Original subtitles

Clock chimes

noailles: Wake up.

Wake up.

Majesty.

Punctuality is the politeness of kings and queens.

It's the ceremony of the morning bows to commemorate his late majesty.

Not again.

The dowager Princess de Conti.

Stand up straight.

The dowager duchess de nemours.

Marie sighs

and smile.

The dowager countess de broglie.

When is this going to end?

The countess de chavigny.

Mourning lasts for a year after the late king's death.

A year?

Victoire: Look at the state of this office!

Voices overlap

what are you doing? You have to appoint the right people.

Your father wanted maurepas. — god rest his soul.

When will you give me a seat on the council? — why don't you include the Orleans

and bourbon members of the family?

All: You have to make a decision!

Deportment and poise are required at all times, majesty.

Marie sighs

I'm not on show now.

Can you...

Can you see anyone else here apart from my mother?

Noailles: The queen sets the standard.

My duty is to remind her of that high bar.

She knows only princes and princesses of the blood

or members of the nobility may enter her bedchamber.

Mademoiselle bertin and monsieur léonard

are not allowed to visit.

Marie scoffs

this is insane.

Ladies are not permitted to run at versailles!

It's been two months, Louis.

Isn't it time to come out of mourning

and begin our reign?

This is versailles, antoinette.

We're not in Vienna.

Mesdames: Hear, hear.

Yes.

I... I think it is time.

Adelaide: This is outrageous!

You coward. — thank you.

Indistinct chati'er

court mourning is officially...

Over.

By whose order?

Mine.

They chuckle

yours?

With the king's consent.

Oh, there you are. Come! Come stand by me.

I have decided...

To make lamballe superintendent of my household.

That office was abolished many years ago, majesty.

I'm resurrecting it.

Out of the question. She would be my superior.

A fresh reign demands fresher faces, don't you think?

I will not accept a demotion, majesty.

Indistinct murmuring

oh, well, I'm sorry to see you go...

Madame etiquette.

They giggle

my superintendent.

My superintendent.

Majesty.

Has the king spoken to you about his choice of prime minister?

Mercy, I have barely seen Louis since he became the king.

Austria's interests are Paramount.

Naturally. When aren't they?

The empress favours the recall of choiseul.

Hmm. For once I agree with mama.

Indistinct cha'i'i'er — I've heard there's a new portrait painter

come to town straight from Italy. — no!

Woman: It is very exciting, because I've heard he's quite handsome.

Women giggle

and we know you're going to be quite interested in...

Indistinct chati'er

she parades her pregnancy to the world

and they Fawn all over her.

Me? I'm just the queen of France.

May I suggest you stamp your Mark on your reign.

That's exactly what I intend to do, mercy.

It's extraordinary.

Did you design this one yourself?

Who else possesses my expertise?

What time is it recording, beaumarchais?

Your time, sire.

It's counting the days

hours and minutes of your reign.

I don't know how to reign.

Have you chosen your prime minister?

I can't.

I need to put all of this in order first.

I'm here to assist you, sire.

Chartres: Oh, it's lovely.

This one.

Everybody, restraint.

I have decided to launch our style council

with a ball.

All: Ooh!

Versailles will dazzle

for a new age.

The age of Marie antoinette.

I hope that means we're going to have some fun.

Marie: That's why you're all here.

She giggles I'm relying on you, saint—georges.

Rose... — mm—hmm?

Léonard... — mm—hmm.

Can I count on you?

We will turn this court upside down.

They cheer and squeal

stop, stop! This is too much too soon.

Versailles can't be torn down and rebuilt in a day.

Would you prefer us to live in a cloister, like you, lamballe?

They giggle

let's set this palace on fire.

Yes!

Finances under fleury.

Keep.

Suppression of the jesuits.

Burn.

Foreign policy during the seven years' war.

Keep.

Yeah.

Mm! Privy purse expenditures under madame du Barry.

Burn. — of course.

The petit trianon.

Keep.

This one is about your brother.

Pass it to me.

Where did this come from?

The king's secret.

What secret?

Your grandfather's network of spies.

They work behind the scenes without his ministers' knowledge.

Who was in charge?

Moi!

Knock on door — door opens

do you have a moment?

What about, madam?

Prime ministers.

We can talk later this evening, when... when I come to visit you.

See you...

Later then.

Door shuts

Pass me the file on the petit trianon.

Stop it.

The ball is going to be thrown in her honour.

Who does she think she is?

No French queen has dared to step onto the public stage since...

Catherine de medici.

Whilst he dithers, she is stealing his crown.

You've barely moved since you crawled out of bed.

I'm exhausted.

Josephine must rest.

Of course she must.

Louis should appoint maurepas and start ruling sensibly

surrounded by all the able members of our family.

A proposition far too simple for my brother to understand.

Speak to him, provence.

Provence: When will you recall maurepas?

Who will you appoint to the council of ministers?

You may be paralysed but your wife waltzes on without you.

Have you heard she's set up a style council?

I should go.

Sit down.

I haven't finished with you yet.

Knock on door

What are you doing here?

Have you spoken to the king?

I'm expecting him now.

I wish you a fruitful night. — go!

Father always said I should have been the king.

What did he say about you? Hmm?

"How can a tongue—tied cretin be let loose on France?"

He had a sharp turn of phrase.

Just like you, brother.

Look at this.

What is it?

A report.

On du Barry's attempt to send the Dauphine back to Vienna.

It appears you were involved.

Where did you find it?

In papa roi's private cabinet.

Was he spying on me? — he was spying on everyone.

Well, she's still here, isn't she?

Remind me, what is the point of her?

She is my wife. — mm.

And does she deserve that title?

Appoint me to your council.

I can sort out this mess for you.

If you really do want to help France...

Perhaps you could offer your services to the style council?

Knock on door

Louis xvi: Forgive me.

My duties kept me from visiting you this evening, madam.

Lam sending you a gift in my place.

The petit trianon belongs to the king '3 favourite.

It is only right that you should have it to entertain your friends.

They chuckle

isn't it beautiful?

Saint—georges: Yes.

Chartres: One, two.

Baroque music plays

No, no, no, no.

Again. — Marie: Yes.

Yes, we can't perform like this on our big night.

No, we can't.

Stop it. — Marie.

I won't do it.

Yes, you will.

I need someone on the inside reporting directly to me.

Well, if that's what you want, why don't you do it?

I'm not joining her council.

I intend to run his.

Baroque music plays

Well, hello, you two.

Didn't take you long to find us.

Yes, I could hear you torturing that instrument all the way from the chateau.

Please come and, um... sit down.

We can't stay.

Have you met my friend, saint—georges?

Monsieur, an honour.

Madam...

My pleasure.

Josephine has agreed to join your council.

Style isn't exactly your thing, is it?

I have more important things to think about.

You play an instrument.

Well, obviously.

Well, she can join your orchestra.

Would you like to audition for me?

She laughs

my wife doesn't need to prove herself to anyone...

Least of all him.

Josephine...

Come and join me. We could practice together.

I really can't.

Provence is always telling me to be careful, aren't you, darling?

I have slowed down to a crawl waiting for the dauphin to arrive.

You disobeyed my orders, madam.

I don't follow orders, monsieur.

I am your master.

You may rule my household, but you don't rule me.

Coach!

Indistinct chati'er

where is provence?

Is he unwell?

He refused to watch them flaunt their friendship in front of the court.

Quite right.

And where is Louis?

Chati'er dies down

May I introduce you to the chevalier de saint—georges.

Woo!

Marie: Welcome to the petit trianon.

I hope you enjoy our concert.

Piano thuds — oops.

Audience laughs

Baroque music plays

Saint—georges!

He plays baroque violin solo

Audience claps rhythmically

An old friend would like to say hello to you.

Choiseul.

You came.

How could I refuse your invitation, majesty?

I missed you.

I will write to maurepas.

You better get a move on.

Have you come far?

Exile feels like the end of the earth.

Marie: Welcome home.

Let me present you to the king.

Can you help me?

What is she doing?

Oh, my god.

Where is he?

What does she look like?

A virgin queen.

Mesdames giggle

He doesn't know what he's missing.

You are right.

Play something else!

Move, move!

Come on, come on! You too, you too. You too.

Baroque music plays

no, no, no!

Indistinct chati'er

listen, don't do that...

Come on! Come on! Move!

Turn! Turn! Come on!

Louis xvi: This evening, my wife showed everyone who rules versailles.

I was treated like a nobody.

Maria: Your frivolous passion for parties

is a flaw in your character, toinette.

Do I need to remind you of your duty to your husband?

Savoy will cast Austria into the shade

when Josephine gives bin'h to the dauphin.

Faint chati'er

Your majesty.

Who's that?

Maurepas. He's their protégé.

Maurepas is a relic, like mesdames.

If he's a relic, you're a dinosaur.

Good job.

Indistinct whispering

He's ridiculous. — well, that's promising.

Where is the queen?

Page: She is visiting the petit trianon, sire.

You came to see me?

I came to talk to you.

Louis, why don't we live here

like papa roi did with his favourite?

We can't.

Course we can. — we don't have time for a private life.

Aren't we entitled to be happy?

I don't know what it means to be happy.

Let me show you.

Kiss me.

Kiss me.

Get dressed.

Get dressed and come back to versailles, madam.

Our duty is there, not here.

These aren't going to travel very far.

They are an attack on the queen.

Find out who is responsible and report back to me.

The king's secret?

Congratulations. You have made your first appointment.

Li/loi.

Any thought about your prime minister?

My aunts want maurepas, my... my wife wants choiseul.

What do you want, sire?

I can't decide.

Put them through their paces.

Hm?

Who has better conformation, the ancient fat one or the younger fit one?

They chuckle

Where did you find it?

Under my pillow.

I'm being punished because I won't conform to their rules.

Perhaps you should.

All four ministries will report to me.

I have set a date for our first council meeting.

Will I be there?

Remind me, how old are you?

Twenty.

Your grandfather didn't attend his first council meeting till he was 34.

Who is she?

Lamballe: Yolande, countess de polignac.

Married to count Jules.

The one on the right? — mm—hmm.

A minor member of the nobility

and they say the other one...

Is her lover.

Marie gasps her lover?

Where do they live?

They're staying in lodgings in the town. They live in the middle of nowhere.

Good afternoon, my queen.

Good afternoon.

I'm afraid you will find a lot of these council meetings

rather tedious and complicated.

You don't have the slightest idea what's going on in the world

when you're only 20 years old.

Count mercy and I have resumed

our private channel of communication.

The checks and balances...

Once choiseul starts, he never stops.

You should see him in the council chamber. He doesn't draw breath.

He says I'm too young to join the council.

Well, if you don't start now, when will you learn?

You need someone to guide you, not tell you what to do.

Louis xvi: His strategy on Austria is sound.

Choiseul is too cosy with Austria.

It caused great upset at the time of your marriage.

His return can only weigh heavily against the queen

in the eyes of this court.

Choiseul: Sire?

Indistinct chati'er

they chuckle

after you.

No, after you.

Indistinct chati'er

good evening.

Good evening.

Hello. — hello.

"Darling Adelaide

your blossoming figure sends shivers down my spine."

"Sweet victoire.

Your toes are irresistible.

I long to...

Lick them one by one."

Naughty, naughty, mesdames.

Indistinct chati'er

I think it's acerola. She's a sensitive flower!

Charming. — glass clinks

quiet. — she's terrified of me.

You know she doesn't like men.

Chartres: She doesn't have to like them but she doesn't have to hate them—...

Chartres. — antoinette.

Sorry.

He is the king.

Not so you'd notice.

Thank you.

Now that I have put all of papa roi's affairs in order

I'm

I'm ready to announce my first ministerial appointment.

Chartres...

Who would have thought?

I've decided upon...

Maurepas.

Maurepas!

France's interests must come first.

Mesdam es: Good boy.

He will make an excellent prime minister.

He won't be my prime minister.

Who will be?

Me.

You?

What's he going to do? Clean up after you?

Mesdames tut and groan

maurepas will be my mentor.

He will advise.

I will decide.

What about me?

When are you going to appoint me to the council?

I will discuss it with maurepas.

Mesdam es: Excellent.

Your father would have applauded you working together.

God rest his soul.

How could you?

Leave her, chartres. — she'll get over it.

She has no choice.

I'm taking this.

This, can you wrap this up for me, please?

This is staying.

What... what are you doing?

I'm leaving.

Please don't go, toinette.

Oh, don't worry, you're coming with me.

But I... but I can't leave versailles without permission.

You have my permission.

So, this...

This is not coming with us.

Here we are.

We can't stay here, toinette.

Protocol requires you to live with the king.

Marie: I'm done with protocol.

That's better.

No rules will operate here.

Come on.

Your majesty.

I'm not your majesty.

I'm me.

Yes, me.

She giggles

come on.

It's a pity you aren't staying.

You're the only one she might have listened to.

I wish I could.

It would be rather pleasant to join her at the petit trianon.

Woman: What is it? Open it.

What is it? — what does it say?

Gosh. No, I can't tell you, no!

They clamour

"She opens her legs to her lovers in public...

But not to her king in private!"

They giggle and squeal

very good.

"A mulatto enjoys

penetrating her mind and——"

stop! — continue.

Ooh!

"Her pussy."

They laugh uproariously

milk?

I'd rather have a double Brandy.

They're all over versailles.

Look at them.

I had no idea there were so many.

You have travelled into dangerous territory.

Everywhere you turn, you have made enemies.

You have even made an enemy of your strongest supporter.

You have to go back.

I have to go back?

What for?

I'm not a wife, I'm not a mother, and now

there's no need for me to deliver the dauphin

because Josephine will do that for me.

The king has ordered you to return to versailles.

His word is the law, even you must obey it.

I urge you to take this opportunity

to move into madame du Barry's old apartment

where you will be close to your husband.

Indistinct murmurs

He clears throat could you please close the door?

I... can close it myself.

Bastard.

They giggle

it's peppermint, right?

You are good.

She sniffs

camomile.

You are too good.

What...

She gasps oh, god!

But you're no country girl. — stop that. Stop it!

Marie: Stop it, stop it!

That's disgusting!

There you are, lamballe.

Have you been introduced?

We have bumped into each other once or twice.

I believe you're related to maurepas.

Isn't he your uncle?

Maurepas?

He... is related to my husband.

I don't hang out with geriatrics.

They giggle

neither do I.

Why don't...

Can't you just come and stay at the chateau?

If you were there, I'd be tempted...

Very tempted...

To go back.

Did you notice my companions at the park?

Yes. She clears throat

yes, we did.

We travel as a threesome.

We will find you something, won't we, lamballe?

A comfortable apartment.

So...

Are you really gonna make the queen of France beg?

Yes, I am.

They giggle

No, this won't do.

Can't you show me something bigger?

You'll have to speak to the superintendent. She chose it for you.

I think I'll go straight to the top.

Victoire: Here she comes.

Poor thing.

Horse neighs in distance

He has agreed to talk to you this evening.

Don't squander this opportunity.

It may be your last.

Tell you what, sir, if you don't catch this one

next time I'll throw my wife at you...

All: Oh!

But you're too heavy for that.

Your wife is glowing, monsieur.

Isn't she just?

I'm surprised you allow madam to leave her bedchamber

while she's protecting the crown jewels.

Madam can speak for herself.

Can she?

How are you, madam?

No, she can't.

Provence chuckles

she won't speak to charlatans.

Oh, charlatans! Is that what we are?

He is defiling the reputation of the crown.

Careful.

If you provoke saint—georges, he may challenge you to a duel.

He shouldn't be here.

I think he's looking for a fight.

You're right.

Should I accept the challenge?

Yes, I think you should.

Come on, monsieur.

I'll be gentle.

Boo! — they gasp

Josephine whimpers — saint—georges laughs

provence: I'm going to summon the guards!

You'll be thrown out!

He spoke to me. — you won.

Josephine: Oh!

She groans

she whimpers and squeals

Distant yell

yelling continues

Josephine groans

Josephine squeals

Josephine: Out!

Footsteps depart

Argh!

Provence: Jesus Christ!

Why are you slashing your thigh?

I just delivered your baby. — ugh.

I feel sick.

Catch!

Well, what do I do with that?

Josephine: Bury it.

Louis xvi: I never intended for you to live there. Consider your position.

Marie: What position?

When I'm here you don't want to see me, no, you won't even speak to me!

And when you do speak to me, you humiliate me in front of your family.

I was trying to protect you.

Me!

You were protecting yourself

from those old maids who treat you like their little poodle.

No, no, it was... It was my decision to appoint maurepas.

She laughs

you have never made a decision in your whole life, Louis.

Don't talk to me like that, madam.

I am your husband.

Oh, are you?

Doesn't a husband touch his wife?

Share his bed with her, kiss her, make love to her?

What sort of a husband are you?

She gasps

Louis. No...

Louis... not like this.

No... no. Stop.

Don't.

Stop, stop, stop!

Stop! No!

She whimpers no!

No! She screams

This isn't working...

Is it?

No, please.

Please. Don't go.

Door slams

Door opens

footsteps approach

a fresh batch of doves.

I haven't found out who is behind them yet

but I did discover something...

On my travels.

What?

Madam's pregnancy...

It must have been very hard for her.

There was no baby.

D... does my brother know?

He was with her when she suffered her... miscarriage.

Tel! No one, beaumarchais.

Of course not.

Sire.

I am your spy.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I'm here for you...

If you need me.

Maurepas: I'm sorry to hear about Josephine

but this is your opportunity to seize the reigns, my boy.

Much better if you father the dauphin.

My wife and I...

We are not suited to one another.

The crown is not secure without a bourbon heir.

If you can't impregnate the queen

perhaps you should end your marriage.

I think she would prefer that.

I will speak to count mercy.

Mercy: We have moved into perilous waters.

I urge you to come to versailles.

Your daughter has become a threat to our alliance.

There is talk of a divorce.

I've asked the empress to come.

We have no choice.

Your mother is the only one who may be able to save you.

What's wrong?

Marie whimpers — come here.

Tell me what happened.

She sobs