One of the most sought after women of her time, Desiree Clary was the daughter of wealthy parents. Her father, Francois Clary was wholesaler of Marseille. Desiree went on to become Queen of Sweden. Johnny Lee Clary is a descendant of Desiree, Julie, and the Clary family. This is her story.

Initially courted by Joseph Bonaparte, she became engaged to him before becoming romantically involved with his brother Napoleon. Joseph Bonaparte would later marry Julie Clary.  Desiree's sister. Marie-Julie married Joseph (Giuseppe Nabulion) Bonaparte, son of Carlo Maria Buonaparte and Maria Laetizia Ramolino, on 1 Aug 1794 in Cuges-les-Pins, Bouches-du-Rhône, France. (Joseph (Giuseppe Nabulion) Bonaparte was born on 7 Jan 1768 in Corte, baptized on 8 Jan 1768 and died on 28 Jul 1844 in Florence.)

Again engaged, she was also approached by other leading French soldiers in General Junot and General Marmont.

In the beginning of 1794 Desiree Clary,  met Bonaparte, who had been promoted to inspector general of the coasts after the siege of Toulon. The two young people became engaged on April 21, 1795, in spite of the reticence of the Clary family: "It's enough to have one Bonaparte in my family!" exclaimed Desiree's mother, because Julie, Desiree's sister, was already married to Joseph Bonaparte.

Bonaparte, who left for Paris after the engagement, intended to hasten the marriage and to obtain the immediate consent of Desiree's relatives. His meeting with Josephine Beauharnais (whom he married on March 8, 1796) put an end to the engagement.

"You have made my life a misery, and I am yet weak enough to forgive you."

-Desiree in a letter to Napoleon after learning of his marriage to Josephine.

Hopkins, Tighe.Women Napoleon Loved. Eveleigh Nash, 1910.

In 1798, Desiree  married General Bernadotte and, when he was adopted by the childless King of Sweden, they became royalty.  Bernadotte, was a relative of her bother-in-law, Joseph. In February of 1818 Bernadotte became King of Sweden. Desiree was not permanently installed in Sweden until 1823, at the engagement of her only son with Josephine of Leuchtenberg, daughter of Eugene de Beauharnais. She was officially crowned as Queen in 1829.

Photos of the beautiful Queen Desiree

In 1844, Bernadotte died, and Desiree wanted to leave Sweden, which she deemed as too cold and desired to join the Clary family which had long since moved to Louisiana in America. Sweden would not let her abdicate the throne. Desiree passed the last years of her life in increasing isolation. She lost her spouse (1844), then her sister(1845). Desiree continued to rule as Queen of Sweden until she passed away in 1860 at the age of eighty three, a year after the death of her son. She rests in the main Lutheran church in Stockholm at the side of her spouse.

Her son whose godfather was Napoleon, became King Oscar I of Sweden and the royal house she helped begin still reigns today.

Johnny at the tomb of his ancestor, Desiree, in Stockholm, Sweden, 2000.

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