The Tragic Tale of Marie Antionette’s Adoptive Child | Ernestine

Welcome to Forgotten Lives! In today's episode we are looking into the life of Ernestine Labriquet a servant girl who was adopted by the King and Queen of France and would grow up in luxury until the French Revolution completely changed her life.
Website of the author: michielkorte.com
Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09RX58TJD
Goodreads: / ernestine
Ernestine's Instagram: / ernestine_book
Unfortunate Ends/ My Other Channel: / @unfortunateends9240
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#Ernestine #ForgottenLives​​​​​​ #Royals

[@Lady_Chalk]

I think Queen Marie Antoinette was actually a sweet woman. She loved children. But she never knew, or was sheltered, from the horrors of the poor’s plight.

[@stadbab]

monarchy hurts everyone :(

[@nemumami]

I mean she was the nobility’s scape goat so that’s that…

[@callanightshade8079]

@@nemumami she was blamed for everything. They all thought she was an airhead. She was genuinely smart, but only for things she found interesting such as music and dancing. A bit of a tomboy as well she enjoyed hunting with her husband and grandfather-in-law. I'm not a professional or anything, but she gives off the classic signs of a woman with ADHD

[@geodex9]

@@callanightshade8079 I’m inclined to believe that as well. She does seem to have some of the traditional markers.

[@user-xj2eg4te2i]

She was not a political animal. Unfortunately (and naturally) not all royalty were capable politicians, rulers and administrators

[@kaleshabastion2332]

I've read much about the court of Queen Mary Antoinette over the years, and I don't recall reading about the adopted children at all! Thank you for teaching me something new.

[@13lilsykos]

Same!

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks for watching!

[@darianrose2195]

I've read about them in at least two biographies. Aside from adoptive children, she was also very caring and generous with poor families and their children in the village of Versailles.

[@annmcneal7804]

I have an old old biography written by a servant / maid of Marie Antonette when the maid was 87!

[@plamenivanov92]

@@ForgottenLives Marie Antoinette`s daughter that died was actually her last biological child Sophie Beatrice Helenne

[@justinmileman7863]

You show a lot of sympathy and compassion for all of the people you tell us about. In doing this, you tell their stories in a way that truly honors and respects them. Thank you.

[@migue4793]

I believe Marie Antoinette was vilified over time, and she was actually kind, yet naive. The French Revolution is such an interesting period in World History. The nerd in me can read about period pieces in l'histoire all day! Romanian history during the fall of communism in 1989 is another fascinating topic. The Christmas Revolution took communist dictator Nicolae Ceauseşcu and his wife Elena to the firing squad.

[@jeanproctor3663]

What a sad ending! Poor Ernestine - I do feel sorry that she died at a relatively young age and that Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte was unable to find her until after she had died. And I wonder what happened to Augúste?

[@susansparke3462]

If anyone is curious, fashion historian Amber Butchart had a series that recreated garments of historical significance from the past with the help of a very talented historical tailor along with her small team of assistants and one of these episodes focused on Marie Antoinette and her famous if not infamous Chemise de la Reine. The history and insights about the last queen of France's life are truly fascinating as they access original sources and travel to historical sites. The show was called "A Stitch In Time" and I have seen it here on KZbin and on Amazon Prime Video. From everything that I've learned about Marie Antoinette (and her husband for that matter) she actually seemed like a very devoted, loving and caring person who couldn't do anything right in the eyes of the French people, simply because of the fact that she was not a native-born French citizen. The royal couple were blamed for the costly spending of the two previous kings, but unfortunately it all fell on their shoulders and they were made to pay with their lives. The more I read about them, the sadder the whole situation becomes. Louis XVI was 38 years old when he was executed and his wife Marie Antoinette was 37 years old when she was executed.

[@maryakins6268]

P

[@paytynbutler2007]

I think her story is quite sad and I wish Ernestine and Charlotte were able to stay together. Also I think it's quite sweet that Marie adopted her.

[@berenicewaters4096]

What such an amazing story about Ernestine. It must've been so scary to live through the French Revolution in the eyes of a child. An interesting life she had with the privileges of living in Versailles wiry it's perfect architecture and wonderful gardens and splendid rooms.

[@GriffithsJacqueline]

That was such a sad story, what a strange life being adopted into the Royal Family in those times. Great video as always.

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks for the support!

[@elizabethspedding1975]

Thank-you for showing me another kinder side of the last French Queen She is so often betrayed as spoilt and out of touch with the less advantaged.🌹

[@Rose-yt5hi]

I mean, she forcefully adopted a child who didn’t want to be adopted, and then paid off his family. She essentially bought a kid for her own amusement. If that isn’t spoiled and out of touch, idk what is. Not to say she is deserving of all her ill-repute. She was likely just an ordinary person living her life the way her nature and nurture conditioned her to live it. But she was definitely spoiled and out of touch because of it.

[@christinejalandoni5919]

Who the hell throws a dead soldier at a child? Mighty disrespectful of both the child and the soldier. Those times were weird.

[@brendaholliday6866]

Thank you, for this historical and fascinating story about the adoptive children of Madame Marie Antoinette. I personally never knew that "royalty" adopted children because I thought everyone in their families had to be their biological children. Great investigating, and presentation as always.

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks for the comment :)

[@genera1013]

From my understanding, they could adopt children, but those children weren't in line for the throne. Only legitimate biological children were eligible to rule.

[@kimm.8800]

They did "adopt" children (not a modern form of adoption, they were more like foster children), but the adopted/foster children were not given royal rank. They were foster children or royalty without being royal and without royal titles.

[@virginiagobetz9084]

Yet another sad chapter to the horrible story of the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution.Even the children suffered- - - how tragic!

[@makeupboss3568]

Beautiful way of preserving their memory and their lives . Marie Antoinette was apparently a sweet natured woman and loved children, and going as far as adopting children shows tremendous bravery . Gotta respect a lady for adopting an orphan, especially at that time in history. France was a mess at the time .

[@alicerivierre]

I never knew Marie Antoinette adopted a child. That's interesting to know and learn, thanks!

[@helenmoss2055]

I thought I knew my history pretty well so was delighted to learn about this adopted daughter. I do feel sorry for her poor brother though. Thanks for sharing ❤️

[@lbush8261]

This was a great video; however … There was also: Jean Amilcar was the adopted son of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette of France. Jean Amilcar was from French Senegal and enslaved as a child by the French official Chevalier de Boufflers.

[@panqueque445]

"They threw a soldier's dead body at her to pin her down" Kinda weird but I guess it gets the job done.

[@jeweltorkelson]

If it works it works

[@JupiterRising2525]

I cant imagine going through all that as parents. Very sad.

[@pepperspray7386]

Marie Antionette: "I'll teach my daughter humility by buying a peasant girl, adopting her, changing her name to a character I liked in a story and then giving her to my daughter...."

[@wendypearsoncohen4613]

I think she might have been an illegitimate daughter. Also, in history the reality of Marie A. Is drastically different. She was progressive and tried to help people.

[@kimm.8800]

@@wendypearsoncohen4613 No, Ernestine was not an illegitimate daughter. In France, it was considered completely okay for a king to have illegitimate children, the the custom was for the king to acknowledge his illegitimate children openly; there would have been no reason for Louis to keep that a secret at all. Not in France, and not in that time period. His precedessor as king had plenty of illegitimate children openly acknowledge all over the place. It was not the Victorian age.

[@wendypearsoncohen4613]

Yes, but the child was illegitimate as you stated in your reply. Acknowledgement and legitimacy are two different things.

[@thejudgmentalcat]

Love these little-known stories from the French Revolution ❤

[@ForgottenLives]

Thank you 😁

[@Koko________]

This music is very nostalgic to me. Please never change it!

[@KEMET1971]

Would love to see the story of Marie Antoinette adopted son Jean Amilcar.

[@ericmoore571]

This was so well done! It can't have been easy finding facts on Ernestine yet you really brought her to life.

[@sandragrundy1516]

Excellent. What a horrendous time in history which thankfully me and mine only get to witness through doco's like this. Thank you.

[@cypher7648]

I absolutely love the mostly unheard stories you tell, keep up the great work! It's much appreciated, thank you! However it's a very tragic tale!

[@lotusflowerbombmadchenvomm4343]

Thanks for the nice insight ♥️ I adore the "Marie Antoinette" portrait story's since childhood. I always had an 1=A in history lessons especially in the French revolution thanks to her intriguing story in a such particular part of time, one day I visited the Versailles castle 🏰 it was a personal magical moment❤️✨❤️✨❤️✨

[@ELKE-]

Thank you FLives, it was a great story to listen to. Your french spoken is perfect. Loved the video illustration too. Well done!

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks as usual for the support 😊 appreciate it :)

[@ELKE-]

@@ForgottenLives No mention FLives 😊 Love all your videos, your work :) Thank you

[@sharonkaczorowski8690]

Like the Romanovs they would have been happy as private citizens. Terrible rulers.

[@latefanelum1303]

Exactly, it’s important to know when to quit when you still can…

[@bettyjames4155]

It's quite the interesting story. Thank you for sharing. And thank you Michele, for writing this script.

[@ikkeiet]

Ow i love your stories. They make me calm and relaxed. And i learn something

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks!!

[@mermaidzoephiahart]

I hope the people who hurt the children rot in hell for what they did no excuse for their behavior to hurt a child makes u a bad person

[@OWOT-re5jf]

Love your narrative voice, background music, artwork selections and opening imagery and music.

[@ELKE-]

It's a good morning to relisten this awesome video! My third time! Ads are playing well👍 Thank you FLives

[@d.l.l.6578]

Yeah, those infernal peasants got tired of hearing their own children cry themselves to sleep from hunger.

[@momof1576]

Poor little Marie Antoinette and her poor children.

[@leydikjeldner5725]

I love hearing all of these documentaries and it doesn't last for hours either. I never knew that Marie Antionette adopted a child

[@houseofvanity8]

On e again you fascinated with ur history lesson

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks!!

[@ahulaga8466]

I love this channel. The videos are always informative and so well executed! Your pronunciation across the varias languages is so natural and I'm so curious as to where you are from!

[@stormmycrystal]

I've been enjoying your videos for quite some time now. Your knowledge of history and your skill with languages are extremely well executed. I also enjoy the way you tell these stories. Very well done!

[@Olivia_Playz2003]

I do believe that people during that time, took it way too far by sending the king and queen to their deaths. I believe that they had big hearts for children. P.S. you also forgot to mention that Marie Antoinette adopted a black boy named Jean Amilcar. He also died young, sadly. Maybe you can cover each story of Marie's adopted kids, including Jean.

[@aloiafitualatamalelagi8943]

I agree ☝️ the more history research I do, the more sad it gets , political or not , still didn't make sense to me how they both got the guillotine. I can't imagine how terrifying that must be to have your own people turn on you and then imprison your family until you die 😢

[@mizfrenchtwist]

thank you , for the share . i never knew of the adoptees , thank you again...........

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks for watching 😁

[@redadmiralofvalyria867]

Honestly, I asked my teacher in hs about how strange it was that she look so much like "Madame royal", so i asked "was she REALLY a bastad child of Louie the 16th?" Her response was simply "Honestly we shall never know, BUT as far as history is concerned, and with what Louie himself was like, it's most likely a no, but that doesn't mean she was any less Marie's daughter, & hey sometimes 2 people just LOOK alike and that's it, just happens 😉 " Senior year, I got my year book picture ,and it wasn't me, but one of my friends, and EVERYONE said we look alike, Even my mother 😂🤣😅

[@sarahleach9997]

I think she was his bastard child.

[@kimm.8800]

@@sarahleach9997 I don't think so. It was considered okay for a king to have a bastard child, and his predecessor had plenty of them. They were not hidden away as secrets. They were openly aknowleged. If she was really his daughter, then there is not reason to why it would have been hidden, when all other French kings openly admitted the children they had outside of marriage, as was the French custom. And poor Louis was not very interested in sex at all.

[@AmericanAmy]

Interesting, thanks for telling this story. I had never heard it before. 🙂👍❤️🙏✌️

[@ForgottenLives]

My pleasure!!

[@debbralehrman5957]

This is one of the saddest stories.😢

[@jacquikg3881]

Very interesting thank you for another great history story I really enjoy them.

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks for the support 😊

[@Rhi_Rae]

I adore your videos! Thank you for all your work.

[@douglashamilton6028]

I love this story from history

[@jamella324]

Ooo I’m so excited to watch this!

[@Lady_Chalk]

100% heartwarming

[@normajeancaballero7959]

I now want to read more on this subject. 👍😎👍😎👍😎👍😎👍😎👍😎👍😎👍

[@dammar117]

Wonderful content. Thank you.

[@hkbabel]

Thank you so very much

[@maltesemike9114]

I glad you been well my friend,this lady was strong like my mom ,..I been good my cml blood cancer is in remission. 😊😊just cant fall hard of bruise I'll get severe blood clots,.citrusakes swell, .but all is well. I told you you'd get more subs great job friend Michael 😇😇😇😇😇😐😐😐🙄😇😇😇😇

[@georgiaalderson3900]

sending prayers & love 💕

[@kimberlypatton9634]

Very enjoyable and we'll done! Well written and your presentation is superb as always! The pink shirt is amazing on you!

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks very much!!

[@zero_bs_tolerance8646]

Thank you.

[@ellaeadig263]

It really does seem so horribly cruel, the way the people couldn't give the royal family just a short time to mourn the dauphin.

[@josephsouza2011]

I agree with you Lady Chalk.

[@plamenivanov92]

Marie Antoinette`s children are as follows 1 Marie Teresse Charlotte 2 Louis Josef Francois Xavier 3 Louis Charles and Sophie Beatrice Helenne

[@annfisher3316]

Another wonderfully interesting video, 👏 you often inspire me to learn more after viewing. 🇫🇷 ✌

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks for watching 😁

[@tmoney2403]

You have an uncanny resemblance of a young Elvis Presley. I'm sure this has been mentioned before but I just found it striking.

[@GoldLove21]

Well Elvis was known to take many lovers, perhaps this youtuber is a descendent?

[@AkChiVibes]

Why wasn’t Gustav taken in?

[@dameinnoble3995]

The propaganda surrounding Marie Antoinette was hideous and undeserving.

[@meatloafandme]

Can I ask how did you learn to pronounce all the names you do ? I might add I enjoy your channels just brilliant. Thank you x Edit you have a lovely voice

[@ForgottenLives]

Thanks very much! I studied frenh in sixth form/ high school and i also look up as many as i can!

[@meatloafandme]

@Forgotten Lives well you are good. You teach well brilliant voice x

[@berenicewaters4096]

FL got an A level in French and stil he's improving with his courses on skill share

[@sct4040]

He speaks French.

[@karenknicely1788]

Huh, I have never heard of her! Well, what do you know!

[@Booka60]

I honestly believe that the story of the French Royal family is the most horrific tragedy. Even more than the fate of the Romanovs. The cruelty, viciousness, and eventual fate reeks of the worst of the sins of humanity.

[@aaronkinney9982]

I’m Marie Antoinette’s x8 Great Grand Nephew.

[@MCC4RTHY1]

Died at 35? What did she die of? Newly married.. childbirth maybe?

[@gaslight_gatekeep_girlboss3732]

Unlikely as it was noted she died childless. However, there isn’t really much regarding her death but I guess we’ll never know.

[@MichielBLKorte]

Hello! I'm the author of "Ernestine". While I researched her extensively, there is no clear death cause available on her death certificate. As Clarice mentioned, it is unlikely she died in childbirth. She died in the winter, so the cold climate may have weakened her health significantly. Also, Paris wasn't the most hygienic of places. My most likely guess is that she died of disease. As her husband was well-off, it's unlikely that she died of starvation.

[@plamenivanov92]

they named one boy after the oldest son of the duchess of Polinac and one more thing her youngest boy Melhior Polinac is a ancestor of the current prince of Monaco Albert II allso Albert`s younger sister Stephanie is the current duchess of Polinac

[@plamenivanov92]

btw Polixena is a daughter of Priam of Troy actually his youngest daughter

[@wandaborowy9400]

Lucky kids.

[@ranniemanangan5371]

I still believe that Marie Antoinette is over vilified during the French Revolution... That she cares about her people, but very naive when it comes to the reality of the lives of the common people.. but can you really blamed her for this naiveness, as she was raised as a royalty all her life. And most of them was sheltered from these realities....

[@MichielBLKorte]

Hi Rannie. I am Michiel B.L. Korte, author of "Ernestine" and this episode's script. I believe you are very right. Marie Antoinette was raised properly and taken to charitable institutions and orphanages as a child by her mother, the Empress Maria Theresa, and so she certainly had compassion for the poor. But she and her husband were also ill-educated teenagers who were placed in charge of a failing system that had caused famen and destruction for decades. They were very sheltered, were ill-equiped to change their disastrous PR image and couldn't get the nobles to take necessary steps for improvement, while also making bad political decisions.

[@ranniemanangan5371]

@@MichielBLKorte thanks for the good narration for the video.... Yeah there is also the fact that she become a queen as a teenager, which by some point she wasn't been properly guided on the ropes of the society and to answer the problems during their reign... Plus they reign during the time where the people was on their wits end and blaming them is inevitable...

[@Gjigfvniyf]

I have to disagree with everyone saying Marie Antoinette was such a wonderful and kind mother. She treated these adopted children like toys, ripping them from their families, renaming them, and using them for her entertainment. One of them even fought in the revolution, not a great sign for how he was treated growing up

[@altinaykor364]

Look what happened to him and how soon was he punished, just like every other revolutionary👎universe obviously knew the true nature of these people much better than you👎👎👎

[@brendaestrada1782]

The host of this channel is handsome! 💖😍💖😍💖

[@moniquescholten5286]

I see slight similarities with cinderella... never researched where that story came from or if its just that, a story.

[@HellaQuinn]

If this host guy told people he's the reincarnated Elvis Presley, they'd believe it 1000% with zero hesitation lol Very interesting content, tho! Thanks!

[@verablexitasap858]

All that anger from the crowd built up after years of not being able to care properly for their own family and children. That'll do it alright

[@richiethev4623]

Yes but it wasn't them who spent majority of the country's money like most would love to believe instead it was his father & all his women forgot the political term they had for them. Now this king with his wife Marie were young when they got married and didn't have the best counselor plus if you do research you will find out they tried to encourage their people to eat fruit's vegetables but they still though of such things only to feed to pigs and they also encourage them to eat potatoes but they didn't want to for whatever reason.. A lot of things the poor brought upon themselves for not doing the alternative and placing all the blame on the king & his wife when it was the kings fathers fault for leaving France in such a dismiss and expected his son to fix everything he fucked up... -Mercy(sorry for the name confusion i am on my dad's phone at the moment)

[@verablexitasap858]

@@richiethev4623 I can understand. Interesting

[@liliarney6615]

Do we know how she died? Earnestine I mean?

[@bananauzumaki]

first

[@dolorespetersen2869]

I would like to have known her and her children! Quite a brave and empathetic woman. History won’t forget her !

[@cryptogirliebtc3987]

Yea they had two more adopted children one of them black and he was sent as a slave during the revolution

[@rayclam8079]

She looked like a granny...

[@akirasaito1551]

That quote from Marie Atoinette about fathers is so telling because it shows how "naive" she is. While it's genuinely sad that her son died, she has no right for acting like the people are unreasonable to demand actions from them asap. Because guess what? Their children also died, unceremoniously and unknown to the world, in perhaps worse ways than her son. An average peasant's sickly child wouldn't have survived toddlerhood because they didn't have the means to hire a team of top notch doctors. Cry them a river

[@makaveliandcheese]

I miss in your old videos when evety now and then you'd give your opinion on something but I guess you can't do that since you're reading a script. Sounds monotone and uninspired.