to roam around the town of Versailles for much of the later day. Those who
became superb riders were chosen to accompany the king on his frequent hunts to
carry his guns, hand them to him, and take them back when discharged, giving
them to the arquebusier, who loaded them again, after which the process
repeated.
The queen’s ménage, smaller than the king’s but of
greater complexity, contained about 500 officers and servants. Marie-Antoinette
revived the office of Superintendent of the Queen’s Household, appointing the princess
of Lamballe to the job in 1774. Under her was the chief lady-in-waiting, who
oversaw the work of a host of servants. The loyal Madame Campan was one of two
women in charge of all the bedchamber servants, as well as being responsible
for the queen’s private funds, including her jewels. Several secretaries
handled the correspondence and paid the bills. Whenever the court moved
residence, thousands of invitations were sent out for suppers, hunting parties,
and balls. Overseeing the payment of pensions to former servants and others was
a large job, as was maintaining the queen’s carriages and the gilded sleds she
kept to ride in if and when enough snow fell in the area. Apothecaries and
surgeons were on hand to tend to the health of the household, and scores of
other people looked after the glassware and silver, the ordering of food, and
the cleaning and storing of underclothes, robes and dresses, shoes, bags, fans,
gloves, and towels. Linen was replaced every few years, and the sheets and
pillowslips on the queen’s bed were changed every day.
THE QUEEN’S DAY
When Marie-Antoinette awoke each morning around ten o’clock
and said her prayers, a gaggle of ladies in waiting entered the queen’s
bedchamber with a basket of underclothes and towels, and she was presented with
a choice of dresses to wear. She would select something for the morning,
something for the afternoon, a gown for supper, and perhaps another for the
evening entertainment. There were so many outfits that she made her choices
from a picture book, and several ladies then scurried off to find those chosen
in the immense wardrobe.
Next, the queen took her bath in a portable tub wheeled
into the room, accompanied by another squadron of women armed with all the
paraphernalia of soaps and perfumes. Antoinette bathed clad in a flannel gown
buttoned up from ankles to neck. Emerging from the tub, she was shielded from
curious eyes by a sheet as she slipped into a robe before returning to bed to
await her breakfast of hot chocolate or coffee.
When she arose again, the bed was stripped and the sheets
sent off to the laundry. Then four footmen entered the room, turned the heavy
mattress, and quickly departed. The bed was remade with fresh linen, while the
furniture was dusted and all was tidied up. The lady-in-waiting sat in an
armchair watching that everything was done correctly.
The remainder of the morning was taken up by a few minutes
with her husband followed by visits from those possessing the petite entrée —a
bishop or two, the royal physician or surgeon, secretaries, and perhaps a
reader with the news from Paris.
At noon came time for the ceremony of the grande
toilette, when a large, ornate table was moved into the center of the room
and chairs and sofas placed around it. The queen sat at the table, and dignitaries
arrived, including the king’s brothers, Artois and Provence, the princes of the
blood, high court officials, and others possessing the grande entrée, which
allowed them to visit the queen at any convenient time. Each received a nod,
the inclination of which depended on their rank. The bedchamber women then
retired to a nearby room, and the ladies of honor, accompanied by their maids,
began the ceremony.
First the queen had her coiffure completed. Then a chemise
was put on, and the wide-hooped skirt of her gown was attached, a neckerchief
adjusted, and jewels put in place. The long train came
became superb riders were chosen to accompany the king on his frequent hunts to
carry his guns, hand them to him, and take them back when discharged, giving
them to the arquebusier, who loaded them again, after which the process
repeated.
The queen’s ménage, smaller than the king’s but of
greater complexity, contained about 500 officers and servants. Marie-Antoinette
revived the office of Superintendent of the Queen’s Household, appointing the princess
of Lamballe to the job in 1774. Under her was the chief lady-in-waiting, who
oversaw the work of a host of servants. The loyal Madame Campan was one of two
women in charge of all the bedchamber servants, as well as being responsible
for the queen’s private funds, including her jewels. Several secretaries
handled the correspondence and paid the bills. Whenever the court moved
residence, thousands of invitations were sent out for suppers, hunting parties,
and balls. Overseeing the payment of pensions to former servants and others was
a large job, as was maintaining the queen’s carriages and the gilded sleds she
kept to ride in if and when enough snow fell in the area. Apothecaries and
surgeons were on hand to tend to the health of the household, and scores of
other people looked after the glassware and silver, the ordering of food, and
the cleaning and storing of underclothes, robes and dresses, shoes, bags, fans,
gloves, and towels. Linen was replaced every few years, and the sheets and
pillowslips on the queen’s bed were changed every day.
THE QUEEN’S DAY
When Marie-Antoinette awoke each morning around ten o’clock
and said her prayers, a gaggle of ladies in waiting entered the queen’s
bedchamber with a basket of underclothes and towels, and she was presented with
a choice of dresses to wear. She would select something for the morning,
something for the afternoon, a gown for supper, and perhaps another for the
evening entertainment. There were so many outfits that she made her choices
from a picture book, and several ladies then scurried off to find those chosen
in the immense wardrobe.
Next, the queen took her bath in a portable tub wheeled
into the room, accompanied by another squadron of women armed with all the
paraphernalia of soaps and perfumes. Antoinette bathed clad in a flannel gown
buttoned up from ankles to neck. Emerging from the tub, she was shielded from
curious eyes by a sheet as she slipped into a robe before returning to bed to
await her breakfast of hot chocolate or coffee.
When she arose again, the bed was stripped and the sheets
sent off to the laundry. Then four footmen entered the room, turned the heavy
mattress, and quickly departed. The bed was remade with fresh linen, while the
furniture was dusted and all was tidied up. The lady-in-waiting sat in an
armchair watching that everything was done correctly.
The remainder of the morning was taken up by a few minutes
with her husband followed by visits from those possessing the petite entrée —a
bishop or two, the royal physician or surgeon, secretaries, and perhaps a
reader with the news from Paris.
At noon came time for the ceremony of the grande
toilette, when a large, ornate table was moved into the center of the room
and chairs and sofas placed around it. The queen sat at the table, and dignitaries
arrived, including the king’s brothers, Artois and Provence, the princes of the
blood, high court officials, and others possessing the grande entrée, which
allowed them to visit the queen at any convenient time. Each received a nod,
the inclination of which depended on their rank. The bedchamber women then
retired to a nearby room, and the ladies of honor, accompanied by their maids,
began the ceremony.
First the queen had her coiffure completed. Then a chemise
was put on, and the wide-hooped skirt of her gown was attached, a neckerchief
adjusted, and jewels put in place. The long train came
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