This special Alay carriage (alayis, a Turkish word means "regiment" or "battalion") is a type of carriage named "Berline" after the city from which this carriage had been originated. It was a gift from French Emperor Napoleon III and his wife Empress Eugenie to Khedive Ismail on the occasion of the Suez Canal inauguration in 1869.
It is a four-wheeled, enclosed ceremonial carriage. It has two bench seats facing each other and an elevated front seat for the coachman, in addition to a rear leather platform for the groom. It was pulled by eight horses headed by a ninth horse for the guide. It was accompanied by a regular Alay and two half-Alay carriages and was served by fourteen persons: one guide, two postilions, one coachman, two Grooms and eight Qumshagis (footmen).
King Farouk I ordered to be renewed and used it in Parliament in 1942. It was also used in wedding ceremonies, the most famous of which was King Farouk's wedding to Queen Farida in 1938.
Khedive Ismail met the beautiful Eugenie during his studies in France; Then he surprised that she became Empress of France, and when Suez Canal inauguration, he invited her to attend the inauguration and built for her Gezira Palace (Marriott Hotel) in Zamalek with French style as a mirror image of Tuileries Palace so feels that she is still in France. Khedive Ismail also ordered to establish Jabaliya Garden for Empress to enjoy, and when Eugenie departed after the inauguration of Suez Canal, he presented a bedroom from pure gold to her. Empress has been visiting Egypt annually after the death of Khedive Ismail and begins her visiting in Cairo by visit widows of Khedive Ismail, and all places she visited with him and visiting his grave in Al-Rifai Mosque.
