 Charles and Zita were crowned in Budapest on 30 December 1916 . Following the coronation there was a banquet , but after that the festivities ended , as the emperor and empress thought it wrong to have prolonged celebrations during a time of war . At the beginning of the reign , Charles was more often than not away from Vienna , so he had a telephone line installed from Baden ( where Charles 's military headquarters were located ) to the Hofburg . He called Zita several times a day whenever they were separated . Zita had some influence on her husband and would discreetly attend audiences with the Prime Minister or military briefings , and she had a special interest in social policy . However , military matters were the sole domain of Charles . Energetic and strong @-@ willed , Zita accompanied her husband to the provinces and to the front , as well as occupying herself with charitable works and hospital visits to the war @-@ wounded . 
