Fans Of The Crown Can Fall In Love With A Brand New Royal In Netflix's Upcoming Series
"The Crown" is one of Netflix's most-watched shows (via BBC News), but it soon might have some fierce competition from another series certain to appeal to fans of royal-themed stories. No, we're not talking about the long-rumored docuseries starring Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The streaming giant will debut "The Empress" in September, according to Tattler.
Starring German actors Devrim Lingnau and Philip Froissant, the series will revolve around Empress Elisabeth of Austria (portrayed by Lingnau), who ruled the European country between 1854 and 1898 alongside her husband, Emperor Franz Joseph I (portrayed by Froissant). Nicknamed Sisi, the beautiful young empress often found herself at odds with her mother-in-law, who resented Sisi's position, and struggled with life as a royal — which is why she's often drawn comparisons to the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Adored by the common public, Sisi's legacy is still apparent in modern Vienna, where many landmarks bear her name.
The show is certain to bring the drama
"The Empress" has a rich history of characters from which to draw inspiration. The description for the show on the Netflix website reveals, "In 1800s Austria, passionate and rebellious Sisi and Emperor Franz Joseph face love under duress, intrigues and power struggles at the Viennese court."
According to History.com, Duchess Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie, known fondly as Sisi, was born in Munich, Germany in 1837. The 23-year-old emperor of Austria was meant to marry Sisi's older, more sophisticated sister, but he found himself instead taken with the shy, young duchess. Only 16 at the time, Sisi was shy and depressed, which made her reluctant to marry and hesitant to perform her public duties as a royal. Her in-laws also made her life difficult, and she spent her days sought after by the press, who were eager to capture a glimpse of the young bride. As a result, she often found herself isolated in the palace, where she developed an eating disorder and fell further into depression. However, she reigned over the largest European empire aside from Russia for 44 years until she was assassinated.
Only time will tell how closely the series will resemble these historic facts. "The Empress" is set to hit Netflix on September 29, almost two months before "The Crown" Season 5 is expected to drop in November 2022.