Sissi

Sissi grows up as the carefree, impulsive second daughter of Duke Maximilian and Ludovika. Surrounded by her seven siblings, she enjoys a happy childhood by the shores of Lake Starnberg, free from the constraints of royal life. Her early years shape her love of nature and freedom.

Sissi travels with her mother and sister to Bad Ischl, invited by Archduchess Sophie who intends an arranged match for Helene. Sissi is kept away from social events because of her girlish impulse and quick temper. The trip sets the stage for the future romance, though Sissi remains unaware of the true purpose.

While fishing near Bad Ischl, Sissi meets Franz Joseph by chance; he is unaware she is his cousin. He invites her on an afternoon hunting trip in the Alps, and they begin to talk and become acquainted. Sissi falls in love but withholds her true identity.

During the Alpine excursion, Sissi learns that Franz Joseph will marry her sister Néné, and that he envies the man who will marry Sissi. He confesses his feelings for Sissi, though she keeps silent about her own. Distressed by loyalty to Néné, she runs away from him without explanation.

Back at Possenhofen, Néné reveals the reason for the trip: an engagement to Franz Joseph. Sissi is stunned by the news and the looming match that will reshape their lives. The family braces for an arranged union despite Sissi's growing feelings.

A new guest, the Prince of Lippe, arrives, and Archduchess Sophie has Sissi partner with him at the Emperor's birthday celebration. The headlong social whirl of imperial life begins to engulf her. Sissi feels the pressure of public expectations while her heart still hesitates.

At the birthday party, Franz Joseph recognizes Sissi and openly confesses his love, asking her to marry him. Sissi rejects him out of loyalty to Néné. In a dramatic moment, the emperor proclaims his engagement to Sissi in front of the guests, leaving Néné heartbroken.

Back in Possenhofen, wedding preparations begin, but Sissi feels uneasy for her sister and even tries to break the engagement for Néné's sake. The family supports the match, while Sissi wrestles with her own feelings about becoming empress. The tension between duty and desire threads through the household.

Néné returns with a new fiancé, Maximilian Anton, and the sisters reconcile. Néné offers her blessing to Sissi's marriage, easing the tension and uniting the family. The arrangement solidifies Franz Joseph's and Sissi's future together.

Sissi travels with her family on the steamboat Franz Joseph down the Danube toward Vienna, greeted by cheering crowds along the banks. A grand procession follows as she enters the city in a gilded carriage, signaling her ascent to Empress-in-waiting. The voyage marks the ceremonial lead-in to her official title.

The wedding takes place at the Augustinian Church in Vienna on 24 April 1854, marking Sissi's official entry as Empress of Austria. The ceremony is witnessed by the people who cheer their future empress during the procession. Her marriage reshapes royal alliances and marks the beginning of a new era for the Austrian empire.