Girl History on Instagram: "At Versailles, Marie Antoinette openly refused to acknowledge Madame du Barry, the official mistress of King Louis XV. In court protocol, silence wasn’t personal — it was political. Du Barry had risen from poverty to one of the most visible positions in France. She wore diamonds, influenced the king, and occupied space traditionally reserved for women of noble birth. To the young Marie Antoinette, her presence represented everything improper about the court. Years lat