His older brother Napoleon was unable to convince Pope Pius VII in Rome to annul the marriage, and so he annulled the marriage himself (by a French imperial decree, on 11 March 1805), as a matter of state.
Napoléon ei suutnud Roomas paavsti Pius VII veenda nende abielu tühistama ja nii tühistas ta abielu riikliku küsimusena ise (Prantsusmaa keiserliku dekreediga 11. märtsil 1805).