Marie-Antoinette, family and childhood part 4

Marie-Antoinette, unlike Louis-Auguste (aka Louis XVI) grew up in a happy surrounding where she blossomed like the prettiest rose. She played a lot, with her sisters and friends, but didn't care much for her education and disliked studying. Her governess Mrs Brandeis was a bit too lenient towards her: she adored the little princess and sometimes, did her homework. For example, with a pencil the governess would write said homework/lesson and with ink, MA would retrace the formerly written letters. Marie-Thérèse, of course, got rid of this overobliging lady to replace her by a woman MA would never quite accept.

Nonetheless, she danced a lot since many opportunities were given to her for such an activity. Dancing became one of her favourite leisures, every biography attests this. She was already much graceful, even more when French teachers would have her learn how to maintain herself before going to France.
From these lessons, she became the woman who walked the best (i.e: the most prettily), according to her portraitist Vigée-Lebrun and other contemporaries. (Some people said when she walked, it was as though she was sliding instead making steps. It must have been something amazing to see...but it also reminds me of, um, ghosts).

 (This painting is now at her castle Petit Trianon, I had the opportunity to take it in picture. She's on the very right).

To come back to dance -and singing etc.- the empress wanted her children to participate in feasts and celebrations, the earliest possible. That is why it was such an important part for MA when she lived in Versailles.

In one of her biographies, her big brother Joseph was said to tease her a lot while her big sister Marie-Christine made all her sisters jealous since she was her mother's favourite (born on the same day etc.).

Her upbringing could be seen as a "bourgeois" one. The family was rather close despite the mother being very busy and able to spend several days without visiting her children.

Nonetheless, in spite of the lack of sturdy education, MA received a strict and deep religious and moral education. This made her a rather prude woman who, although she liked to flirt, stayed cold and distant with most of her young male admirers. This point is very important because it somewhat blurs the exact nature of Marie-Antoinette and Fersen's relationship... (This "relationship" remains quite controversial...Were they lovers? Countless debates about this haven't definitely given a clear conclusion. There may have been strong feelings between them but did they do more? Not easy to answer...)

At the Vienna's court, people spoke several languages as expected from the highest classes. MA could speak German of course, but also a little bit of Italian and French. As she grew up, her mother wanted her to speak a better French so that she could honour the French court and her new family. And bring pride to her Austrian family.

(A part of the family during Christmas: Christine on the left side, probably Ferdinand before her crying because he didn't get good presents, an obviously happy MA showing a new doll, her mother in blue standing behind the father's armchair and Maximilien sitting on the carpet, tasting cakes).