At the Grand Trianon, the Empress’ bedroom is part of the Empress Marie-Louise apartment. This had originally been two rooms. The grand gilded bed which dominates the space had first belonged to Napoleon. It was his main bed and situated in the Tuileries Palace in Paris. Interestingly, it was not an Empire style bed but a “Lit à la Duchesse” and a return to the style of Louis XIV.
When Napoleon was exiled, the bed was used by the new Bourbon king. Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette had both been beheaded during the Revolution and their one surviving son had died in prison. The heir to the throne was therefore Louis’ brother who reigned as Louis XVIII. He was extremely fat and had Napoleon’s bed enlarged.
When Louis Philippe became King in 1831 he decided to convert Versailles to a museum. He and his family occupied the Grand Trianon when they went there to visit and the bed was used by his wife Marie-Amelie (a niece of Marie-Antoinette). Today it is on display in the style of Napoleon’s wife Marie-Louise.
