The eighteenth century was a crucial time in the history of France. The teenaged Louis XVI took power in a time of philosophical, political, and economic upheaval. France was in dire financial straits, and while the generally passive King butted heads with Parlement, he failed to effectively resolve France’s financial problems and food shortages. Meanwhile, Marie Antoinette and the Princesse de Lamballe indulged themselves with sledge rides, winter balls, and grand feasts.

This Princesse de Lamballe shows that outside their cloistered world, dissatisfied and starving masses clamored for change — changes that would transform both the political and financial structures of France, eventually overturning a monarchy that had existed for three centuries. Their story is both particular to the times and generalizable to situations that occur in the modern world.

This Princesse de Lamballe book shows how this story is critically important not only because it tells of a time that gave birth to modern democracy but also as a cautionary tale about what happens when the whole of society is not well served.

When one class of people becomes privileged over another, and the division increases, the stability of society itself is threatened. In the case of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the monarchy seemed to go blithely on, trying to preserve what was while the cracks widened.

As frequently occurs in times of dramatic change, there are those who try to hold on while others demand progress. Sometimes, this results in violent upheaval and collapse, as happened in France. Perhaps the fall was precipitated by the King and Queen's particular foibles, or perhaps it was inevitable. Only those who study history can tell.

The book focuses on the interactions of the royals during the final days of the Ancien Regime. Told primarily through the perspective of the Princesse de Lamballe, the book also provides stories and anecdotes of the lives of Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI leading up to the collapse of the monarchy.

This Princesse de Lamballe book reveals the Princesse's version of these events, based on a wide variety of historical sources. It also captures the waning days and grisly demise of the French monarchy in the late 1700s. The story immerses you into a world of titillating sexual rumors, blood-thirsty revolutionaries, and hair-raising escape attempts. It is a must read for anyone interested in Marie Antoinette, the origins of the French Revolution, or life in the late 1700s.