 At Franz Joseph 's request , Zita and her children left their residence at <unk> and moved into a suite of rooms at Schönbrunn Palace . Here , Zita spent many hours with the old Emperor on both formal and informal occasions , where Franz Joseph confided in her his fears for the future . Emperor Franz Joseph died of bronchitis and pneumonia at the age of 86 on 21 November 1916 . " I remember the dear plump figure of Prince <unk> going up to my husband , " Zita later recounted , " and , with tears in his eyes , making the sign of the cross on Charles 's forehead . As he did so he said , ' May God bless Your Majesty . ' It was the first time we had heard the Imperial title used to us . " 
