Expo Adios Mama Carlota - A Forgotten Empress

Born in Laeken as the first princess of Belgium and married to Archduke Maximilian of Austria, Charlotte ascended the throne as Empress of Mexico in 1864. After a compelling and tragic life, she spent the last sixty years of her life at Bouchout Castle, in the heart of what is now the Botanical Garden. Her story is one of extreme highs and lows — a history in which resilience and vulnerability are inextricably linked. These are themes that not only shaped her life, but are also more relevant than ever in our contemporary society.