As Empress Elisabeth says in the trailer, “I will not be calm.” And that’s exactly how we feel as The Empress returns to Netflix for season 2 on Friday, November 22, 2024.
The German period romance drama instantly hooked fans around the world and even won the International Emmy Award in 2023 for best drama series. After two years of waiting, we’re finally getting the next chapter of Sisi and Franz’s love story. Take a peek at The Empress trailer to see what’s in store for season 2.
This watch guide will provide you with everything you need to know about what happened in season 1, the cast, and how to watch with DIRECTV.
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‘The Empress’ Season 2 Release Date
The Empress season 2 will be released on Netflix starting Friday, November 22, 2024.
How to Watch ‘The Empress’
Watch The Empress on Netflix with DIRECTV by connecting your Gemini device. Season 1 only has six episodes, so you can binge-watch the first season now.
Looking for more historical dramas while you wait for season 2 to come out? Check out our article on The Top 10 Historical Period Dramas To Watch Now.
Is ‘The Empress’ in German?
The Empress was filmed in German but can be watched with English subtitles. The series has also been dubbed into 14 languages, including English, if you prefer to watch one of those versions on Netflix.
What is ‘The Empress’ About?
The Empress is a German historical drama about a young Bavarian Duchess Elisabeth—called Sisi by her family—who becomes Empress Elisabeth of Austria. The series starts with her older sister Helene expected to marry their cousin and Emperor Franz Joseph. However, during their family’s visit, Franz becomes attracted to Elisabeth’s rebellious nature and free spirit and chooses to marry Elisabeth over Helene. The series follows the young empress as she struggles to conform to the rules and expectations of the Viennese royal court.
What Happened at the end of Season 1 of ‘The Empress’
Caution: Spoilers ahead.
In the beginning of episode six, Empress Elisabeth continues to rebel, drinking and smoking late into the night. Unhappy with her behavior, her mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophie, tells Elisabeth she is not the right Empress for Franz or the empire. She gives Elisabeth two options: return to Bayern and have the marriage annulled or stay and follow the rules. Meanwhile, the people of the empire are becoming increasingly unsatisfied with the monarchy’s rule. A mob begins to form outside the Schönbrunn Palace gates, members of the staff are secretly plotting against the royals and Franz’s brother, Archduke Maximilian, believes he would be a better ruler than his brother and is scheming up ways to take the throne. While deciding what she should do, Elisabeth realizes that she’s pregnant. She tries to talk to Franz and share the news but stops when he tells her he agrees with his mother. Elisabeth decides to leave and return to Bayern. However, the palace gates are blocked by the mob of people. While the rest of the royal family is hiding in the palace, she bravely gets out of the carriage and has the guards open the gates. She walks out among the crowd of people and tells them, “I see you,” and kneels down to them. The rest of the palace is informed about her pregnancy and season one leaves on a dramatic cliffhanger with Franz and her mother-in-law watching Elisabeth from afar.
H2: What will ‘The Empress’ Season 2 Be About?
In Season 2 of The Empress, Elisabeth is pressured to produce a male heir to secure the future of the Habsburg Empire. Tensions outside the palace walls continue to escalate with more people calling for a revolution and an inevitable war looming. Elisabeth tries to be a voice of the people, but continues to be at odds with her mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophie. While Sophie believes Elisabeth is unfit to be empress, Elisabeth’s empathy and compassion toward the people of Austria-Hungary may be exactly what the empire needs.
Who is in ‘The Empress’ Season 2 Cast?
As you get ready to head back to the 19th-century Habsburg empire, take a few minutes to check out the cast of season 2:
- Devrim Lingnau as Elisabeth “Sisi” von Wittelsbach
- Philip Froissant as Franz Joseph I of Austria
- Melika Foroutan as Sophie, Archduchess of Austria
- Johannes Nussbaum as Archduke Maximilian
- Almila Bagriacik as Countess Leontine von Apafi
- Jördis Triebel as Ludovika, Duchess of Bavaria, Elisabeth’s mother
- Josephine Thiesen as Princess Marie Charlotte
- Christopher Favre as Napoleon III
Watch ‘The Empress’ on DIRECTV
The Empress premieres on Netflix on Friday, November 22. Watch The Empress and all your favorite historical dramas and TV shows with your DIRECTV subscription. Gemini makes it easy to access thousands of streaming apps like Netflix, Max™, Prime Video and more. Find out how to connect your Gemini device to your third-party apps.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch ‘The Empress’?
You can watch The Empress on Netflix with DIRECTV.
Is ‘The Empress’ a true story?
Yes, to a degree. The Empress is based on the real-life stories of Empress Elisabeth von Wittelsbach and Emperor Franz Joseph. Some events have been embellished to add drama and excitement to the show.
How many episodes of ‘The Empress’ are there?
Season 1 of The Empress has six episodes.
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