King Louis XV and his family

[Eddie_uk]

Hey, did Mme Adelaide have a happy life? I got the impression she was rather a spiteful, bitter old maid who coined the nickname " L'Autrichienne ". Pretended to be Marie Antoinettes friend when in fact she was using her and damaged MA's reputation at court.

Going into exile can't have been a happy experience either.  

[bell_the_cat]

Hey, did Mme Adelaide have a happy life? I got the impression she was rather a spiteful, bitter old maid who coined the nickname " L'Autrichienne ". Pretended to be Marie Antoinettes friend when in fact she was using her and damaged MA's reputation at court.

 

I've been trying to correct this commonly held view with my posts about Adelaide!

[Eddie_uk]

Do you not think Mme Adelaide was like that?  . Practically all the books describe her as a dissapointed old maid  . Thats certainly the impression I get.

[bell_the_cat]

Do you not think Mme Adelaide was like that?  . Practically all the books describe her as a dissapointed old maid  . Thats certainly the impression I get.

Which books?

[elena_maria_vidal]

Mme Adelaide reminds me of an "old maid" auntie of mine. She had a full and interesting life of travel, complete with beautiful furniture, and beautiful clothes; an accomplished, pretty and educated lady with a dazzling career (no she was not a courtesan). She could be charming, witty, fun at a party, devoted to her neices and nephews. However, that aged auntie of mine had/has an acerbic tongue; she does not mince words and aims for the jugular when she does not approve of one's behavior. She has family members in terror over what she will say next; she can reduce people to tears with a glance. That is kind of how I envision Mme Adelaide.... I may be wrong (if I am Bell will correct me.)

[Eddie_uk]

Practically all of them bell  

I know what you mean Elena, almost like Victoria of Wales, another spinister with an acerbic tongue apparently  

[bell_the_cat]

Practically all of them bell  

I know what you mean Elena, almost like Victoria of Wales, another spinister with an acerbic tongue apparently  

I've found that French sources have generally a more favourable line on Mme Adelaide, even things like the guidebook to Versailles!

[Eddie_uk]

Thats very interesting  . All the biographers say what a bad influence the Mesdames were as well as there bad behaviour towards Madame du Barry. Marie Antoinettes mother once wrote they were full of virtue but even she later ate those words.

Maybe Adelaide has been misrepresented all this time?  

[bell_the_cat]

Thats very interesting  . All the biographers say what a bad influence the Mesdames were as well as there bad behaviour towards Madame du Barry. Marie Antoinettes mother once wrote they were full of virtue but even she later ate those words.

Maybe Adelaide has been misrepresented all this time?  

Mesdames were really Marie Antoinette's multiple "mothers in law". They took charge of their brother's children after his death in 1765 as Marie Josèphe withdrew into herself (and died in 1767).

So it's not surprising there was conflict, particularly as Marie Antoinette was (in the early days) immature and spoilt. I'm sure the aunts resented her for being young and pretty as well ! It happens in a lot of families.

However as I keep saying, Mme Adelaide was also a very cultivated and energetic person!

[Eddie_uk]

I agree, but she was anti austrian too and I think she wasn't best pleased when MA arrived and desplaced her from her position as first lady at court, since her sister in laws death.

I agree she was probably energetic but with so much time there hands, there thoughts turned to mischief.
It was mainly due to Madame Adelaide that MA ignored Madame du Barry when she first arrived in France, which damaged her reputation.  

[bell_the_cat]

I agree, but she was anti austrian too and I think she wasn't best pleased when MA arrived and desplaced her from her position as first lady at court, since her sister in laws death.

I agree she was probably energetic but with so much time there hands, there thoughts turned to mischief.
It was mainly due to Madame Adelaide that MA ignored Madame du Barry when she first arrived in France, which damaged her reputation.  

Yes, this is sort of true. Mme Adelaide was playing for "her team" as was the Dubarry. Marie Antoinette was very slow to pick up on these hard facts of life!

[elena_maria_vidal]

IMO, too much is made of the whole episode of MMe Adelaide influencing Marie-Antoinette against Mme du Barry. I think it is the kind of thing that happened anytime a foreign princess arrived at a strange court and was still learning the ropes. It was easy for a young girl to be manipulated by the various factions at a court where she was a newcomer, and I am sure it happened to others as well as to M-A. Those events early in her marriage are highlighted only because of the debacles which came later in her life. If the Revolution had not happened, it would have been one more court drama among thousands played out on a daily basis. Some of the things which happened  to M-A early on contributed to eroding away at her reputation but others did not. True, Mme Adelaide should have guided her in a more loving fashion, but Mme Adelaide probably thought she was doing right by telling Antoinette not to speak to the putain. If anything the incident emphasizes M-A's virtue in not wanting to tolerate a courtesan in her presence, although this was probably more due to her adolescent prudery and dislike of Du Barry than strong moral fiber, which was still being cultivated.

[elena_maria_vidal]

The marriage of M-A was arranged by La Pompadour before she died. Mme Adelaide detested La Pompadour even more than she did Mme Du Barry, so it got M-A off to bad start with the aunts. Also, Austria and the Habsburgs were the traditional enemy of the Bourbons and France. M-A would have been disliked for her family and nationality alone.

[elena_maria_vidal]

Mme. Adelaide also blamed Austria for France's humiliation in the Seven Years War, called The French and Indian War in the USA, in which France lost Canada. She blamed Mme Pompadour for it as well, because she had been advising Louis XV at the time.

[Marc]

There is an interesting story in the memoires of Countess de Boigne!It is said that the King Louis XV entered Madame Adelaide's bedchamber to inform her that Madame Louise had left in the nignt...When she heard this Madame Adelaide's first cry was:''WITH WHOM''?