Quotes from Antonia Fraser

Like her marriage, Marie Antoinette's death was a political decision.

A frequent charge made against "Antoinette" was that she was bathed in the blood of the French people; the truth of it was, of course, exactly the other way round.

She might be furious at such things, jealous too on a purely human level; but she would never consider that the position of mistress could or would be converted into that of wife. That to Isabella – or her daughter – was quite unthinkable.

It is a fact that, being a quick reader, apart from enabling a person to study good books such as Macaulay and Gibbon, enables a person to read a lot of bad books as well.

Her imperturbable self-confidence (Duchesse de Maine) caused Madame de Stael to write that the Duchesse believed in herself the same way she believed in God, without explanation or discussion.

sunken to that of an old woman in the harsh disguise

A modern definition of terrorism: 'the weapon of the weak, pretending to be strong'.

She saw that supreme dignity - and love - lay in tolerance.

Looking without passion is always a good plan where history is concerned. But is it really possible with regard to the career and character of Marie Antoinette?

This time the Empress was supposed to have asked the celebrated healer and pretender to miraculous powers, John Joseph Gassner: "Will my daughter be happy?" His reply was suitably gnomic: "There are crosses for all shoulders." 3

Certainly, it is impossible to understand the course of the Powder Treason from now on unless one takes into account the magnetism of Robert Catesby.

People cannot help their predilections, although they may conceal them.

As ever in a crisis, Marie Antoinette showed herself the forceful one who nonetheless could not bring herself finally to impose her will.

very last answer which Paulet and Buckhurst were prepared to

but there had been nothing equal to it since the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. (In 1685 Louis XIV had removed that freedom granted to the Huguenots by Henry IV to practise their own religion; it led to persecution followed by widespread emigration.) It was an odd comparison since the Revocation removed a liberty and Catholic Emancipation granted it.

Robert Peel, whose conversion had sparked off the last stage of the struggle, would be able to address the House of Commons once more as its Leader. The wearer of the crown had not in the end gone against the will of his government: Emancipation was proposed in the King's speech.

Gli emblemi potevano essere facilmente rimossi, ma la memoria e l'affetto erano più difficili da cancellare.

I'm glad I was never an heiress.

I can't read historical fiction because I find the real thing so much more interesting.

As long as you persecute people, you will actually throw up terrorism.

It is often said that a secure childhood makes the best foundation for a happy life. In marked contrast to her cousin Elizabeth Tudor, Mary Stuart enjoyed an exceptionally cosseted youth. It is left to the judgement of history to decide whether it did, in fact, adequately prepare her for the extreme stresses with which the course of her later life confronted her.

She was a Catholic... And deemed that fallen worship far more dear Perhaps because 'twas fallen...' Lord Byron, Don Juan

In fact, throughout Catholic Europe local princes were accustomed to having a say in episcopal appointments; England's status since the Reformation as a mission territory had meant that the bishops had enjoyed a particular independence.

Unfortunately, nearly ten years after the publication of Peter Plymley, Smith was protesting in a country where 'No Popery' was still the most popular election battle cry.