# Did Marie Antoinette really say "let them eat cake"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-marie-antoinette-really-say-let-them-eat-cake/652561>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [March 10, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-marie-antoinette-really-say-let-them-eat-cake/652561 "2013-03-10T19:25:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![derjoser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@derjoser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/derjoser)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-marie-antoinette-really-say-let-them-eat-cake/652561/1 "2013-03-10T19:25:37Z")

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Although Marie Antoinette never said “let them eat cake,” she probably did say something similar which was rephrased and then used against her. As the government controlled the supply of wheat, over time traditions developed to appeal for more wheat (more accurately, flour) to be released from the government stores. The most common of these traditions was the women’s march from Paris. Invariably, it would fall to the queen to address the women. Since the hard wheat harvest was often insufficient, the queen would release soft, or cake, wheat/flour. Marie Antoinette was queen during several years when such was the case. It is reasonable assume she may used the phrase cake flour or soft wheat as documents indicate she did authorize the release of additional wheat stores at least thrice.

England was also having major issues with the supply of wheat which, of course, was called corn in that nation.

Isn’t dealing with living languages fun?🙂

derjoser

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LINK TO COLUMN: [Did Marie Antoinette really say “let them eat cake”? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/550/did-marie-antoinette-really-say-let-them-eat-cake)

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-marie-antoinette-really-say-let-them-eat-cake/652561/2 "2013-03-10T21:22:14Z")

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Nah! She said nothing of the kind.

Read two previous threads on this topic.

Researcher/poster **Tammi Terrell** has the goods.

From 2005 [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=6582954&highlight=marie#post6582954](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=6582954&highlight=marie#post6582954)

From 2011 [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=616993&highlight=marie](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=616993&highlight=marie)

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-marie-antoinette-really-say-let-them-eat-cake/652561/3 "2013-03-11T01:11:26Z")

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Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Boards, **derjoser** , we’re glad you found us. For future ref, when you start a thread, it’s helpful to other readers to provide a link to the column under discussion. Keeps us (mostly) on the same page, and saves searching time. No biggie, I’ve edited a link into the bottom of your post, and you’ll know for next time. And, as I say, welcome!