Which Royal Jewels Were Stolen at the Louvre Museum?

In an audacious daylight heist that stunned France and the global art world, thieves broke into the Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday morning, escaping with eight priceless jewels that once adorned French royalty.

According to authorities, the criminals pulled up alongside the Seine River and used an extendable ladder to reach an upper window leading directly into the Galerie d’Apollon — a lavish 17th-century hall known for its golden ceilings, oil paintings, and historic jewels.

Inside that gallery, the thieves meticulously targeted the display of royal jewelry, seizing pieces that once belonged to Queen Marie-Amélie, Queen Hortense, and Empress Eugénie.

Among the stolen artifacts were two tiaras, sapphire and emerald necklaces, earrings, and brooches — each representing both artistic craftsmanship and centuries of royal lineage.

The thieves appear to have fled hastily, dropping the golden, diamond-studded crown of Empress Eugénie outside the museum during their escape.

The Galerie d’Apollon itself holds deep historical symbolism. Commissioned by Louis XIV after a 1661 fire, it was designed to reflect the Sun King’s divine image and later inspired the world-famous Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.

The Louvre’s latest theft has reignited debate about how even the world’s most secure cultural institutions remain vulnerable to well-planned attacks.