Marie Antoinette: Expert discusses phrase ‘let them eat cake’

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Versailles is one of the world’s most opulent buildings, attracting millions of visitors every year. Located just outside Paris, the luxurious mega-palace represented the excess of France’s monarchy. No expense was spared to create the 700-room behemoth, which features iconic elements such as the Hall of Mirrors. Versailles started out life as a humble hunting lodge, before undergoing major renovations during the reign of Louis XIV.

The Sun King is estimated to have spent an eye-watering £1.5billion on the palace, where he would host as many as 10,000 royals, aristocrats, and other courtiers.

However, for all its grandeur, Versailles had major hygiene issues, including a severe lack of flushing toilets – still a relatively new invention in the Seventeenth Century.

Professor Kate Williams recalled the dire waste situation at Versailles in the latest episode of Channel 5’s series “Secrets of the Royal Palaces”.

The historian and author revealed how French Queen Marie Antoinette was once hit by “flying human poo” at Versailles.

The expert laid bare how without a proper sewage system, the waste from Versailles’ visitors was thrown out of the window.

JUST IN: Royal Family LIVE: ‘No class!’ Harry & Meghan row erupts as couple fail to support Queen

She said: “The actual pots had to be emptied quite frequently. The servants didn’t have time to go and empty them into the right ditch.

“So, what they would do is they’d just chuck it in the corner or chuck the stuff out of the window.

“The Queen Marie Antoinette was once walking around the inner courtyard, and she was hit by flying human poo.

“I mean this is terrible. So, Versailles was really a rather disgusting smelling place.”

Professor Williams revealed how French nobles and aristocrats at Versailles did not have access to proper toilets.

Guests were forced to relieve themselves in pots in the corner of one of the palace’s many rooms.

The build-up of human excrement was so bad, according to Professor Williams, that palace staff would not have time to dispose of the chamber pots in the correct way.

The expert said: “Versailles was beautiful, elegant, graceful, and one giant lavatory.

“There were 10,000 people crammed into Versailles. Sometimes another 5,000 people would come visiting.

“Between this 10,000-15,000 people, you had the grand sum of 300 chamber pots.

DON’T MISS: 
Prince William was ‘sick to back teeth’ with Charles as he pushed for Queen Camilla [LATEST]
Prince Andrew ‘rubbed people up the wrong way’: ‘Never heard of you!’ [INSIGHT]
Prince Charles’ marriage to Camilla ‘opened door for William and Harry’ [ANALYSIS]

“Only the very top aristocrats brought a pot for themselves.

“Most people, particularly the servants and the visitors, got nothing.”

She added: “So, the majority of people who come to Versailles, they would simply relieve themselves in the corner or behind a screen.”

Professor Williams said that the typically large skirts worn by women at the time also presented a hygiene issue.

The historian explained how they offered women an element of privacy, allowing them to relieve themselves where they were standing.

But this created a problem, as the urine would get soaked up by the material, adding to the already-horrendous smells at Versailles.

“Secrets of the Royal Palaces” is available to stream on My5.

Source: Read Full Article