Marie Antoinette many, leading to doubt as to the parentage of the child and to a noticeable decline of the queen's reputation in public opinion. The majority of Marie Antoinette's and Louis XVII's biographers believe that the young prince was the biological son of Louis XVI, including Stefan Zweig and Antonia Fraser, who believe that Fersen and Marie Antoinette were indeed romantically involved. Courtiers at Versailles noted in their diaries that the date of the child's conception in fact corresponded perfectly with a period when the king and the queen had spent much time together, but these details were ignored amid attacks
Marie Antoinette (1938 film) they are married, Marie-Antoinette tries desperately to please her husband, and after some trepidation, the Dauphin realizes he can trust Marie and tells her he cannot produce heirs. Without children to occupy her time and attention, Marie is bored and associates with the power-hungry Duc d'Orleans, even though the Dauphin detests him. On their second wedding anniversary, Marie is insulted by Madame du Barry, the mistress of King Louis XV, who gives the Dauphine a gift of an empty cradle with a poem critical of Marie's inability to produce an heir to the throne. Marie is enraged, but the Dauphin