List of Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles characters

The majority of the following article contains the fictional portrayal of one or more historical figures. Details in this article may differ from real world facts. For more information on the historical figure(s), consult the links provided within or at the bottom of the article.

Marie Antoinette on the cover

All of the characters that appear in Kathryn Lasky's Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles.

Main characters

Marie Antoinette

Main article: Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette (November 2, 1755 – October 16, 1793), born as Maria Antonia Josepha Joanna, was the Queen of France. She was the youngest daughter of the Austrian rulers, Maria Theresa and Francis I. Marie Antoinette had sixteen siblings, including eldest brother, Joseph II, and beloved sisters, Caroline and Elizabeth. She became the Dauphine of France, when she married Louis Auguste in April 1770.

Supporting characters

Madame du Barry

Madame du Barry was the mistress of the French King, Louis XV. She originally came from the streets of Paris. The King arranged her marriage to a Count in order for her to join him at the Versailles Court. She was an enemy of Marie Antoinette, who avoided her and refused to speak to her for nearly a year. After du Barry complaining to the King several times, Marie Antoinette finally spoke to du Barry.

Countess Lerchenfeld

Countess Lerchenfeld (died February 22, 1770), affectionately nicknamed Lulu, was the governess of Marie Antoinette in Austria. She was good friends with Maria Theresa. Lulu taught Marie Antoinette about the etiquette of the French court. She also helped Marie Antoinette send a letter to Louis Auguste without Maria Theresa knowing. Lulu's leg became infected in November 1769 and her health continued to deteriorate, until her death in February 1770.

Louis Auguste

Louis XVI (August 23, 1754 – January 21, 1793), born as Louis Auguste, was the Dauphin of France. Louis Auguste married Marie Antoinette in April 1770. He was extremely shy around her at first, but they gradually became friends over time. His hobbies were studying locks and hunting. He became the King of France, after the death of his grandfather, Louis XV in 1774. Louis had four children with his wife.

Maria Elizabeth

Maria Elizabeth (1743 – 1808) was Marie Antoinette's older sister. She was the daughter of Maria Theresa and Francis I. Elizabeth wore thick veils to cover her badly scarred face, after she caught smallpox. Her mother made her an Abbess of a convent in Innsbruck. Marie Antoinette became close to Elizabeth, after their sister, Maria Carolina left Austria. Unlike Marie Antoinette, Elizabeth was free from their mother's control.

Maria Theresa

Maria Theresa ("Mama"; May 13, 1717 – 1780) was the Empress of Austria and Hungary. She was the wife of Francis I and mother of sixteen children, including Marie Antoinette. Maria Theresa arranged all of her children's marriages, which she used to form strong political ties. She loathed King Frederick of Prussia, whom had attacked Austria and claimed the Silesia province. Maria Theresa kept a close watch on Marie Antoinette, even after she moved to Versailles.

Countess de Noailles

Countess de Noailles was Marie Antoinette's Lady of Honor, her highest ranking Lady-in-Waiting. She was very meticulous about propriety, leading Marie Antoinette to call her, "Madame Etiquette." The Countess, like many at court, disliked Madame du Berry. She also tried to protect Marie Antoinette by hiding rumors from her.

Minor characters

• Abbé de Vermond was Marie Antoinette's tutor. He continued to see her at the Versailles court.
• Adelaide, Sophie, and Victoire were King Louis XV's daughters, who never married. They disliked Madame du Barry and encouraged Marie Antoinette not to speak to her.
• Count of Artois (born c. 1756) and Count of Provence (born c. 1755) were Louis Auguste's brothers. Antoinette described Artois as "completely charming," and thought them both better than their brother.
• Brandy was the governess of Marie Antoinette, before Countess Lerchenfield.
• Brunhilda and Liesel were two chambermaids, who attended to Marie Antoinette in Vienna, Austria.
• Cabriole was Marie Antoinette's favorite horse to ride in Vienna.
• Chantal was the undertirewoman of Marie Antoinette in Versailles.
• Madame Campan was one of Victoire's Ladies-in-Waiting. She later became a Lady-in-Waiting for Marie Antoinette, whom she was good friends with.
• Charlotte was the sister of Francis I. She was visited by her niece, Marie Antoinette in April 1770. They spent several days together, before Marie Antoinette made her way to France.
• Clotilde (born c. 1759) and Elisabeth (born c. 1764) were the younger sisters of Louis Auguste.
• Countess of Trautmannsdorff, nicknamed Trautie, was a friend of Maria Theresa. She accompanied Marie Antoinette to the Austrian border.
• Duc de Choiseul was the King's chief minister in the French court. He was a strong advocate for Marie Antoinette, whose marriage to he helped arranged. Choiseul was later banished from court.
• Duc de la Vauguyon was Louis Auguste's tutor. He was allied with Madame du Barry and attempted to cause a rift between Louis Auguste and Marie Antoinette.
• Monsieur Ducreux, a French artist, who painted Marie Antoinette's portrait for Louis Auguste.
• Ferdinand (1754 – 1806) was Marie Antoinette's older brother.
• Francis I ("Papa"; 1708 – 1765) was the Holy Roman Emperor. He had six children with his wife, Empress Maria Theresa, who continued to rule after his death.
• Francis II (1768 – 1835) was the first son of Leopold II and Maria Luisa.
• Herr Francke was a Riding Master in Vienna. He taught Marie Antoinette the French style of riding.
• Countess de Grammont was one of Marie Antoinette's Ladies-in-Waiting and related to Choiseul. Her enemy, Madame du Barry had her banished from court, but she was allowed to return.
• Frederick the Great was the King of Prussia and the mortal enemy of Empress Maria Theresa.
• Isabella of Parma was the beloved first wife of Joseph II and mother of Maria Theresa.
• Joseph II (1741 – 1790) was the Holy Roman Emperor and eldest brother of Marie Antoinette. He married twice and had one daughter named Maria "Titi" Theresa.
• Countess Krautzinger, nicknamed Sauer Kraut, was Marie Antoinette's governess after Lulu's death. She was appointed by the Empress to teach Marie Antoinette how to spot deceitful people.
• Monsieur Larseneur, a French hairdresser, who styled Marie Antoinette's hair in the latest style.
• Leopold II (1747 – 1792) was the elder brother of Marie Antoinette. He was the husband of Maria Luisa and father of Francis II.
• Louis XV (died May 10, 1774) was the King of France and grandfather of Louis Auguste.
• Maria Amalia (1746 – 1804) was Marie Antoinette's older sister. She married the Duke of Parma.
• Maria Anna (1738 – 1789) was Marie Antoinette's oldest sister. She lived on a convent in Prague.
• Maria Carolina (1752 – 1816), also called Caroline, was Marie Antoinette's favorite sister. She left Austria to marry Ferdinand of Naples.
• Maria Christina (1742 – 1798) was Marie Antoinette's older sister. She married Albert of Saxony.
• Maria Josepha (c. 1751 – 1767) was the older sister of Marie Antoinette. She was engaged to Ferdinand of Naples, but died of smallpox.
• Maria Josepha of Bavaria (died 1767) was the second wife of Joseph II. He disliked her and did not miss her much, when she died of smallpox.
• Maria Luisa of Spain was the wife of Leopold and mother of Francis II.
• Maria Theresa (1762 – January 23, 1770), nicknamed Titi, was the daughter of Joseph II and Isabella of Parma. She was Marie Antoinette's favorite niece. Titi passed away in January 1770.
• Marquis Dufort was a French ambassador, who visited the Vienna court with Duc de Choiseul.
• Maximilian Francis (1756 – 1801) was the younger brother of Marie Antoinette.
• Count Mercy d'Argenteau was the Austrian ambassador to Versailles.
• Herr Munchenmass, an Austrian locksmith. He explained locks to Marie Antoinette.
• Noverre was Marie Antoinette's dance instructor. He taught her how to dance like the French.
• Prince Kaunitz, an Austrian ambassador and a trusted adviser of Maria Theresa. He and the Duc de Choiseul helped arrange Marie Antoinette's marriage.
• Rose Bertin, a French fashion designer, who created many outfits for Marie Antoinette.
• Schnitzel was Marie Antoinette's beloved pet dog. She was allowed to take him to Versailles.

Epilogue characters

• Louis Antoine, Duc d'Angoulême (1775 – 1844) was the first cousin and husband of Marie Thérèse.
• Louis Charles (March 1785 – June 8, 1795) was the second son of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. He was held prisoner with his mother. Louis died two years later in the same prison.
• Louis Joseph (October 12, 1781 – June 4, 1789) was the oldest son of Marie Antoinette with Louis XVI. He was the Dauphin of France until he passed away from tuberculosis.
• Marie Thérèse Charlotte de Bourbon (December 19, 1778 – 1851) was the eldest child of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. After her mother's execution during the French Revolution, Marie Thérèse was sent to Austria. She married her cousin, the Duc d'Angoulême.
• Maximillien Robespierre, a French lawyer and revolutionary during the Reign of Terror.
• Napoleon Bonaparte, commander of the French Army. He became the ruler of France in 1799.
• Sophie Hélène (c. 1786 – 1787) was the youngest child of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI.

External links

• Maria Theresa at Biography
• Louis XVI at Biography
• French Revolution at History
• Reign of Terror at Britannica
• House of Habsburg at Britannica
• House of Bourbon at Britannica