The crown worn by French Empress Eugénie was badly damaged after thieves dropped it while fleeing a high-profile raid at the Louvre last October. Despite its crushed appearance, the museum has confirmed that the historic jewel is largely intact and can be fully restored.
The headpiece, which belonged to the wife of Emperor Napoleon III, was among jewels valued at an estimated 88 million euros stolen during the break-in. Unlike other items taken, the diamond-studded crown was abandoned along the escape route after the thieves struggled to remove it through a narrow opening cut into its glass display case.
In the first images released since the theft, the Louvre said the crown was left “badly deformed,” with its decorations pushed inward. One of the eight golden eagles that adorned the crown is missing, but all 56 emeralds remain in place, along with all but 10 of its original 1,354 diamonds.
According to the museum, the 19th-century crown can be restored to its original condition without the need for reconstruction. A panel of specialists, led by Louvre president Laurence des Cars, has been appointed to oversee the restoration process.
The robbery took place on 19 October, when a gang used a stolen vehicle fitted with a mechanical lift to access the Galerie d’Apollon from a balcony overlooking the River Seine. Two suspects reportedly entered the gallery by cutting through a window with power tools, threatened security guards, and forced an evacuation before breaking into two display cases containing royal and imperial jewellery.
Prosecutors say the thieves spent less than four minutes inside the gallery before escaping on scooters waiting outside. While four male suspects have been arrested in connection with the raid, authorities say the alleged mastermind has yet to be identified.
Seven other pieces of jewellery stolen during the heist — including a diamond tiara belonging to Empress Eugénie, as well as necklaces, earrings and brooches — are still missing.
About the author
La LTPE inspecte 315 écoles du Grand Lomé
À l’approche de la Journée de l’enfant africain, célébrée chaque année le 16 juin, les initiatives se multiplient au Togo pour améliorer le bien-être des élèves dans les établissements scolaires. Cette année, la commémoration est placée sous le thème : « Garantir l’accès universel à l’eau, à l’assainissement et à l’hygiène pour chaque enfant en Afrique ». Un sujet qui met en lumière l’importance des infrastructures sanitaires dans le développement et la protection des enfants. Dans ce contexte, la Ligue togolaise pour la protection de l’enfant (LTPE) a lancé une opération d’évaluation des infrastructures d’eau, d’hygiène et d’assainissement dans 315 établissements scolaires du Grand Lomé. Cette mission vise à dresser un état des lieux des équipements existants afin d’identifier les insuffisances et les besoins prioritaires. Les résultats de cette inspection devraient permettre de proposer des mesures concrètes pour la réhabilitation […]
Degli réclame une enquête après un incident à Kpalimé
Jean Yaovi Degli, président du mouvement d’opposition « Bâtir le Togo », affirme avoir été victime d’un acte de sabotage visant sa résidence située à Kpalimé. Selon ses déclarations, un drone aurait survolé sa propriété en novembre 2025 avant de déverser une substance blanche sur ses installations piscicoles ainsi que sur certaines plantations. L’opposant estime que cet incident serait à l’origine de la mort de plus de 1 300 poissons dans les jours qui ont suivi. Me Degli indique avoir signalé les faits aux autorités compétentes et sollicité l’ouverture d’une enquête afin de déterminer les circonstances exactes de l’incident ainsi que l’origine de la substance en question. Il affirme également que des prélèvements auraient été effectués à deux reprises sur les poissons morts et sur les produits présumés contaminés dans le cadre d’analyses destinées à établir les causes de cette […]
Djamdè définit les priorités du développement togolais
Le séminaire gouvernemental consacré à la transformation économique et sociale du Togo s’est poursuivi ce vendredi 12 juin 2026 à Djamdè, dans la préfecture de la Kozah, sous la direction du Président du Conseil, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé. Cette deuxième journée de travaux a été marquée par des réflexions approfondies sur le développement du capital humain et le renforcement des capacités de l’État, deux axes jugés essentiels pour la réussite de la future stratégie nationale de développement. Après avoir examiné les principaux moteurs de la transformation économique lors de la première journée, les membres du gouvernement ont concentré leurs échanges sur les moyens d’améliorer les compétences de la population et d’accroître l’efficacité de l’action publique. Les orientations présentées durant cette rencontre bénéficient du soutien des partenaires techniques et financiers du Togo. La Banque mondiale, qui a participé aux travaux préparatoires et […]
Djamdè mise sur le capital humain pour 2031
Le séminaire gouvernemental organisé à Djamdè sous la présidence de Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé a pris fin vendredi après deux journées de réflexion consacrées aux grandes orientations de la future stratégie nationale de développement du Togo pour la période 2026-2031. Au cours de la dernière journée, les échanges se sont concentrés sur deux axes considérés comme essentiels à la transformation du pays : le développement du capital humain et le renforcement des capacités de l’État. Invité à cette rencontre stratégique, le vice-président de la Banque mondiale pour l’Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre, Ousmane Diagana, a souligné l’importance de l’investissement dans les compétences comme moteur de croissance et de développement durable. Selon lui, l’expérience internationale montre que les pays ayant réussi leur transformation économique ont tous placé le capital humain au cœur de leurs politiques publiques. Il a notamment insisté sur […]
Le PAM rassure sur la sécurité alimentaire au Togo
Le Programme alimentaire mondial (PAM) a assuré qu’aucune crise alimentaire majeure n’est actuellement observée dans le nord du Togo, malgré le début de la période de soudure, traditionnellement marquée par une pression accrue sur les réserves alimentaires des ménages. Dans un communiqué publié jeudi, l’organisation onusienne a indiqué que les indicateurs récents montrent une situation globalement favorable sur le plan alimentaire à l’échelle nationale, en particulier dans les régions du nord du pays. Le PAM rappelle que des projections régionales réalisées à la fin de l’année 2025 estimaient que plus de 330 000 personnes pourraient être confrontées à une situation d’insécurité alimentaire entre juin et août 2026. Ces prévisions reposaient toutefois sur des hypothèses qui envisageaient une absence d’amélioration des conditions sur le terrain ainsi qu’un manque d’assistance aux populations vulnérables. Selon les données les plus récentes, plusieurs facteurs ont […]
East Jerusalem Demolitions Raise Displacement Fears
Jerusalem is witnessing a growing wave of Palestinian home demolitions and eviction threats, as Israeli authorities accelerate redevelopment and settlement-related projects in East Jerusalem. In the al-Bustan section of Silwan, just south of Jerusalem’s Old City, demolition crews have destroyed dozens of Palestinian-owned properties since late 2023. Residents say the pace of demolitions has increased significantly while international attention remains focused on conflicts elsewhere in the Middle East. Among those affected is 58-year-old Fayez Awad, whose family home was partially demolished. Sitting in what remains of the property, he described the destruction as the loss of a lifetime of effort. "We spent years building this house," Awad said. "Everything we achieved has been taken away, and we are starting over from nothing." Jerusalem remains one of the most contested cities in the world. Israel captured East Jerusalem during the 1967 […]
Related
US Iran peace deal to be signed Sunday as Hormuz reopens
US President Donald Trump has announced that a deal between the United States and Iran is set to be finalized on Sunday, and that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen right after the agreement is signed. Pakistan, which has been mediating the talks, said a final agreed-upon text of a US-Iran peace deal has been reached, with only next steps needing clarification. The deal is expected to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, extend the current ceasefire, and begin negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme. Under the terms of the proposed deal, the Strait of Hormuz would reopen to shipping, returning to the situation that existed before the US and Israel launched their recent military action against Iran. The ceasefire is expected to continue for a further 60 days, with conflict ending across multiple fronts including Lebanon. The proposed memorandum of understanding […]
US and Iran to sign peace deal Sunday as Strait of Hormuz opens
The United States and Iran are close to signing a landmark peace memorandum that could mark a major breakthrough in relations between the two nations. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has been mediating the talks, announced that a final agreed-upon text of the peace deal has been reached, with only the next steps needing clarification. The deal is expected to be signed on Sunday, June 14, 2026, with Geneva emerging as the most likely venue for the signing. US President Donald Trump has said that a deal between the United States and Iran is scheduled to be signed tomorrow, and that immediately after the agreement is signed, the Strait of Hormuz will be "open to all." The deal is expected to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, extend the current ceasefire, and begin negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme. Under the […]
Trump’s name removed from Washington arts centre after court order
President Donald Trump's name has been taken down from the front of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., following a federal court order. Workers began removing the name early Saturday morning, less than six months after it was first installed on the historic venue. The work started around 1:20 a.m. local time, hours after the Department of Justice said the government would miss a court-ordered deadline to take Mr Trump's name off the building. A U.S. District Court judge ruled last month that adding Trump's name to the facade of the Kennedy Center was unlawful, because the institution cannot be renamed without approval from Congress. Judge Christopher Cooper ordered the removal by Friday, June 12, 2026. Crews set up scaffolding on Friday, but thunderstorms delayed the work until early Saturday. Workers covered the scaffolding with plastic […]
Trump confirms World Cup 2026 attendance but will not attend US opening match in Los Angeles
President Donald Trump has confirmed that he will attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but has indicated he will not be present at the United States opening match in Los Angeles. The World Cup tournament kicks off on Thursday, June 11, 2026, with Mexico facing South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The United States will play its first match against Paraguay on June 12, 2026, at 9:00 PM ET at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California. Trump had previously said to reporters that he would attend the first match in the new stadium with his children, but later changed his plans regarding the opening game. The 2026 World Cup will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with 16 venues throughout the three countries. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026, […]
Netanyahu says he and Trump fully agree Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that he and US President Donald Trump are in complete agreement on preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Netanyahu made the statement on Friday in a message released by his office following a phone call with Trump about potential negotiations with Iran. "As long as I am Prime Minister of Israel, Iran will not have nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said. "There is full agreement between President Trump and me on this issue." Netanyahu emphasized that he has led the international fight against Iran's nuclear programs for more than three decades. He stated that without this struggle, Iran would have obtained nuclear bombs long ago to destroy Israel. He also said that Iran is working to destroy the Jewish state and that he has dedicated his life to preventing them from doing so. While Israel […]
Iran says no final decision on deal while Trump claims imminent agreement with Tehran
Iran has stated that it has not reached a final decision on a deal to end the Middle East war, despite US President Donald Trump claiming that an agreement could be signed in days. The Iranian statement came on Friday, even as Trump announced he had canceled scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran. Trump said that talks with Iran had been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved. He added that the time and place of the signing would be announced shortly. The president claimed that the finer points of the arrangement had been approved by the United States and its allies in the region, including Israel, with which Washington jointly launched the war in February. However, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran had not reached a final conclusion on the agreement. He explained that […]