Marie Antoinette and Mme. Etiquette

Nicknamed “Madame Etiquette” by Marie Antoinette, for her continual insistence that no minutia of Versailles court etiquette could ever be ignored or disregarded, French noblewoman and Versailles court official, Anne d’Arpajon, the Comtesse de Noailles, served as the “dame d’honneur” for two Queens of France – Marie Leszczyńska and Marie Antoinette. –Above– Judy Davis played Madame Etiquette in 2006’s “Marie Antoinette” Photo source, Pinterest

 A Delicate Point?

“When fourteen year old Marie-Antoinette arrived in France the lady singled out to be her guide was not a warm, motherly person but the one who was next in line for such an exalted office. It was Anne Claude Louise d'Arpajon, Vicomtesse de Noailles, who had been the first lady-in-waiting to the late Queen Marie Lesczynska and was therefore a stickler for etiquette. – The Tea at Trianon Blogspot

The Comtesse de Noailles, nicknamed “Madame Etiquette,” bored Marie Antoinette very much by her particularity on minor points of conduct. One day, Marie Antoinette’s mocking spirit had its chance. She fell from her donkey and lay on the grass for a while, laughing. “Run as fast as you can,” she said to the nearest attendant as soon as she could speak, “and ask Madame Etiquette how the Queen of France ought to behave when she tumbles off her donkey.” – Santa Cruz Sentinel, 1910

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia