Marie Antoinette | Series 2 Preview (BBC Two)

Created by Deborah Davis (The Favourite), the new series of Marie Antoinette continues the extraordinary story of the incredibly modern and avant-garde young queen, played by Emilia Schüle (Ku’damm 56/ 63), with Louis Cunningham (Bridgerton) as the king of France, Louis XVI.

At the height of their power, while Marie Antoinette and Louis face an unprecedented financial crisis, the incessant attacks of Provence and Chartres against the royal couple stir up the hatred of the nobles while disastrous consequences are looming with infamous Affair of the Diamond Necklace incident. From Versailles to the Palais-Royal, the revolt rumbles…

Episode 1: 1783. The queen elevates Yolande, scandalising some, while a female thief infiltrates the palace and the King’s brother fraternises with a shameless Chartres during a bitter winter.

Episode 2: Spring, 1784. Putting on a comic play has serious consequences, Jeanne advances her criminal scheme, and France’s finances falter.

Episode 3: 1785. The queen wants a property to secure her future, while a foe’s status grows, and Jeanne entangles the cardinal in her plot.

Episode 4: Learning how poorly Parisian society thinks of her, the queen adjusts her appearance. Jeanne’s scheme hits some snags.

Episode 5: A high-profile arrest and the leak of the king’s new tax plan risks the royal couple’s reputation, delighting their enemies, both rivals and republicans.

Episode 6: The queen is happy to see Cardinal Rohan on trial, but as the court case escalates it leads to damaging discoveries.

Episode 7: Marie’s melancholy worsens on learning what else Louis has withheld from her, but the strain on him poses a greater threat.

Episode 8: Louis's queen’s low standing is a stumbling block as he struggles to salvage economic control. France’s fate is at stake.

Marie Antoinette returns Thursday 8th May at 9pm on BBC Two.