One thing from The Empress that is true, though? All those moments where Elisabeth and Franz couldn't stop looking at each other. Haslip writes that Elisabeth and Franz's meeting has been wildly romanticized, and there was 'no poor Cinderella left behind at the hotel, whom Francis Joseph met by chance riding in a forest.' Instead, they met in his mother's drawing room, where Sisi was 'standing modestly beside her governess' while her black dress accentuated her 'exquisite grace and the delicate texture of her skin.' Haslip writes that on the way meet her, Franz's memory of Helene's 'sharply chiseled features inspired him to very little enthusiasm.' :( Nope, Franz and Sisi Did Not Meet in the Woods Poor Helene, but the cards were honestly stacked against her from the start. And while The Empress is definitely rooted in reality, it's a fictionalized account of history-so yeah: what you saw on TV is only part of what happened in real life.

Meaning, if you found yourself frantically Googling Sisi and Franz's relationship, you're not alone. Obviously, we're all used to Netflix producing amazing period dramas based on the royals (yes, hi, The Crown, we see you), but while the British royal family dominates headlines daily, you might know slightly less about the Habsburgs circa the 1850s.

And on top of all that, the acting is suburb and the show is exquisitely filmed. The drama? Literally endless, in the best way possible. The romance? Horny enough to tide you over 'til Bridgerton season 3. Anyone else mindlessly log into Netflix over the weekend only to find that something called The Empress was lurking in the Top 10? Same, and turns out it's a stunning period drama about the early life of Empress Elisabeth 'Sisi' of Austria and her romance with Emperor Franz Joseph I.

Emperor franz joseph and sisi