Empress Sisi and Princess Diana
How similar were they really?
Princess Diana (left) and Empress Elisabeth quickly became a myth after their death.
© imago / ZUMA Press / imago images / glasshouseimages
Was Sisi really the “Lady Di of the 19th century”? An expert explains what the two women have in common.
How similar were Empress Elisabeth (1837-1898) and Princess Diana (1961-1997) really? The fate of the two women still affects millions of people around the world. While Diana’s life story is being worked up in the successful Netflix series “The Crown”, Sisi’s life is being taken up in two new series.
In spring 2022, Netflix will show the series “The Empress” with Devrim Lingnau (born 1998) and Philip Froissant (born 1994) as the young imperial couple. From December 12th, RTL + will present the event series “Sisi” with Dominique Devenport (born 1996), Jannik Schümann (29) and Désirée Nosbusch (56) in the leading roles. The streaming service describes Sisi as “Europe’s first superstar, Lady Di of the 19th century”.
In fact, there are “similarities in the story of Empress Elisabeth and Princess Diana, even if they differ in their personality,” says Dr. Martina Winkelhofer. She is an expert on the Habsburg monarchy as well as court and everyday history. Her work includes several standard works on aristocratic history as well as numerous contributions in international media. In September her new book “From girl to woman – Empress Elisabeth’s first years at the Viennese court” was published, in which she for the first time evaluated numerous original sources on Elisabeth’s everyday life and questioned the Sisi myth anew.
The parallels
In an interview with the news agency spot on news, Winkelhofer describes the similarities the two women have in common with both Sisi and Diana. “Elisabeth was demoted to the insignificant and not befitting ducal daughter, although she was the granddaughter of the Bavarian king. Princess Diana was described in the press as a ‘kindergarten teacher’, although she came from one of the historically most important aristocratic families in England.”
The further path in life also shows many parallels. “Both women married the most sought-after royal bachelors of their century: Elisabeth the Emperor of Austria, Diana the future King of Britain. Both women fought for more influence on the upbringing of their children, both prevailed: Diana by asking for a mother at court Elisabeth made an unusual contribution by taking charge of the upbringing of her children. Both Elisabeth and Diana suffered from the tight courtly corset, both struggled for self-realization. Both women are now the most famous and beloved women of their dynasties. And both died under extremely tragic circumstances and quickly became a myth after her death. “
The differences
But as much as the two women have in common, there are also clear differences in many things. “Empress Elisabeth tended to withdraw from within, while Princess Diana presented herself to the public and also discussed her problems publicly: in her marriage, her difficulties with the ‘company’, i.e. the royal family and the court, her psychological and physical ailments”, explains Winkelhofer. “In addition: While Empress Elisabeth only performed her representative duties with great effort, Diana blossomed in the public eye: unlike Elisabeth, she could also be authentic in the spotlight, and above all, approach people. Diana was the first royal to touch . Elisabeth, on the other hand, was the aloof fairytale empress. “
Empress Elisabeth fought for “a level of personal freedom that was exceptional for her time”. She had the courage to leave her comfort zone in order to lead a life that was in harmony with her values, “summarizes Winkelhofer.