The leader who famously decreed, "Let them eat cake!" is often attributed to Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France during the French Revolution. This phrase, which is debated in terms of its authenticity and context, was purportedly her response to the news of the peasants' suffering from famine, suggesting a lack of understanding of the common people's plight. Though historical evidence of her actually making this statement is contested, the quote symbolizes the disconnect between the monarchy and the populace. It contributed to her image as a symbol of excess and opulence in the face of widespread poverty, further fueling revolutionary sentiments in France.