The most shocking and historical heist of the century including Empress Eugenie’s stolen jewels writes JOSIE GOODBODY

In one of the most daring heists in history, the Louvre fell victim to a brazen jewel theft in broad daylight.

In less than 7 minutes, nine imperial jewels were stolen from the world’s most visited museum.

While escaping, the thieves dropped Empress Eugenie’s crown, which shattered as it fell to the ground.

But among the eight uninsured priceless items that were successfully hidden in bags and sped away from the scene on scooters were jewels that belonged to the last Empress of the French, Eugenie, as well as her predecessor, Empress Marie Louise, Napoleon’s second wife, and her mother-in-law, Queen Hortense of the Netherlands.

It’s thought they’ll never be seen again – but what are these gems that have survived coups and revolutions, potentially gone forever – but aren’t they, as they are now, daylight robbery?

Here is the history of the stolen Jewels of the Empress Eugenie, which I fear will never be seen again.

On September 4, 1870, III. Two days after Napoleon surrendered to Prussia, a Republic was declared in France, and his wife, the last Empress of the French, prepared to flee the Tuileries Palace.

But most of Eugenie’s personal jewels and all those belonging to the state remained in Paris, and 17 years later, after eight years of bargaining and planning, a much larger sale of the ‘French Crown Jewels’ took place, prompted by the Third Republic government’s fear that Bonapartists or Royalists would stage a coup d’état.

Eugenie frantically packed most of the hundreds of pieces of jewelry into suitcases.

These were to be received by Princess Pauline Metternich, wife of the Austrian ambassador, and sent to London via diplomatic mail; where he would sell most of them at Christie’s in 1872.

But most of Eugenie’s personal jewels and all those belonging to the state remained in Paris, and 17 years later, after eight years of bargaining and planning, a much larger sale of the ‘French Crown Jewels’ took place, prompted by the Third Republic government’s fear that Bonapartists or Royalists would stage a coup d’état.

So much jewelery and clothing was on sale that the Louvre’s Pavilion de Flore was taken over for 10 days; after all, for a country with a history of royalty that is still home to some of the world’s best jewelers and commissions designs on a daily basis (Empress Eugenie or her maids are said to visit Mellerio, the world’s oldest jeweler, on the Rue de la Paix, several times a week) – this is not surprising.

The sale attracted tremendous international attention; jewelers came to Paris to purchase these magnificent jewels; most took instructions from wealthy clients, none more so than those in America’s Gilded Age.

Tiffany and Co snapped up 24 of the 69 lots and took the jewels back to New York, with the jewels now housed in custom-made leather boxes, bearing the words ‘Diamants de la Couronne’ and the gold French royal coat of arms.

One of the most important and delicate pieces stolen from the Louvre on Sunday was his beloved Pearl and Diamond Diadem.

One of the most important and delicate pieces stolen from the Louvre on Sunday was the Pearl and Diamond Diadem, beloved by Empress Eugenie.

Police officers in front of the Louvre Museum. The Louvre remains closed this Monday, a day after historic jewels from the world’s most visited museum were stolen in a daring daylight robbery

III. Commissioned by Napoleon to celebrate his marriage to Eugenie in 1953, this jewel was created by Lemonnier and is adorned with approximately 2000 diamonds and 212 round and pear-shaped pearls; some of these belonged to Empress Marie Louise, the second wife of Napoleon I. The iconic Imperial jewel was worn by Eugenie at various official events and official portraits.

She wore the crown during her State Visit to the United Kingdom in 1855, when Queen Victoria awarded her husband the title of Most Noble Knight of the Garter. In the infamous sale of 1887, the crown was sold for 78,000 francs and given as a wedding gift in 1890 to the newlywed Princess Margarethe of Thurn und Taxis, granddaughter of the French King Louis-Philippe. It was sold to the Louvre in 1992.

Empress Eugenie’s Bow Brooch was one of the jewels that arrived in Manhattan. It was purchased for 42,200 francs by jeweler Emile Schlesinger, not Tiffany’s, for Miss Caroline Astor, the queen of New York society.

This sensational stomach, made famous in New York as ‘Miss Astor’s Stomach’ and decorated with 2,438 diamonds, was made by François Kramer for Empress Eugenie and was first seen at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1855.

It was originally designed as the buckle for a diamond belt and was worn by the Empress during a reception held by the Empress in June 1856 to celebrate the christening of her only child, Prince Imperial.

Eight years later he transformed the piece into its current form, and although it is called a brooch, it is actually a stomach holder that extends over the stomach. The jewelery is designed with a huge and showy bow of different cut diamonds, from which hangs a string of five long framed round diamonds, and two long tassels with magnificent diamond ‘skirts’ hanging at the ends.

Empress Eugenie’s Bow Brooch was one of the jewels that arrived in Manhattan. It was purchased for Miss Caroline Astor, the queen of New York society.

A proud owner of a French ‘Crown Jewel’, Mrs Astor wore her diamond bracelet to numerous events until her death in 1908. The jewel remained in the Astor family until the 1990s, and then appeared at Sotheby’s in London in 2001, when jewelery magnate Ralph Esmerian bought the piece for £4 million.

Just seven years later, in April 2008, the jewel was offered for sale again at Christie’s in New York. But the sale, titled Rare Gems and Gems: A Collector’s Eye, was halted at the eleventh hour due to Mr. Esmerian’s financial ramifications, disappointing a salesroom with 100 bidders in person and 150 on the phone.

Shortly thereafter, the Louvre paid over $10 million through a private sale for the return of the Empress’ brooch, 121 years after it left its former home.

I can only imagine that the jewels of the last French Empress, who fled to London for the safety of Queen Victoria in 1870, will be found intact and may once again become a glittering part of French Imperial history.

The Paris Connection, the fourth in Josie Goodbody’s Jemima Fox heist series, will be released later this year.