Marie Henriette de Pracht

Marie Henriette (1714-1714) was the second child and daughter of Louis V and Marie Johanne. She lived for six days before her untimely death, which left her family distraught.

Reign of Louis V - Son Altesse Impériale, Madame Deuxieme
Marie Henriette was born on a warm day on August 15th, 1714. Her lungs were not working properly at birth but Marie Johanne had hope. Her first child, Marie Helene, had been born perfectly and she expected Marie Henriette to be fine as well. There was small celebration of the second child and murmurs of disappointment since it was another female.

Marie Henriette was lovely baby who would bat her small eyelashes at newcomers and had the most charming laugh. Her father, knowing that she was not to live, commissioned a portrait and had her baptized immediately. This portrait remains hanging in the study of the Emperor today.

She began to cough a lot on her third day of living and grew sick and weary. She died on the 21st of August with a fight, leaving a heartbroken mother and a distraught family. She was buried in the Imperial Crypt and resides there to this day.