An explanation of why Napoléon III is buried in Farnborough, tracing how the exiled emperor and his family sought a secure and sympathetic refuge in England after the collapse of the Second Empire. This piece explores how Farnborough Abbey offered the Empress Eugénie a peaceful, politically neutral place of burial far from the turmoil of France, turning the Hampshire site into the final resting place of a dynasty displaced by revolution and war.
Napoleon III’s Final Days and St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough
“Source: gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France”
Napoleon III, the last Emperor of the French, spent his final days in quiet exile at Camden Place, Chislehurst, Kent (BR7 5HJ). After years of declining health, he died on 9 January 1873, surrounded by Empress Eugénie, their son Napoléon (the Prince Imperial), and his physicians. His final illness, complications from bladder surgery and long‑standing gallstone disease, left him weakened but still dignified. Those present remembered a gentle, reflective man who remained concerned for his family until the end.
Following his death, Napoleon III was first buried at St Mary’s Church, Chislehurst. In 1888, Empress Eugénie founded a new abbey in Hampshire as a permanent memorial to her husband and son. Their remains were transferred to.
St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough
Address. Farnborough Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7NQ
Napoleon III now rests in the Imperial Crypt, alongside.
- Empress Eugénie (d. 1920)
- Louis‑Napoléon, Prince Imperial (killed in 1879 during the Anglo‑Zulu War)
The three lie together beneath a monumental granite sarcophagus created by Carlo Marochetti.
Why Napoleon III Has Not Been Returned to France
Napoleon III has never been repatriated for several reasons.
1. Political sensitivity
Successive French governments have avoided reopening debates about imperial legitimacy.
2. Eugénie’s explicit wishes
She intended Farnborough to be the permanent resting place of her family.
3. Bonapartist continuity
The abbey serves as a neutral, uncontested memorial for Bonapartist supporters.
Who Is the Current Bonapartist Pretender?
The present Bonapartist claimant is.
Jean‑Christophe, Prince Napoléon (b. 1986)
He is widely regarded by Bonapartists as Napoleon VII.
Visiting St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough
gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France
St Michael’s Abbey is open to visitors, but access is controlled because it remains an active Benedictine community.
Visiting Information
- Guided tours. Usually Saturday afternoons
- Booking. Often required in advance
- Access. Abbey church, Imperial Crypt, selected grounds
- Nearest station. Farnborough Main (short walk or taxi)
The abbey’s official website provides current visiting times and booking details.
The Last Act of Napoleon III
gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France
Napoleon III died in exile at Camden Place, Chislehurst, on 9 January 1873, attended by Empress Eugénie, the Prince Imperial and his physician. He is buried at St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough (GU14 7NQ), in the Imperial Crypt alongside his wife and son. The abbey is open to visitors by guided tour, usually on Saturday afternoons.
Further Reading
- France & Monaco: Riviera Notes
- Napoleon III’s Final Days and His Resting Place at St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough
- Napoléon’s Coronation: Power, Performance and Political Mischief
- Napoléon and the Invention of Modern Political Ritual
- Why Napoleon Crowned Himself: the Birth of an Empire.
- “The Late Emperor Napoleon III.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 1, no. 628, 1873, pp. 37–38. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25233780. Accessed 23 July 2026.
- “The Death Of The Emperor Napoleon III.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 1, no. 629, 1873, pp. 73–74. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25233854. Accessed 23 July 2026.
FAQ
At Camden Place, Chislehurst, Kent, in January 1873
His widow founded St Michael’s Abbey as a permanent family mausoleum, and political sensitivities prevented repatriation.
Yes – by guided tour at St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough.