The Rose of Versailles: Part 2 picks up pretty much where The Rose of Versailles: Part 1 left off. You might remember Jeanne had married Nicolas and together they managed to trick everyone in to believing that they were really nobility. Jeanne is gambling to get them even more money and becoming more well known. Cardinal Rohan has always been hated by Queen Marie Antoinette because of his lecherous ways. The Cardinal is trying to figure out how to get back into the Queen’s good graces so he brings it to his friend Jeanne’s attention that Antoinette is lonely. They conspire to bribe Oscar to get in close to the Queen and use her for their own benefits. Oscar doesn’t take the bribe of course, but that doesn’t stop Jeanne. Antoinette has the chance to buy a diamond necklace that the previous King originally ordered for Countess du Barry. It is so outrageously expensive that even Antoinette refuses to buy it. Jeanne ends up with the necklace and uses it for her own intentions playing the Cardinal so that she can get all the money. Jeanne and the Cardinal will be put on trial, but Jeanne is an amazing actress and crook. This whole scandal is going to reflect poorly on Antoinette, whom the people already hate.

Jeanne’s sister Rosalie is living with Oscar now, at least until her birth mother Madam Polignac blackmails Rosalie into coming to live with her as her daughter. She’s lonely since her last daughter killed herself and she needs a daughter to marry off to cement her place in the noble line. Luckily Rosalie has been taught well by Oscar to think for herself!

Speaking of Oscar, life still isn’t easy for the woman living as a man. When Fersen finally returns from America, he decides to stay at the Jarjaynes Manor with Andre and Oscar for a while. Oscar is still quite in love with him, but even though he thinks he is over her, Fersen is still quite in love with Antoinette. Andre is still the only one who knows that Oscar is in love with Fersen. I feel bad for Andre. He really loves Oscar and always will. Andre will go to any lengths to make sure that Oscar is always safe, no matter what the cost to himself.

After Antoinette has children, she decides to move out of the city to Trianon with the kids so that she can spend time with them rather than listening to the complaints of the people. This only further increases the people’s resentment of the monarchy and more specifically, the Queen. Fersen decides to leave the Jarjayes Manor and commit himself fully to the Queen’s service after finding out how badly the people hate her. Fersen is a good influence on the Queen now that he is back. He tells her of the growing resentment of the nobility and convinces her to repair relations with the nobles starting by returning to Versailles. Of course, as we all know from history her moves are too little, too late but at least she is trying. With Fersen at Versailles, Oscar requests a transfer off of the Royal Guards so that she won’t have to see him and be reminded that he doesn’t love her. She is transferred to the French Guards. The French Guards are a much lower class, cruder group. Oscar is going to have to work really hard if she’s even going to get them to listen to her, much less respect her.

While I really wasn’t a big fan of The Rose of Versailles: Part 1, I found that The Rose of Versailles: Part 2 was quite intriguing. Part 2 focuses much more on Oscar, Andre, and other characters that were much more pleasant to watch than the ever-spoiled Marie Antoinette. I promise you will even get to see Lady Oscar in a dress dressed as a true lady of the court. I found the ending to be very sad, but yet bittersweet. Real life isn’t always fair and during the time of the French Revolution, life was quite difficult. The ending of The Rose of Versailles accurately reflects the sentiments of the time.

With the DVD set is a beautiful booklet with artwork and historical information. The most useful page I think was the timeline. It’s quite helpful in keeping up with who is where and when. I would recommend that you watch The Rose of Versailles: Part 2. If you haven’t seen Part 1 yet, personally I would skip it. Part 2 is much more interesting!