Crown of Empress Eugenie broken but safe after Paris jewel heist hits royal collection

The crown of the Empress Eugenie has been found damaged but safe after it was among priceless gems taken from the Louvre in Paris in a smash and grab raid just minutes before the museum opened to visitors.

French police are hunting a group of thieves who used a cherry picker to access the Apollo Gallery on an upper floor of the Louvre and take nine historic gems linked to the country’s royals.

Among the pieces that was taken was the crown of the Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III who was consort of France from 1853 until 1870. She spent many of her later years in England and was close friends with Queen Victoria.

It was found soon afterwards near to the Louvre.

The crown that bears her name is covered in emeralds and diamonds. There are 56 emeralds and over 1,350 diamonds. On top of the crown is a diamond encrusted ‘monde’ with a band of emeralds around its middle. That is topped with a diamond studded cross.

The gems in the arches of the crown are arranged in palmette designs. There are also golden arches shaped as eagles. They sit over crimson cloth.

The crown was made for her in 1855, two years after her husband became Emperor of France. She was never crowned with it. Instead, it was created for the Paris Exhibition which brought visitors to the French capital from around the world that year.

Following the fall of her husband’s throne, Eugenie ended up in England. The crown was returned to her and, following her death, it was held in a private collection until it was auctioned in 1988. It was then offered to the Louvre museum as a permanent display.

The crown is one of the gems in the Apollo gallery which has collections of royal jewels arranged into three sections: one for the French monarchy until the revolution of 1789, one for the First Empire and the last for the Second Empire.

Full details of all the gems stolen is still to emerge but it is believed some are linked to Napoleon.

Police are continuing to hunt for the thieves and for the missing jewels.