Subtitles English S01e01 - The Empress

: Unlike the others, Sisi speaks her mind and rejects the artifice of the court. Franz finds in her a "lion"—a reflection of the independence he feels he has lost to the throne. The Surprise Proposal

The family travels to the Bad Ischl summer residence to meet . The plan, orchestrated by their mothers, is for Franz to propose to Sisi’s older, more disciplined sister, Helene . However, the atmosphere is tense; Franz is a young ruler weighed down by the threat of war between France and Russia and the overbearing control of his mother, Archduchess Sophie . The Unexpected Encounter The Empress subtitles English S01E01

Despite the expectations of both families, Franz realizes he cannot marry Helene. At his birthday celebration, he stuns the entire Austrian court by choosing Sisi instead of Helene. The episode ends with high drama: : Unlike the others, Sisi speaks her mind

Learn more about the of Empress Elisabeth? The plan, orchestrated by their mothers, is for

In the first episode of The Empress , titled "," the story begins with sixteen-year-old Elisabeth "Sisi" von Wittelsbach , a free-spirited Bavarian duchess who feels like a misfit in her own family. While her mother, Duchess Ludovika, desperately tries to find a suitor for her, Sisi is more interested in poetry and her soul's freedom than the rigid duties of nobility.

: While the royals celebrate, revolutionaries in the streets see this unexpected marriage as the perfect opportunity to strike against the monarchy. If you'd like to dive deeper into the series,

: A heartbroken Helene slaps Sisi and begs her to refuse the proposal, warning that she will "ruin the emperor".