Marie Antoinette Quotes

Context

This misquoted line is attributed to Marie Antoinette (1755-1793).

From a modern-day perspective, Marie Antoinette seems like the coolest ruler ever. Marie, you don't have to tell us twice to eat cake. We'd love to live in a world where cake-eating was the royal decree. Why would you ever behead someone who just wants you to enjoy cake?

But in context, this quote isn't nearly as fun. When told that her French subjects had no bread, Marie Antoinette scoffed, "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche," which roughly translates to "let them eat cake." In other words, she didn't care if they were starving. They should make do with what they have. This did not make her popular.

However, this story is most likely a legend. Marie Antoinette probably didn't say it all. The origin might instead stem from a different Marie—Marie-Thérèse—who wed Louis XIV in 1860. She remarked that her subjects could eat "la croûte de pâté" or "the crust of the pate." We'd much rather have cake than pate, crust or no crust.

Where you've heard it

You've heard this at a birthday party where the birthday boy/girl's mother is, or is pretending to be, a heartless French aristocrat.

Additional Notable References:

• We hope no one beheads Maine bakers at the Let Them Eat Cake bakery if there's ever a revolution of Bridezillas.
• If you want to look good on your trip to the guillotine, complete your look with Let Them Eat Cake lipstick from Lipstick Queen.
• Referenced in Sofia Coppola's film Marie Antoinette.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Whoever said it, this quote embodies the heart of economic disparity in late 18th-century France. Anyone saying it sounds cruel and pretentious.