The Death of the King

In the spring of 1774, Louis XV fell ill with what was soon diagnosed as smallpox. The disease, dreaded throughout Europe, threw Versailles into chaos. Courtiers fled, fearing contagion, while others calculated whether to stay and demonstrate loyalty or leave and preserve their health. Marie Antoinette and Louis-Auguste, as heirs to the throne, were forbidden to enter the sickroom.

The king's final days were documented in excruciating detail by those who remained. The Duc de Croy described the rapid deterioration, the stench that filled the palace corridors, and the king's own terror as he realized he was dying. Madame du Barry was sent away—protocol demanded that the king die in a state of grace, without his mistress present. Marie Antoinette, despite their past conflicts, was reportedly moved by du Barry's genuine grief.

On May 10, 1774, Louis XV died. The traditional announcement, "The King is dead, long live the King!" transformed Marie Antoinette's world in an instant. At just 18 years old, she was Queen of France, one of the most powerful positions any woman could hold. The moment was captured by the Duc de Liancourt, who found the new king and queen on their knees, weeping and praying, with Louis XVI supposedly saying, "Dear God, we are too young to reign."

The servants' accounts of this transition provide intimate details often missing from official records. Jacques-François Ménétra, a glazier working at Versailles, described the strange mixture of grief and excitement among the staff. Some wept for the old king, who despite his faults had been a known quantity. Others saw opportunity in the youth and supposed malleability of the new monarchs.

The immediate aftermath required careful navigation. Marie Antoinette had to establish her authority as queen while showing appropriate grief for her predecessor. She managed this delicate balance with surprising skill, maintaining court mourning while quietly beginning to reshape the royal household. Her first acts included pensioning off some of Louis XV's more corrupt officials and reducing some of the more ridiculous ceremonial positions.