Marie Antoinette Frolics with Her Friends in Rebel Queen

• Christina Zeiders
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Christina Zeiders is the Communications Specialist at WITF. She helps get the word out about all of WITF's programs, events and community conversations.

The dazzling period drama series, Marie Antoinette, continues to chronicle and tell the story of the infamous and doomed queen. A still very young Marie Antoinette has learned the rules and secrets of the court – and refuses to conform to the expectations placed on her.

As she attempts to recreate Versailles in her image – free, independent, and feminist – libelles attack her character and the character of her friends. Meanwhile, her royal enemies continue to work against her every move in an attempt to bring her down.

In Rebel Queen, Marie begins to lose patience with the pomp of public mourning at Versailles. After two months of mourning the death of King Louis XV, Marie is determined to launch her reign as Queen of France. Her first order of business is organizing a glittering Inauguration Ball, and her second is to present her pro-Austrian candidate as Louis’ new prime minister.

But when Louis refuses to let his Austrian wife dabble in French politics, a mean-spirited fight between the two leads to an aggressive sexual assault and leaves their marriage in shambles.

Watch Marie Antoinette on WITF TV on Sundays at 10pm or stream it for free on the PBS or WITF app for four weeks following each episode’s television premiere. WITF Passport members can binge the entire series now.

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After you watch, listen to After you watch, listen to our fan-first podcast, Postscript! Every Sunday, hosts Beth and Christina talk about the highs and lows of life at Versailles, how scenes made them feel, and the real-life history touched on by the series. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, at witf.org/postscript, or watch on Mosaic!

Marie Antoinette is available on all PBS Platforms, including the PBS app and PBS Masterpiece Prime Video.