Marie Antoinette met Louis-Auguste, the future Louis XVI of France, for the first time on May 14, 1770, in a ceremonial and highly formalized encounter that marked the beginning of her life in France. The event was steeped in the grandeur and strict etiquette of the French court, symbolizing the political alliance between Austria and France.
Marie Antoinette, born an Archduchess of Austria, was the youngest daughter of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I. Her marriage to Louis-Auguste, the Dauphin of France, was arranged as part of a diplomatic effort to strengthen ties between the Habsburgs of Austria and the Bourbon monarchy of France, two historically rival dynasties.
Before traveling to France,
Marie Antoinette participated in a “proxy marriage” on April 19, 1770, in Vienna.
Her brother Archduke Ferdinand stood in as the groom.
After the marriage, Marie Antoinette embarked on a long journey to France, crossing into French territory at the symbolic “Isle of Kehl“ near Strasbourg, where she was ceremonially “handed over” to the French court. This moment
included a ritual where she was stripped of her Austrian clothing
and dressed in French attire to signify her transition.
Finally,
the meeting between the dauphin and his wife took place at the Forest of Compiègne, north of Paris.
Marie Antoinette, then aged 14, met her 15-year-old fiancé, Louis-Auguste, along with King Louis XV and members of the royal family. The meeting was formal and somewhat awkward, as both Marie Antoinette and Louis-Auguste were shy and inexperienced. Louis-Auguste, described as introverted and somewhat clumsy, was hesitant in his interactions, while Marie Antoinette, though charming, was overwhelmed by the grandeur and scrutiny of the court.
After their initial meeting, Marie Antoinette and Louis-Auguste traveled to Versailles, where a lavish wedding ceremony took place on May 16, 1770, in the royal chapel. The wedding was celebrated with great public festivities, but the reserved nature of the young couple hinted at future difficulties in their relationship.