Bernardine Hamaekers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Caroline Frédérique Bernardine Hamaekers 12 June 1836 Louvain, Belgium |
| Died | 24 October 1912 (aged 76) Brussels, Belgium |
| Occupation | Opera singer |
Caroline Frédérique Bernardine Hamaekers[a] (12 June 1836 – 24 October 1912) was a Belgian soprano prominent in the opera houses and demimonde of Paris from the mid-1850s through 1869. For a time she was the mistress of Napoleon III, but had several other lovers. In 1870 she returned to Belgium where she was a prima donna at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie until her retirement from the stage in 1884. Her last years in Brussels found her almost destitute. In a fit of despair she committed suicide at the age of 76.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).