A young Austrian archduchess becomes France’s most controversial queen, her life swept from royal splendour to revolution and ruin.

This episode traces the story of Marie Antoinette, from her early years and marriage to Louis XVI to the opulence of Versailles and the public resentment it fuelled. We explore the myths that clung to her name, the political tensions that shaped her downfall, and the final chapter that saw her imprisoned, separated from her children, and executed during the French Revolution.

Topics include

• Marie Antoinette’s childhood and marriage

• Life and politics at Versailles

• Scandals, gossip, and public perception

• The “let them eat cake” myth

• Her downfall during the French Revolution