This fancy fellow looked lovely on my shoulder.
As an addendum to my pink post, I must include this charming fellow. During the year the Emperor and I were engaged, before I got swept away in a mountain of crinolines and corsets, he gifted me a pink parrot.
It was my sweet-16 birthday present–and was probably my favorite gift of all time. In my childlike mind, I had assumed that all of my pets would accompany me to the Hof when Franz and I were married, the pink parrot included! Soon, though, a telegram came from Vienna outlining the lack of tolerance the Archduchess had for “critters.” The parrot would be housed outside the castle. As would any other birds, snakes, or cats I might bring. And my horses? Well, they were not invited to the royal stables at all!
Is it any wonder that I would teach this bird to say, “Sophie is a bee-atch!”
the empress chronicles 