Imperial Crypt (Farnborough)
Encyclopedia
The Imperial Crypt at St Michael's Abbey, Farnborough, is the burial place of the exiled Emperor Napoleon III of France
and his wife, Eugénie de Montijo
. It also contains the tomb of the couple's son, Napoléon Eugène, Prince Imperial
(also known as Napoléon IV), who was the pretender to the imperial throne of France
.
Napoléon III, following the fall of the Second French Empire
in 1870, was exiled from France and took up residence in Chislehurst
, England
, where he died in 1873. He was originally buried at St Mary's Catholic Church, Chislehurst, but, following the death of the Prince Imperial in 1879, the grief-stricken Empress Eugénie set about building a monument to her family. Her wish was that the burial place should be a place of prayer and silence. The crypt was modelled on the altar of St Louis in France, where the Emperor had originally desired to be buried.
The abbey, which was founded by the Empress, remains an active Monastery, and is fully open to the public.
Napoleon III of France
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
and his wife, Eugénie de Montijo
Eugénie de Montijo
Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick, 16th Countess of Teba and 15th Marquise of Ardales; 5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920), known as Eugénie de Montijo , was the last Empress consort of the French from 1853 to 1871 as the wife of Napoleon III, Emperor of...
. It also contains the tomb of the couple's son, Napoléon Eugène, Prince Imperial
Napoléon Eugène, Prince Imperial
Napoléon, Prince Imperial, , Prince Imperial, Fils de France, was the only child of Emperor Napoleon III of France and his Empress consort Eugénie de Montijo...
(also known as Napoléon IV), who was the pretender to the imperial throne of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Napoléon III, following the fall of the Second French Empire
Second French Empire
The Second French Empire or French Empire was the Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, between the Second Republic and the Third Republic, in France.-Rule of Napoleon III:...
in 1870, was exiled from France and took up residence in Chislehurst
Chislehurst
Chislehurst is a suburban district in south-east London, England, and an electoral ward of the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he died in 1873. He was originally buried at St Mary's Catholic Church, Chislehurst, but, following the death of the Prince Imperial in 1879, the grief-stricken Empress Eugénie set about building a monument to her family. Her wish was that the burial place should be a place of prayer and silence. The crypt was modelled on the altar of St Louis in France, where the Emperor had originally desired to be buried.
The abbey, which was founded by the Empress, remains an active Monastery, and is fully open to the public.