An artifact believed to be of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte during his exile on Saint Helena Island has just been verified and will be displayed near Paris later this year, according to historians.
The black felt bicorne hat has been introduced to the media and is expected to be displayed at Chantilly Castle, north of Paris. Mr. Mathieu Deldicque, Director of the Conde Museum, called this discovery "a true miracle", emphasizing the almost intact preservation of the artifact.
Mr. Jean-Guillaume Parich, an expert from the Army Museum, confirmed that this is one of the four hats that Napoleon carried during his last exile. He said that the silk lining inside still had traces of sweat, giving a clear picture of the emperor's later years.
Before his death in 1821, Napoleon left some relics, including two hats, for his son Napoleon II, also known as King of Rome. However, these relics did not reach the heir, who later died in 1832. The property was handed over to Caroline Murat, Napoleon's sister, in 1836.
The hat then joined the Conde Museum collection from 1904 but was archived and almost unknown to professionals for a long time. It was not until 2025, when preparing for an exhibition, that Mr. Parich followed history and confirmed the authenticity of the artifact.
Made by Poupard, Napoleon's official hat maker, the hat carries all typical features such as distinctive proportions, a small three-color badge and silk lining. According to experts, Napoleon ordered 60 to 80 similar hats and often wore them horizontally, creating an easily recognizable image on the battlefield.
Currently, only about 15 hats of this type have been fully authenticated and most are being kept in museums. The hat that has just been confirmed will become the focus of the exhibition on Caroline Murat's art collection.
Souvenirs related to Napoleon always fetch high prices on the auction market. A hat that once belonged to him when he was emperor was sold for nearly 2 million euros in 2023.
