Gallery

Marie Antoinette, in last year as Queen. Beauty gone - unsurprisingly.

Marie Antoinette near death - looking much older than her 37 years.

Quite accurate image of Marie Antoinette's freezing, damp, semi-underground cell in Conciergerie Prison.

Marie Antoinette had 2 guards in her cell, who spent time smoking, swearing and playing cards.

Marie Antoinette's prettied up cell in Conciergerie Prison - having had a make-over after her death.

A prettied up version of Marie Antoinette's damp cell in Conciergerie prison.

Marie Antoinette on trial, facing ghost-like members of the Revolutionary Tribunal.

Marie Antoinette's trial. Members of Revolutionary Tribunal in huge hats, with huge black feathers.

Marie Antoinette at her trial, looking stunned, after she was accused of committing incest with her son.

Cruel sketch of Queen as she passed on the way to the guillotine, by the revolutionary artist David.

Marie Antoinette on scaffold, with last wistful look at her palace, before execution.

A young 15 year old Louis, around time of his marriage to 14 year old Marie Antoinette, in 1770.

Marie Antoinette, around time 14 year old came to France as bride for 15 year old Prince.

Axel von Fersen aged 18, when 18 year old Princess Marie Antoinette met and fell in love with him, weeks before becoming Queen.

Young Queen, Marie Antoinette, whose kindness as a Princess made the people believe she would be kind Queen.

Marie Antoinette in simple dress in 1783. The fashion industry attacked her for ruining them.

Marie Antoinette in elaborate dress in 1775. "Personification of beauty."

Marie Antoinette became infamous for buying exorbitantly priced diamonds while the people starved.

Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, Marie Antoinette's mother. "I pity my daughter."

Louis XVI, having op to chop off his foreskin (no anaesthetic!), so could ejaculate.

Louis with a hangover after op to snip off his foreskin to let him ejaculate, and make Marie Antoinette pregnant.

18th century cartoon of a greedy Louis XVI. The revolutionary papers called him a fat pig.

A contented Marie Antoinette with 2 of her children. She waited 8 years to become pregnant.

Sweet portrait of Queen and her 3 children, with empty carriage symbolising her lost baby daughter.

Marie Antoinette's 2 surviving children, who were separated and each endured horror of solitary imprisonment.

A romanticised version of the arrest in June 1791, after the failed attempt to escape, 1 year before the attack on the palace. It does not reveal just how terrifying the journey was. See Pétion's account in 'Extracts'.

Arrest at Varennes - gives accurate idea of threatening mob who accompanied royal family back to Paris. (See extracts)

Arrested royal family arrive back in Paris, after failed escape attempt, June 1791.

Marie Antoinette's young daughter Marie-Thérèse - a happy moment captured for posterity, before her cruel imprisonment.

The Comte de Provence, brother of Louis XVI, who successfully escaped in June 1791 - possibly because he had a bit of common sense and an actual desire to escape. See extract.

Pétion - the republican deputy, who escorted the royal family back from Varennes. See extract. Tried to save lives in September Massacres.

Empress Maria Theresa, Marie Antoinette's broken-hearted mother - "One day you'll regret your behaviour, but by then it'll be too late."

August 1792, attack on Tuileries, resulted in 1,000 royalists dead, 1,000 revolutionaries dead.

A saintly Louis XVI surrounded by mob. But Louis was no saint.

Mandat, Commander of Paris National Guard as Parisians besieged palace. Tricked out of palace, killed, head stuck on pike and paraded around Paris.

A happy mob with heads on pikes - the fate of the Queen's friend, the Princesse de Lamballe.

Attack on Tuileries showing the hundreds of deaths.

Lafayette - hero in US. But threatened to have Marie Antoinette sent to a nunnery for adultery.

Mme. Campan, Queen's chief maid. Almost massacred when Queen's palace besieged.

Princesse de Tarente, one of Marie Antoinette's brave ladies who came to palace to be with Queen, although knew it would be attacked. Survived massacre.

Duchesse de Tourzel, governess to royal children. Witnessed September Massacres, and narrowly escaped death.

Pauline de Tourzel escaped death during September Massacres, with aid of some revolutionaries.

Hardi, from new revolutionary Paris Council. Saved lives of Tourzel women, at great risk to his own.

Princesse de Lamballe, Marie Antoinette's best friend. Slaughtered and head brought to Queen's prison for Queen to kiss.

Cruel death of the Princesse de Lamballe. Marie Antoinette feared that she would also be torn to shreds.

Louis XVI and son in Temple Tower, King teaching child geography.

A haunted looking Louis XVI near end of reign, resigned to death.

A calm Louis XVI at Temple Tower Prison.

Louis XVI at foot of scaffold.

Public delight at executions.

Marie Antoinette's last prison - Conciergerie.

Courtyard of Conciergerie. Marie Antoinette was passed note to look for priest at his cell window, blessing her.

Conciergerie Prison and Palace of Justice, where Queen was put on trial.

Versailles: where Marie Antoinette lived for 19 years.

Marie Antoinette's luxurious bedroom at Versailles.

Another view of Marie Antoinette's bedroom at Versailles.

Another sumptuous room at Versailles.

Aristocrats awaiting their turn for guillotine at Conciergerie Prison.

Michonis, kindly Prison Inspector, who tried to help Marie Antoinette escape, and lost his life as a result.

Fouché, the brave young woman who entered Queen's cell in Conciergerie in dead of night to ask her if she wanted her to bring a priest to comfort her in her final days.

Father Magnin, who was secretly led into the prison at midnight by Fouché and the warden, to fortify Queen for her final ordeal.

Fouquier-Tinville, Marie Antoinette's Prosecutor - with a face to match his occupation!

Count Axel von Fersen, Marie Antoinette's love, who agonised over tragic, lonely death of his beloved Queen. (See letters)

Hébert - writer of scandalous revolutionary newspaper. Presented claims of Marie Antoinette's supposed incest with her son, at trial.

Elisabeth, Marie Antoinette's sister in law. Queen, in tears begged her to look after her children, when she was taken away from them.

Marie Antoinette's Will, written only hours before her execution.

Marie Antoinette leaving the Conciergerie and glimpsing the farm cart for the first time.

Princess Marie-Thérèse, Marie Antoinette's daughter, finally freed from prison on 17th birthday.