(Episode 22--The Necklace Shines Ominously to Episode 24--Adieu, My Youth)
After being friend with Rohan, the highest priest in France whom Marie Antoinette hated, Jeanne, the lady claimed herself as the the royal blood from the previous dynasty, told him that the Queen wished him to write a letter to justify his behavior. Then Rohan got fake Marie Antoinette’s reply from Jeanne, saying "I cannot yet grant you the audience you desire. When circumstances permit, I shall let you know. Be discreet."
Jeanne actually wanted to use to opportunity to get money from Rohan.
She told Rohan one day that the Queen would meet him that night in Versailles’ park. Jeanne found a prostitute Baroone d’Oliva, whom resembled the Queen very much. That night, Baroone d’Oliva gave Rohan a rose and a letter, saying, "you know what this means."
Charles Bohmer, a jeweler, made a beautiful diamond necklace which originally for Mme du Barry. But Louis XV died, and Mme du Barry was no longer in the court, so he depended the new Queen to purchase the necklace.
The necklace was 2800 carats. First was a choker of seventeen diamonds, five to eight carats each; from that hung a three-wreathed festoon and pendants; then came the necklace proper, a double row of diamonds cumulating eleven-carat stone, finally, hanging from the necklace four knotted tassel. It cost 1,600,000 livres.
Antoinette refused to purchase the necklace. Louis XVI suggested to buy the necklace as a present to her, but Antoinette refused and said only if he wished to give it to his daughter for wedding when she grew up.
Bohmer seriously worried. He told Antoinette, "Madame, if you don’t buy my necklace I am ruined. I don’t want to survive such a terrible misfortune. I’m going at once to throw myself in the river."
Antoinette replied, "If you were to drown yourself I should be sorry but I shouldn’t consider myself responsible. I never commissioned you to make the necklace…Break up the necklace and try to sell the diamonds separately."
A person named Laporte, friend of Bohmer, saw Jeanne one evening in a ball, he thought Jeanne was a close friend of Marie Antoinette, and asked Jeanne to help for the necklace.
Jeanne talked to Rohan. She convinced him that Marie Antoinette loved the necklace but she was short of money. She would pay it in installment, but she need a guarantor.
Jeanne found a person to fake Marie Antoinette’s signature on the contract. Rohan then signed the contract after he saw Antoinette’s signature, without noticing "de France" behind her name that he should have notice as an ambassador in one time.
Jeanne took the necklace back to her home, broke it apart, and had her husband to sell the diamonds in London for 240,000 livres. She exchanged that for pearl necklaces, ruby brooches, and other fancy accessories.
Then as the payment date came close, Bohmer sent a letter to Antoinette and asked for payment. Antoinette thought he gone mad because one time he wanted to commit suicide. She burned the letter.
One day, Bohmer came to Versailles, and spoke to Mme Campan, one of Antoinette’s servant. Mme Campan told Antoinette that forged letters signed by her was circulated around Paris, and Rohan was involved in acquiring the necklace.
Antoinette then realized the serious of the case, and summon Bohmer to Versailles. She was furious with Rohan, so was Louis XVI. The royal couple demanded for a trial.
At first public opinion blamed Rohan. They thought Jeanne was Rohan’s another mistress. The pope demanded that Rohan should be tried in Rome by his fellow Cardinals, but Louis XVI rejected firmly.
During the trial, Mme du Barry was one of the witness whom Jeanne had solicited with money. That was not in the episode. She was not a witness that provided critical evidence though.
When Rohan was asked about Antoinette’s character, he just used the rumors carried around by the courtiers, tattle about political favorites, lovers, and underhand action behind King’s back. By acquitting Rohan of all charges against him, it is obvious that the public had the same image about Marie Antoinette.
Jeanne’s story about Marie Antoinette being a lesbian in the episode was not true.
Jeanne de la Motte was condemned to be branded with a "V" and imprisoned for life. Many people visited her everyday. Two years later, she escaped to England. She published her Memoirs, 3,000 copies in English, and 5,000 in French.
In her memoir, she wrote, "with my dying breath, I will maintain that illicit relations existed between the Cardinal and the Queen…"
Rumors spread around reprimanded the Queen with the prostitute d’Olivia, and Rohan was the real father of the Queen’s last child.
The entire affair seriously harmed the image of the royal couple, especially Marie Antoinette.
Please go to Character to see the people involved in the Diamond Necklace Affair.