As we know Madame de Lamballe had Italian origins: her fathers was italian, meanwhile her mother had german origins (Landgravine von Hesse-Rheinfels Christine); I have read in a biography that Marie Antoinette liked her company because even if it had italian origin and he lived in France he had kept her german dignity. Isn't it?

Yes, I believe so. Also, Antoinette appreciated Italian language and culture, writing to her sisters in Italian, since two of them married Italian princes.

It's true Marie-Antoinette enjoyed the companies of strangers in the court of Versailles. No doubt because she felt a stranger herself... weren't they so snobbish ? Didn't they mock her accent and her germanisms ?

I try to imagine the voice of the Queen talking in french but with a germanic accent!!! Wonderful!!

Enchanting! But you know the prejudice at the court against Austrians. They had been traditional enemies for so long. Antoinette was seen as an enemy from Day One.

Many princesses in the past had been allowed to keep an entourage with them from their own country, such as Mary Queen of Scots and her Maries. Antoinette was not permitted such a comfort and she was really alone in a hostile court. Louis tried to help her, but he had many enemies, too. One cannot blame her for forming attachments with sympathetic friends who were foreigners as well. Even Mme de Polignac was practically a foreigner, coming from Languedoc, where things were very different.

Madame de Polignac came from Languedoc ? Thanks for this information, dear Therese !

Dear Therese, I really admire your erudition. And I mean it !

You are so kind, dear Pimprenelle. Yes, I am fairly certain that is where gabrielle was from in the south of France. She had the charming southern accent of the occitan, I believe.

And also black hair and, as some contemporaries describe her, a dark brow... maybe meaning a rather dark complexion, "southern".

Yes! The last time I was in the south of France I saw people who looked like Gabrielle.

The estate of Polignac is in the north of Languedoc, in the Velay. But I believe that Gabrielle de Polignac descended from a family of Gasgony, because Polastron is a town in the administrative division of Gers. But it is also in south of France, where people spoke the Occitan. Moreover, Gabrielle was educated in Paris.

I believe that Marie-Thérèse de Lamballe was very sad when her mother, Christine-Henriette de Hesse-Rheinfelds-Rothenbourg, died.

I think for Lamballe I think it was her personality that outshined her beauty it made her reveal her inner beauty and you can clear see it in the eyes. Leonardo Da Vinci has said, "The Eyes are the windows to the soul."

I believe strongly that the Duchess Polignac when you look at her face in a portrait, she really does look an angel because she has this elegant face structure that is so innocent but very romantic in a way. I can see why Marie found her to be so attractive in an overwelming way and not a vulgar manner because clearly you can see it in Gabrielle's eyes.

I've also read that

Yes, Gabrielle was from the south of France, and full of charm!!

See the portait...

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/french-r ... balle.html

Mme. du Barry with Lamballe??

I think the picture is of La Barry. But very interesting all the same.....