Vienna Hofburg - Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, Silver Collection

In September 1898 Elisabeth is taking a four-week health cure at Territet near Montreux. On 9 September, accompanied by her lady-in-waiting, the Countess Irma Sztáray, she makes an excursion to Pregny in order to visit Baroness Julie Rothschild. In the evening she travels on to Geneva, where she spends the night, intending to return to Montreux the next day. To keep her identity secret, she uses her usual incognito of the “Countess of Hohenembs” when registering at the Hotel Beau Rivage. Despite this precaution, the next morning a Geneva newspaper carries a report that the Empress of Austria is staying at the hotel. This report is also seen by Luigi Lucheni, an Italian anarchist who has come to Geneva intending to assassinate the Prince of Orléans. However, the prince has changed his itinerary at the last moment and will not be visiting Geneva. Lucheni is far from being disappointed – he now has a far more prominent victim in his sights. On the morning of 10th September Elisabeth