The Dauphin is the heir to the French crown, next in line to be King. In 1769, great news arrived from Versailles. King Louis XV was asking for the hand of Maria Antonia for his grandson, the Dauphin, after lengthy negotiation. At the age of 14, Maria Antonia prepared herself for the journey to France to become the Dauphine, a journey that would change not only her life forever, but the lives of everyone in France, as well as French history. .
Maria Antonia left Austria on April 21st, 1770 with her bridal train, and traveled to France. She stopped along the way at many places including Germany. Upon arriving in France, she was stripped of her Austrian clothes and given French apparel, as well as a new name, Marie Antoinette. Marie Antoinette was introduced to her soon-to-be groom at a prestigious state ball. While the Dauphin was pleased with his bride, Marie Antoinette was not quite as pleased. Although she was marrying into one of the most prestigious royal houses in Europe, her groom was somewhat undesirable. He was sloppy looking and homely, a chubby boy who would much rather hunt and play with trinkets than socialize. .
Marie Antoinette also had a difficult time adapting to the French Court. Marie was used to her more informal royal family, the Hapsburgs, and at the young age of 15, had a most difficult time trying to fit into the constraints and formalities of the French Court. Marie Antoinette and Louis-Auguste, Dauphin and Dauphine of France were married in an extravagant royal wedding in 1770. The French nobles had a difficult time accepting Marie Antoinette into their circle, just as she had a difficult time accepting this life as her new one. Louis was not quite helpful in making her life a bit easier, as he was shy and had taken to going to bed early and hunting early in the morning, leaving his wife to do as she wished. In 1774, King Louis XV fell ill and passed away, leaving Louis-Auguste to take the French throne as Louis the XVI.