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Marie Antoinette season 1 recap: All to know before watching season 2

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Marie Antoinette season 1 premiered on PBS on March 19, 2023, in the U.S. Created by Deborah Davis, the series follows the life of Marie Antoinette, the last Queen of France before the French Revolution of 1789-99. German actress Emilia Schüle portrays the titular character and Louis Cunningham plays Marie's husband, Louis XVI.

Season 1 comprises eight episodes and begins with Marie Antoinette as a young Austrian archduchess marrying Louis, the Dauphin of France. She learns to navigate the dynamics of the French court at Versailles. This French show sheds light on her personal struggles, the pressure to produce an heir, and her attempts to assert independence amidst political tensions.

After Marie Antoinette season 1's success, its second installment is slated to release on PBS on Sunday, March 23, 2025. It is expected to show the escalating financial crisis of late eighteenth-century France, and allied political challenges leading up to the revolution.

The story covered in Marie Antoinette season 1

Marie Antoinette season 1 introduces a 14-year-old girl who is sent from Austria to France to marry the Dauphin Louis XVI. As the youngest daughter of the Empress of Austria, Antoinette's marriage is key to strengthening the relationship between the two nations.

The teenager struggles to fit in the new land and conform to French etiquette. However, what bothers her most is her husband Louis XVI keeping her at a distance. He initially comes across as insecure, an obstacle in the way of Antoinette fulfilling her primary royal directive of producing an heir for the throne of France.

Madame du Barry, mistress to Louis XVI’s grandfather, King Louis XV, appears as Antoinette's rival in the first half of the series. The two start off as friends, but the protagonist is shaken when she learns of Du Barry's past as a prostitute. The latter also occupies a precarious position within the royal family, as the king's favorite but not his spouse.

After the death of Louis XV, and in the absence of his father, Louis XVI becomes the King of France and Marie Antoinette, the Queen. She exiles Du Barry to a convent but still has to deal with her husband's jealous brother, Provence. In cahoots with his wife Josephine, Provence plans to denigrate the King and Queen, but not to much avail.

Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette have trouble consummating their marriage for a long time, and their relationship heads to a divorce. The marriage is saved by the arrival of the Queen's brother, Joseph, in France, who works as a marriage counselor while seeking France’s support with Austria’s military ambitions in Bavaria.

Antoinette and Lois eventually become parents to a girl, which strengthens their relationship in this historical drama. However, it is briefly endangered by Swedish count Axel von Fersen, for whom Antoinette develops feelings. Louis suspects something brewing between the two and sends off Fersen to fight in the American War of Independence.

Leading France to a naval victory against Britain, Louis grows stronger as a monarch. The season ends with Antoinette giving birth to the long-awaited male heir, after the death of her mother, the Austrian empress. The final shot of Marie Antoinette season 1 shows the royal family, with Louis holding his daughter, and Antoinette holding their newborn son.

Exploring the cast of Marie Antoinette season 1

The cast of Marie Antoinette season 1 is led by Russian-born German actress Emilia Schule, known for her work in films such as Wunderschöner, and Die Ironie des Lebens, in the titular role. She is accompanied by English actor Louis Cunningham, popular for Lord Corning in the Netflix series Bridgerton, as her husband King Louis XVI.

The series also features the following cast members:

Marie Antoinette season 1 is currently available for streaming on PBS.

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