Marie Antoinette was the last Queen of France before the French Revolution. Born in Vienna in 1755 as an Archduchess of Austria, she was the daughter of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I. In 1770, at the age of fourteen, she married Louis-Auguste, Dauphin of France, who became King Louis XVI in 1774, making her Queen of France at nineteen.
As queen, Marie Antoinette lived primarily at the Palace of Versailles. Her lifestyle was characterised by extensive spending on fashion, jewellery, and entertainment, contributing to her reputation among the public as frivolous and disconnected from the hardships faced by ordinary people. She commissioned the construction of the Hameau de la Reine, a rustic retreat within the grounds of Versailles designed to resemble a rural village, where she would spend time away from court life.
During her reign, France faced severe economic difficulties, partly due to debt from involvement in the American Revolutionary War and poor financial management. Public resentment towards her grew, with pamphlets and rumours depicting her as an extravagant foreigner indifferent to French suffering. The phrase “Let them eat cake,” often attributed to her, reflects this perception, although historians agree she never said it.
With the onset of the French Revolution in 1789, the royal family was forced to leave Versailles for Paris, where they were held under increasing restriction. In 1791, their failed escape attempt to Varennes further damaged their credibility. After the monarchy was abolished in 1792, Louis XVI was executed in January 1793. Later that year, Marie Antoinette was put on trial by the Revolutionary Tribunal for charges including treason. She was found guilty and executed by guillotine on 16 October 1793 at Place de la Révolution, now Place de la Concorde.
Today, Marie Antoinette remains a significant historical figure associated with the final years of the French monarchy. Sites related to her life include the Petit Trianon and Hameau de la Reine at Versailles, and the Conciergerie in Paris, where she was imprisoned before her execution. Her remains were later interred at the Basilique Saint-Denis, the traditional burial place of French kings and queens, where her tomb can be visited.