Monaco et les Napoléon(s) : destins croisés

Exhibition at the Grimaldi Forum, Monaco, 11 July – 31 August 2025

In the 19th century, strong ties united the reigns of the two French emperors Napoleon I and Napoleon III with the Grimaldi dynasty.

After the French Revolution, which temporarily brought an end to their sovereignty, the princes of Monaco embraced the Napoleonic era, crossing paths with both Josephine and Napoleon I. By forming a grand alliance with Prince Charles III in 1861, Napoleon III enabled Monaco to secure its place on the European stage once again. The ties between the two families grew stronger, culminating in the marriage of Albert I to a descendant of Stéphanie de Beauharnais, the adopted daughter of Napoleon I. After 1870, Monaco grew and prospered, attracting the European aristocracy thanks to the arrival of the railway. With its opera house built by Garnier, Monte Carlo continued the splendour of the imperial court and became a ‘little Paris’.

This exhibition catalogue recounts this shared century. Nearly two hundred prestigious objects from the Prince's Palace, the Fondation Napoléon, major French museums, and important private collections, including that of David and Mikhail Iakobachvili, provide insight into the interactions between splendour, power, military exploits, and personal relationships.