large numbers at Austria’s Eastern fronts, upsetting the political situation; Franz asks Maximilian to talk to the French ambassador for support against Russia. Franz meets with businessmen for loans for the railway, but the businessmen are more interested in investing in troops. After a confrontation with her overbearing mother and drunk father, she asks them to leave the palace in the morning. Elisabeth has a confrontation with Louise as well. Later, Baron Sina, Louise's partner, provides the funds for the railway to Franz. That night, Franz comes clean about Louise and Elisabeth is insecure about people perceiving her as being silly. They consummate their marriage that night.
4	4	"The Hunt"	Florian Cossen and Katrin Gebbe	Katharina Eyssen, Bernd Lange, and Janna Maria Nandzik	29 September 2022 (2022-09-29)
After the honeymoon, Esterházy feeds raw eggs and the Placenta of a pregnant woman to Elisabeth to get her pregnant on Sophie's instructions. Sophie and the council push for military action, but instead Franz brings in Grand Duke Alexander of Russia, Nicholas' son, to make peace with Russia, which Sophie doesn't approve, but Elisabeth approves. Elisabeth tries to mend the relationship with Sophie who reciprocates it, but tells that a son should be her highest priority. After talking with the French ambassador, Max goes behind Franz’s back and tries to become the new emperor of Austria with French support. During a hunting trip, Elisabeth upsets Alexander, who thinks Franz is offering peace only to expand into the Russian Empire as they fight France and rejects Franz’s plan. Franz blames Elisabeth and she gets drunk with Maximilian later, which results in a reprimand from Franz who doesn't trust Maximilian. Egon, Leontine’s commoner friend, suspects Leontine’s (whose real name is Ava) loyalties; she says she was wrong about the Empress and the Emperor. Egon asks her to choose – the royalty who will die, or the cause which will rise.
5	5	"The Shoes"	Florian Cossen and Katrin Gebbe	Katharina Eyssen, Bernd Lange, and Janna Maria Nandzik	29 September 2022 (2022-09-29)
Elisabeth and Leontine bond over a bird calling, while Franz sends his soldiers to the Austrian borders to protect from Russian invasion. Baron Sina cancels the agreement because the Emperor sent sizeable troops to the border. Elisabeth goes to the city with Esterházy and Luziwuzi, but her well-intended gesture at a foundry backfires, resulting in Luziwuzi being injured. Maximilian realizes to get the throne, he needs three things: the supports of the army, the Catholic Church, and that of Sophie. Franz asks Louise to convince Sina to rethink his decision and confronts Elisabeth on ruining the support of the people. Sophie warns Esterházy of dire consequences if Elisabeth doesn't get pregnant soon. Amalia figures out Leontine's identity using Leontine's old photos. Elisabeth can’t sleep and strolls downstairs to find a returning Maximilian from a party in the city who offers to go with her to Prague through a secret tunnel and run away from the royal mess.
6	6	"The God Who Us Has Freedom Sent"	Florian Cossen and Katrin Gebbe	Katharina Eyssen, Bernd Lange, and Janna Maria Nandzik	29 September 2022 (2022-09-29)
Elisabeth spends her time partying with Maximilian, angry at Franz for not supporting her at the Foundry incident, while Franz is desperate to reconcile with her. Amalia tells Elisabeth about Leontine, but her claims are dismissed. Leontine tells Egon to come through the unguarded door to the east after sunset where he will find a knife; however it is only a ruse. Sophie presents Elisabeth a choice: either to go back to Bayern and annul the wedding with Franz, or, stay and play by their rules which includes reconciling with Franz. Sophie also fires Esterházy for failing her orders and promotes Margarete over her. Maximilian talks to Sophie about the throne; while she doesn't approve the idea, she also doesn't disapprove; however Franz gets angry and asks Maximilian to get out. Elisabeth realises she is pregnant, but after a fight with Franz, decides to go back to Bayern. Revolutionaries approach the palace and Franz has the soldiers shoot and kill them, including Egon. Amalia tells Charlotte about Leontine, who tells Leontine herself; a raged Leontine pushes Amalia from the railing and kills her, which is witnessed by Charlotte. Elisabeth, about to leave, sees the people, opens the gate and walks to them as one of them. She tells them that she is with child and shakes their hands and hugs them, in a sign of royal defiance that brings her closer to the people. Maximilian is apprehended on Franz's orders.

Season 2 (2024)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
7	1	"An Heir to the Throne"	Florian Cossen and Katrin Gebbe	Katharina Eyssen, Bernd Lange, and Janna Maria Nandzik	22 November 2024 (2024-11-22)
By 1856, Elisabeth has given birth to a girl named Sophie “Fienchen” and is heavily pregnant with her second child. Determined to restore the relationship between herself and her subjects, she organizes a grand event to host foreign delegates. During the ceremony, Adolfo of Lombardy-Venetia presents a cow’s tongue to symbolize his region’s desire for independence. He is subsequently gunned down and killed. Afterward, Minister Boul informs Franz that the Kingdom of Piedmont has been trying to unite all Italian-speaking regions together and end their allegiance to Austria. Maximilian has been in exile and is consumed by depression while Leontine refuses to formalize the romantic relationship between her and the minister Alexander due to her fabricated identity. That same night, Elisabeth unexpectedly goes into labor and delivers another daughter prematurely. The birth is fraught with complications and Elisabeth becomes unconscious.
8	2	"The Dream"	Florian Cossen and Katrin Gebbe	Katharina Eyssen, Bernd Lange, and Janna Maria Nandzik	22 November 2024 (2024-11-22)
A week later, Elisabeth remains unconscious and has continuous dreams of Adolfo. Concerned for the stability of Europe, Franz summons Maximilian from exile and entrusts him with a crucial mission: to negotiate peace with Napoleon III. Maximilian subsequently sets off for France and encounters Princess Charlotte Marie of Belgium when her train unexpectedly breaks down. The two form a deep connection and fall in love over the course of their shared travels. Napoleon promises to consider Franz’s proposal but secretly harbors ulterior motives. Back in Austria, Elisabeth finally awakens and confides in Franz about her recurring dreams. Franz dismisses them as meaningless. Meanwhile, Sophie emphasizes the importance of having male heirs to strengthen Franz's claim to the throne. Elisabeth has another dream of Adolfo while playing with Fienchen who almost drowns, however Sophie covers up the incident in return for Elisabeth taking sedatives to help her recover. Sophie also steps in to care for both Fienchen and the newborn, whom Franz names Gisela.
9	3	"A Letter From The Empress"	Florian Cossen and Katrin Gebbe	Katharina Eyssen, Bernd Lange, and Janna Maria Nandzik	22 November 2024 (2024-11-22)
Elisabeth and Franz embark on a royal tour across the empire, but tensions arise when they arrive in Milan. The locals drop their flags and flowers in silent protest, which startles Elisabeth and angers Franz. At the Viceroy’s residence in Milan, Maximilian introduces Princess Marie to Franz and Elisabeth. During dinner, Elisabeth and Maximilian advocate for allowing the people of Milan greater freedoms, such as the right to speak their own language and access education; Franz, however, vehemently opposes the idea. The following morning, Elisabeth and Franz secretly visit Adolfo's family, posing as officials sent by the Empress. They listen to the family’s grievances and promise to relay their concerns to the Empress. The visit profoundly impacts Franz and gives him a new perspective. Later, Franz forgives Maximilian, appointing him as the new Viceroy of Milan and granting his blessing for Maximilian’s marriage to Marie. Motivated by a conversation with Elisabeth, Leontine finally accepts Alexander's proposal. Meanwhile, Sophie bonds with Fienchen and the news of Maximilian’s appointment as Viceroy of Lombardy-Venetia reaches Napoleon, leaving him deeply displeased.
10	4	"The Stars During The Day"	Florian Cossen and Katrin Gebbe	Katharina Eyssen, Bernd Lange, and Janna Maria Nandzik	22 November 2024 (2024-11-22)
In 1857, Elisabeth and Franz travel to Hungary with Fienchen and Gisela for a visit, despite Sophie's request not to take the children. While they are gone, Sophie becomes deeply troubled by her youngest son Ludwig’s growing infatuation with a young baron. Seeking to put an end to it, she enlists the help of the Cardinal, who forces “Luziwuzi” to kneel in penance and repeatedly repent. Meanwhile, Charlotte discovers that Leontine is pregnant. Alexander receives an unexpected visit from the real Leontine’s father, who reveals the truth about her identity. Confronting Leontine, Alexander issues an ultimatum — she must leave the palace discreetly by the following morning; she complies. Back in Hungary, Fienchen begins suffering from severe stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea. A doctor diagnoses her with Typhoid fever and her condition deteriorates overnight. By morning, she passes away and the family is left in deep mourning.
11	5	"The Forest Inside Us"	Florian Cossen and Katrin Gebbe	Katharina Eyssen, Bernd Lange, and Janna Maria Nandzik	22 November 2024 (2024-11-22)
At Fienchen's funeral, a grieving Elisabeth lashes out at Franz before retreating to her childhood home in Bayern to grieve. Franz, consumed by his own sorrow, begins to make impulsive decisions, appointing Buol to oversee military operations in Milan, demoting Maximilian, and promoting Colonel Gyulai in his place. Meanwhile, Maximilian and Marie are troubled by their inability to conceive. A visit to the doctor reveals that Maximilian may have become infertile due to complications from past STI infections. Elisabeth receives news that her younger sister, Maria (Mimi), is set to marry the following year, while her elder sister, Helene, has fallen in love with a man of modest means. King Maximilian II of Bavaria has refused to grant his blessing for the union of his niece. Seeking solace, Elisabeth visits her father, who encourages her to rediscover her strength and purpose. The following morning, Elisabeth’s mother finally breaks through her daughter’s despair, helping her to forgive herself and find the courage to move forward. Reuniting with Franz, Elisabeth persuades her uncle to approve Helene’s marriage, which he does. Meanwhile, Napoleon schemes to manipulate Franz into declaring war on Piedmont, further escalating tensions in the empire.
12	6	"All We Can Do"	Florian Cossen and Katrin Gebbe	Katharina Eyssen, Bernd Lange, and Janna Maria Nandzik	22 November 2024 (2024-11-22)
By 1858, Elisabeth has given birth to a son named Rudolf and learns from Charlotte that Leontine was pregnant when she left and informs Alexander. Meanwhile, Franz and Sophie devise a plan to marry off Mimi to the Prince of Sicily in order to solidify a vital political alliance. Elisabeth initially opposes the idea, due to Mimi not menstruating, but Sophie tells her the importance of the nuptials for stability. Franz soon discovers that Napoleon has been covertly supplying military weapons to the rebels in Milan, and the gravity of the situation dawns on him — he is now at war with France as well. In response, he takes swift action: he fires Ministers Gyulai and Buol, and demotes Maximilian from his position as Viceroy. Alexander, disillusioned, resigns from his duties and sets off in search of Leontine. As the conflict escalates, with Napoleon ordering the massacre of over 6,000 Austrian soldiers, Elisabeth urges Mimi to accept the political marriage, hoping it will inspire hope in the people. Franz, determined to lead by example, decides to join the soldiers on the front lines. Initially shocked by his decision, Elisabeth ultimately supports him in his resolve. Tensions rise between Franz and Maximilian which culminates in a fierce argument. Maximilian and Marie, unable to reconcile with the changes, leave the palace for good. A heartbroken and angry Sophie blames Elisabeth for Franz’s decision to go to war, but Elisabeth comforts her, telling her the best they can do is hope.

Production

Development

In December 2020, Netflix announced it would start producing a six-part series with the working title The Empress, based on the life of Austrian Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria (nicknamed Sisi). It would be directed by Katrin Gebbe and Florian Cossen, with Bernd Lange and Janna Maria Nandzik writing. Devrim Lingnau and Philip Froissant were announced in the lead roles.^[8]

Filming

Filming for the first season began in August 2021 and was completed in January 2022.^[9] The series was filmed in German.^[3] Netflix subsequently dubbed the series into 14 languages, including English. Subtitles were provided in 32 languages.^[3]

Exteriors were filmed at Schloss Weißenstein to represent Schönbrunn Palace

Eyrichshof Castle exteriors were used to represent young Sisi's summer home

The story line takes place primarily in Vienna, though parts of the first episode are set in Bavaria, where the young Elisabeth was living when she met the emperor. Nonetheless, exterior filming was completed in Germany, primarily in Bavaria. For studio work, the production moved to Babelsberg Studio in Potsdam. Location shooting was completed in cities such as Bayreuth, Stein, Bamberg, Dinkelsbühl, Eckersdorf and Aidhausen. Several historical locations were used, including Schloss Weißenstein in Pommersfelden, which stood in for Schönbrunn Palace.^[10] Exterior scenes of Sisi's childhood home were filmed at Eyrichshof Castle near Ebern, although the family's summer home was actually the nearby Possenhofen Castle.^[11]

After Netflix renewed the series, filming for the second season had started in Prague, Czech Republic by September 2023.^[12]

Reception

The Empress debuted at number one following its release on 29 September 2022, with 47.2 million hours watched in four days (29 September to 2 October 2022),^[13] becoming Netflix's most-watched non-English language series for over a week.^[14] Within 11 days, it was running in approximately 18.7 million homes and was the second most-watched Netflix series worldwide (behind Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story), with 106.6 million hours streamed.^[13] It was in the top ten in 79 countries in its first week, and in 88 countries in its second week.^[13] Within 18 days, it was streamed for nearly 135 million hours in around 23.6 million homes worldwide.^[15]

The Empress is the most successful German original production on Netflix since the 2020 war drama Barbarians.^[14] The series had 59.43 million hours watched worldwide from October 3–9, 2022,^[16] and it was the seventh most popular non-English series of 2022, with five weeks in the global top 10 and 159,800,000 hours watched from September 25 to October 30.^[17]

Soundtrack

Season 1

The Empress (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series)
Soundtrack album by Johannes Lehniger, Lisa Morgenstern, and Sebastian Damerius
Released	September 30, 2022 (2022-09-30)
Genre	Soundtrack
Length	48:10
Label	Netflix

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Empress Main Title"	0:48
2.	"Runaway"	1:55
3.	"Carriage Ride"	1:04
4.	"Emperor Couple"	1:46
5.	"Mother's Voice"	0:59
6.	"Elisabeth or No Other"	1:51
7.	"Diadem"	1:37
8.	"Arrival Vienna"	4:18
9.	"So Many Shoes"	1:00
10.	"Distress"	2:40
11.	"Golden Glass"	5:03
12.	"The Wedding"	4:22
13.	"To the Ballroom"	1:42
14.	"White Curtains"	1:06
15.	"Ladies of the Court"	1:58
16.	"I Love Only You"	2:43
17.	"Burden of the Crown"	2:43
18.	"Revealing Secrets"	2:22
19.	"That is Not You, Elisabeth"	1:21
20.	"Betrayal Within"	1:26
21.	"For the People"	2:27
22.	"Open the Gate"	2:49
Total length:		48:10

Season 2

The Empress: II (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series)
Soundtrack album by Johannes Lehniger, Lisa Morgenstern, and Sebastian Damerius
Released	November 22, 2024 (2024-11-22)
Genre	Soundtrack
Length	59:10
Label	Netflix

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Years After the Wedding"	2:39
2.	"Rules of the Court"	1:51
3.	"It's a Girl"	1:30
4.	"Curiosity"	2:27
5.	"Ado's Last Journey"	2:28
6.	"Glorious Scoundrel"	1:44
7.	"Imperial Couple"	2:52
8.	"Love and Lies"	2:56
9.	"Pouvoir"	1:27
10.	"Dark Fading Waves"	1:24
11.	"Little Kaiserin"	2:29
12.	"The Emperor's Despair I"	1:15
13.	"Swallow, Lend Me Your Wings"	2:08
14.	"On the Edge"	2:29
15.	"Beloved Rival"	2:02
16.	"Little Kaiser"	2:26
17.	"A Mother's Duty"	2:05
18.	"Napoleon's Puppets"	1:53
19.	"Grief"	2:33
20.	"The Emperor's Despair II"	2:31
21.	"A Doubting Mind"	2:05
22.	"Im Abendrot - Franz Schubert"	3:01
23.	"Full Moon Forest"	2:41
24.	"Burial"	1:46
25.	"War Is Coming"	2:06
26.	"Farewell"	3:02
27.	"Main Title (Season 2)"	1:05
Total length:		59:10

Historical inaccuracies

• Elisabeth was stated to have brown eyes. Devrim Lingnau has blue eyes.
• Duchess Helene's hair was much darker and Sisi's lighter than shown, which was a major contribution in Franz Joseph's attraction to the latter.
• Elisabeth and Franz Joseph's first meeting at Bad Ischl wasn't outdoors, but during tea (with more relatives present than shown).
• Sisi and Franz are shown mutually falling in love. In reality, Franz was more in love with Sisi than she was with him.
• Franz didn't propose publicly, but had Archduchess Sophie request Ludovika's permission. Nor was his proposal "out of the blue". Sophie had written that Franz had professed his love for Sisi shortly after meeting her.
• Franz Joseph's second younger brother, Karl Ludwig, was in love with Elisabeth and wanted to marry her, not Maximilian as shown. During childhood, Karl Ludwig (who's missing from the series) and Elisabeth exchanged letters and gifts.
• Sophie was reluctant over Franz and Elisabeth's marriage and often fought with the Empress over the upbringing of her (Elisabeth's) children. However, there is no evidence to support she actually hated Sisi. In reality, Sophie's letters and diaries positively describe her daughter-in-law.
• Archduchess Sophie had a strong friendship and a rumored love affair with Napoleon II (her husband's nephew) when she was younger, not Swedish Prince Gustav as shown. Maximilian was allegedly the result of said relationship, not Franz Joseph, although these rumors were deemed dubious.
• Franz Joseph and Maximilian had a sour relationship as adults, but there is no evidence that the latter conspired to overthrow his brother as Emperor.
• Countess Esterházy wasn't fired as lady in waiting until much later, after Elisabeth had given birth to her children. The Empress was the one who dismissed her, not Archduchess Sophie.^[18]
• In the waltz scene featuring composer Johann Strauss II, Franz Joseph and Sisi dance to the 'Emperor Waltz'. This waltz was composed by Strauss in 1889, 35 years after the royal couple married.
• During the wedding in 1854 people are dancing to Dvořák's Serenade for Strings which was composed in 1875.

References

1. Bentley, Jean (22 September 2022). "Bow Down to 'The Empress' | Presenting a teaser for the regal new series". Netflix. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
2. Whittock, Jesse; Goldbart, Max (8 November 2022). "'The Empress': Netflix Orders Second Run Of Austrian Empire Drama". Deadline. Archived from the original on 23 November 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
3. "WHAT LANGUAGE IS THE EMPRESS IN AND ARE DUBS AND SUBTITLES AVAILABLE?". HITC. 13 October 2022. Archived from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
4. "A New Netflix Series Will Chronicle The Tragic Story of This Austrian Empress". Town and Country. 30 May 2021. Archived from the original on 30 May 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
5. "Could This Austrian Royal Drama Be the Next The Crown?". Vogue. 29 July 2022. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
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External links

• The Empress at IMDb 
• The Empress on Netflix
• The Empress at Rotten Tomatoes