The date was December 02, 1829. At Notre-Dame, the preparations for the imperial wedding between Napoleon Bonaparte II and Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria were now making their final touches.
Napoleon I wanted it to be as grand as the crowning ceremony when he was crowned Emperor of France in 1804 and the Pope himself would be the one to officiate the union.
Scaffolding had been removed days earlier, leaving Notre-Dame exposed in full view, its stone façade scrubbed and restored, banners of imperial blue and gold hanging between the towers. Workers moved with practiced efficiency across the square, laying carpets, erecting stands for dignitaries, and setting iron barriers that traced the route the procession would take. Every motion followed a schedule drafted weeks in advance. Nothing was left to chance.
Inside the cathedral, the transformation was more striking.
