The Wedding

 is the third episode of the first season of the Netflix series The Empress.

Synopsis
Elisabeth marries Franz, and the royal family gets a taste of her rising popularity. Sophie’s former lover attends the wedding and discovers a secret.

Plot
On the way to the wedding, Elisabeth watched as people waved at her. She walked to the altar and stood next to Emperor Franz Joseph, where the archbishop officiated their marriage.

After the wedding, Elisabeth requested Countess Esterházy to allow her sister Helene to head her court, which greatly concerned Esterházy.

Maximilian invited Countess Louise Gundemann to the ball after Elisabeth and Franz's wedding. At a ball, Elisabeth and Franz watched people dance. Louise kept staring at them. Elisabeth asked Franz if he knew her. He told her he didn't, but Elisabeth wasn't convinced.

News broke out that Russian troops had entered the Habsburg border, and Franz was immediately dragged into a meeting with his key advisors. Franz stayed loyal to his stance of not entering war. At the end of the meeting, he privately told his brother, Maximilian, off for inviting Countess Gundemann. Franz angrily told his brother that bringing him back to Vienna was a mistake, which hurt Maximilian's feelings. Unbeknownst to Franz, Maximilian later backstabbed his brother by telling the ambassador that Franz did not plan to enter the war because he wanted Habsburg to prosper after the French, British and the Russians tear each other apart.

While Elisabeth looked for him, she bumped into Louise, who warned Elisabeth.

Elisabeth walked outside and found her father, Duke Maximilian, in a pool, drunk. She told him off and asked him to be happy for her. However, Maximilian questioned how he could happy, considering her sister Helene was distraught, and would be looking after Elisabeth, while she was married to a man who Helene loved. Elisabeth asked her father and her mother to leave the palace, stating that she did not want them around. Maximilian told Elisabeth that she would never be herself again, as long as she was in the palace.

Baron von Kempen informed Archduchess Sophie of the growing restlessness in the city. Liberal propaganda was gaining strength and being circulated virulently. Sophie asked Kempen to make as many arrests as he wanted.

Sophie secretly met with Prince Vasa, a man who she had a relationship with 13 years ago. They kissed and professed their love for each other. Sophie wanted to show the prince their son, implying that Prince Vasa is the biological father of Emperor Franz Joseph, but the Prince of Vasa asked her to run away with him instead. However, Sophie was reluctant as she could not leave the palace. Vasa told Sophie that her true love was with the palace, but there could only be one Empress.

Franz returned to the dance floor, and couldn't find Elisabeth, so he chatted with Helene. Elisabeth saw this and misinterpreted their friendly gestures. Sophie saw Elisabeth feeling uncomfortable and advised Elisabeth to trust carefully and pose her faith only in those whom her instincts tell her to. She told Elisabeth that she could wed Helene off to one of the fine men in Bohemia. Elisabeth agreed and proceeded to the first dance with Franz. Helene was heartbroken when the news was broken to her.

While Elisabeth and Franz danced inside, the riots outside grew more severe.

Esterházy demanded that Elisabeth wear a gown for consummation on the wedding night. She told Elisabeth that pain is normal, and that it would be best for her to lie still and let everything take its course. The consummation was not in the pursuit of pleasure, but for God and for the Holy Habsburg Empire.

When Elisabeth entered the bedroom to join Franz, he came clean about Louise. Elisabeth revealed that she was insecure about people perceiving her as being silly, so Franz comforted her. They both lay down on the floor, just as they did when they met in the palace before. They professed their love and commitment to each other.

The next morning, Elisabeth and Franz consummated their marriage.

That night, Sophie lay in bed, concerned that her time at the palace was over. Esterházy attempted to lay down next to her, but was stopped by Sophie. Esterházy appeared disappointed, and it is implied that they have previously had relations.

Maximilian is seen sitting on the Emperor's throne, seemingly imagining becoming emperor.

Main Cast

 * Devrim Lingnau as Empress Elisabeth of Austria / Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria
 * Philip Froissant as Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary
 * Melika Foroutan as Archduchess Sophie
 * Johannes Nussbaum as Archduke Maximilian
 * Almila Bagriacik as Leontine von Apafi
 * Wiebke Puls as Countess Esterházy
 * Elisa Schlott as Duchess Helene
 * Jördis Triebel as Princess Ludovika

Additional Cast

 * Alexander Finkenwirth as Baron Alexander von Bach
 * Hanna Hilsdorf as Countess Amalia von Salm-Reifferscheidt
 * Rauand Taleb as Theo
 * Runa Greiner as Countess Charlotte von Stubenberg
 * Michael Fuith as Archduke Franz Karl
 * Felix Nölle as Archduke Luziwuzi
 * Erol Nowak as Baron von Kempen
 * Andreas Döhler as Duke Maximilian
 * Svenja Jung as Countess Louise Gundemann
 * Lola du Bled as Hedi
 * Raymond Tarabay as de Bourqueney
 * Leopold Hornung as Buol
 * August Schmölzer as Rauscher
 * Martin Butzke as Gustav von Wasa
 * Carl Achleitner as Georg von Sina
 * Rudy Ruggiero as von Eskelles
 * Béla Gabor Lenz as Simon von Sina
 * Andreas Bongard as Johann Strauss
 * Nils Liebscher as Esterhazy's Servant
 * Matthias Börner as Servant
 * Jakob Nienhaus as Sophie's Servant #2
 * Anna Schindlbeck as Countess von Etterlon

Quotes
"You'll never be yourself again as long as you're in there."

- Duke Maximilian talks to his daughter Elisabeth after her marriage to Emperor Franz