The Sad Legacy of Marie Antoinette

When you hear the name Marie Antoinette, you likely don't remember anything good. We wouldn't be surprised if all you knew about her was that she was spoiled, entitled, and lived a lavish lifestyle without much thought for her followers. However, there's more to this infamous Queen of France than meets the eye. Here are 10 surprising facts to learn about Marie Antoinette and 10 misconceptions that have no actual proof. 

After Jean-Baptiste André Gautier-Dagoty on Wikimedia

1. It Took 7 Years To Have A Child

Despite the pressure to conceive a royal heir shortly after getting married to Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette did not become pregnant until 7 years into their marriage. There is a lot of speculation as to why it took so long, from the King having phimosis to strong religious beliefs, but in 1778, she finally gave birth to their first daughter, Marie-Thérèse Charlotte. 

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2. She Gave Birth In Public

Giving birth is already an incredibly stressful event to go through, so can you imagine having to do it in public? Sadly, that's what Marie Antoinette had to endure. To prove to everyone that the child was legitimate, the Queen was subjected to conceive with hundreds of onlookers all trying to get the best view of the procedure. It had been 8 years in the making, which only fueled public interest further. 

Antoine-Jean Gros on Wikimedia

3. She Gambled A Lot

Just because you're royalty doesn't mean you have unlimited fortune to gamble with. For the Queen, her love of card games, particularly lansquenet, blinded her from all responsibilities. Eventually growing increasingly concerned with his wife's reckless spending of their expenses, Louis XVI did his best to cut Marie Antoinette off.

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4. She Was A Musician

Despite her extravagant, rich lifestyle, Marie Antoinette had a love for the arts, particularly with music. Not only was she able to play the harp, flute, and harpiscord, it's said that she also had a lovely singing voice. She even supported many other artists, including composers and painters, who she especially loved.

Jean-Baptiste André Gautier-Dagoty on Wikimedia

5. She Was Popular In Her Youth

While many remember Marie Antoinette as a controversial, generally hated Queen of France, this wasn't always the case. When she first arrived in France as the King's soon-to-be Queen, she was only 14 years old and was highly anticipated by the country. Not only did many citizens think she was beautiful and kind, they were hopeful that this new union would bring peace to the nation. 

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6. She Had 15 Siblings

While the thought of raising more than one child in today's day and age already seems a bit terrifying, imagine having 15. Daughter of Maria Theresa and Francis I, Marie Antoinette grew up in a bustling household with 15 other siblings. Her closest relationship was with her older sister, Maria Carolina. 

Martin van Meytens on Wikimedia

7. She Was Obsessed With Drinking Chocolate

If we love chocolate drinks now, it only makes sense that people from the past enjoyed it just as much too. And for Marie Antoinette, it was clear it was more than just a love. She even went as far as hiring a Queen's Chocolatier just so that she could have someone prepare her chocolate beverage every day!

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8. She Tried To Escape Paris

Alongside her husband, King Louis XVI, the royal couple attempted to flee Paris with their family on June 20, 1791 in what's better known as the "Flight to Varennes." At this point, the revolution was at an all-time high and they felt their safety was dwindling. Unfortunately, they were recognized in the town of Sainte-Menehould during their escape and were quickly arrested shortly after. 

Antoine-François Callet on Wikimedia

9. She Apologized To The Executioner

Everyone knows the unfortunate ending of this royal couple, but Marie Antoinette's last words on October 16, 1793 continue to resonate with history lovers around the world. Maintaining her ladylike disposition, she apologized to the executioner for stepping on his toes as she made her way to the guillotine. It's believed that her final words were, "Pardon me sir, I didn't do it on purpose." 

Joseph Kranzinger on Wikimedia

10. She Was Buried In An Unnamed Grave

Despite being a Queen of France with her name in every history book, after Marie Antoinette's death, she was buried in an unmarked cemetery. The people had despised her so much, she wasn't even granted a proper grave! It wasn't until many years later, in 1815, when both her and her husband were moved to the Basilica of Saint-Denis.

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1. She Was Born In France

Though she is one of the most recognizable Queens of France (despite her unpopular reputation), many people don't know that Marie Antoinette wasn't actually born in France. She was born on November 2, 1755 in Vienna, Austria. 

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun on Wikimedia

2. She Said, "Let Them Eat Cake"

Although "Let them eat cake," has always been a phrase associated with Marie Antoinette and is what most people know about her, there's no actual evidence that she actually said this. It wasn't even connected to her until many years after her death! 

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3. She Was A Blonde

Many old portraits and even films all depict Marie Antoinette as being an ash blonde, but the truth is, there's a lot of debate surrounding her hair color! Supposedly, beneath her wild wigs, it's been argued that she was more of a "strawberry blonde," with some even believing she had much darker hair than history lets on. Looks like we'll never really know for sure. 

Joseph Ducreux on Wikimedia

4. She Was An Apathetic Queen

After her extravagant spending came to light, the French quickly became dismissive of Marie Antoinette and forever labelled her as an unfeeling, mean queen. Is this really the case though? While it's clear her public reputation quickly took a turn for the worse, it didn't mean she was an unkind ruler. In fact, some historians say she was vilified and the good that she did do largely went unnoticed. 

Louis-Marin Bonnet on Wikimedia

5. She Played Around

There's a common belief that Marie Antoinette was very scandalous, liked playing around, and was an unfaithful wife. However, there isn't actually any evidence to prove these claims, and it's quite likely that they were created to tarnish her legacy even further. This is one suspicion history will never be able to know for sure.

Johann Michael Militz on Wikimedia

6. She Bankrupt The Country

Many like to think back on this Queen of France as exceptionally reckless and put the country's debt as her failings, but in reality, it wasn't all Marie Antoinette's fault. While yes, she did live a rather extravagant lifestyle that didn't help with funds and expenses, the country was already heading down a steep staircase from years of debts, wars, and other costly issues. So the truth is, Marie Antoinette did play a part, but she wasn't the cause.

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7. Coupe Glasses Are Shaped After Her Breasts

Ever heard of the coupe glass? These round and wide cocktail glasses have a strange myth surrounding them that you might never heard of before. Some people thought that these were shaped after Marie Antoinette's breasts, hence being known to some as the "Antoinette Coupe." There isn't any actually evidence to back this up though!

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8. She Gave Up Her Dog

During Marie Antoinette's transition to France, it's believed she had to give up her dog named Mops which was later reunited with her. However, there's a lot of speculation as to whether she even had such dog! Some think there isn't enough evidence to prove this story is true, though it is said she was a big dog lover. 

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9. She Was A Lesbian

Despite being married to King Louis XVI, pop culture in recent years, from film depictions to new perspectives, has considered the fact that perhaps Marie Antoinette was a lesbian. This may be because of close bonds she had with female friends like the Duchesse de Polignac. However, many will agree that there is not enough evidence to prove whether this belief is true or false. 

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun on Wikimedia

10. Her Death Sentence Was Immediate

Most people know the tragic end of Marie Antoinette, but they might not have realized it was a longer process than immediately sentencing her to the guillotine. In fact, an entire trial took place, though she didn't have much time to prepare. She was ultimately accused guilty of several things including treason, using up France's funds, and conspiracy. 

Marie-Louise-Adélaïde Boizot / Louis-Simon Boizot on Wikimedia