The Return of Napoleon III's Conserved Boots

A rare pair of black bucket-top thigh boots in the style of French riding boots, of circa 1750-1770, which belonged to Napoleon III who was born in Paris in 1808 and died in Kent in 1873. He was the nephew of Napoleon I and the President of the Second French Republic and then later the Emperor of the French. Although France prospered during his reign, by the end he led them to defeat in the Franco-Prussian war. Napoleon III was then deposed and he moved to England and settled with Empress Eugénie and their son at Camden Place. Napoleon’s son, known as the Prince Imperial, was in the British Army, but died in 1879 fighting against the Zulu’s. Eugenie built a monastery in Farnborough, Hampshire for her son and Napoleon to be buried in. She was also buried here when she died in 1920. As well as being extremely rare, the boots are important because they would have been worn during a significant battle that saw the union of English and French troops against the Russians in the Crimean War, and this gave France increased influence in Europe. The boots come from the Crimean War period (1853-56) and were donated to the Museum collection in 1954 as part of the Edleston bequest. Alice Edleston had purchased the boots at a sale of the effects of Empress Eugenie, held at Farnborough, on Tuesday 24th February 1923. Overall the boots were in a good and stable condition, but our Textile Conservators recommended that the tears to the bucket tops and the leg of the right boot using suitab