The House of Habsburg placed considerable importance on privacy in the bedchamber. Though they did not require married family members and maids to be present during consummation as some courts did, it was perfectly normal for family members or court ladies to remain outside the door and keep an ear on what was happening within.
According to the Vienna Court's historical records, Empress Sisi did not truly become a woman until the third day after her marriage.
On that point, Sophie had great faith in Franz. She retired early, leaving only two maids to stand guard outside the door.
According to Habsburg imperial regulations, on the second day after the Emperor's wedding, all members of the imperial family were to have breakfast together, offer their blessings to the Empress, and present her with the morning gift.
The so-called "morning gift" actually originated from Germanic People tradition. On the morning after the wedding, the bridegroom's family had to give the woman they had married a sum of money as compensation for her loss of chastity.
This money became the woman's private property, something of utmost importance among European nobles who valued personal wealth. Among commoners, by contrast, this tradition was not given much importance.
But no matter what, as a mother, Sophie still did not want Franz and Olga to be late on their first day.
Yet when Sophie arrived at the palace where Franz and Olga were staying, she found that the two maids outside the bedchamber looked rather unwell.
Sophie immediately had a bad feeling. She knew her son could be outrageous at times, but if the Empress also indulged Franz and let him run wild, that would be troublesome indeed.
"What is going on with you two?"
"Good morning, Archduchess. His Majesty and the Empress were truly full