The wedding was arranged by Duke William with the purpose to strengthen the relations of the Ernestine branch of the House of Wettin with King Louis XIV.

However, the negotiations delayed for almost eight months until a bride was chosen; her family was one of the most prestigious of France, where they bore the rank of princes étrangers.

[1] Marie Charlotte moved with her husband to Jena, who was designed by her late father-in-law as Bernhard's eventual inheritance (although he formally assumed the government over his lands only in 1672).

However, the Duke's efforts for a legal separation from his wife proved to be unsuccessful, as no theologian or jurist could give him grounds for divorce; however, Bernhard didn't abandoned his mistress and finally in 1674 they were married by a Jesuit priest named Andreas Wigand.

The wedding was null and void shortly after; resigned, Bernhard decided to reconcile with Marie Charlotte, who one year later gave birth to the long-waited heir.