Antoinette is ecstatic to be Queen and believes that it will grant her the happiness and freedom she's been searching for. Her first act as Queen is to promote Oscar to High Commander of the Royal Guard, giving her a rank similar to that of a Colonel and doubling her salary and pension. Oscar accepts the promotion but turns down the raise due to France's current lack of wealth. Oscar worries that Antoinette's honesty with her emotions will cause her trouble as a sovereign, and that the taxation of the common people would lower her popularity. Her fears are realized when Antoinette begins canceling events and turning down the hundreds of people requesting an audience with her on a regular basis to see Fersen. She also associates with young people of no ranking rather than the families of Dukes with strong ties to the royal family, angering commoners and nobles alike. Oscar urges Fersen to go back to Sweden to avoid scandal, and he reluctantly agrees. Duke Guemenee kills a peasant boy for stealing some his money out of starvation. Oscar angrily goes after him, but is stopped by Andre because the Duke is too powerful for even the King to touch easily. (Source: Wikipedia)

Aired on: 12/18/1979