when her spouse left savoy in 1791, she stayed behind, and the couple lived separated for the rest of their lives. the count of artois refused to give her permission to stay with or visit him, even refusing her to attend the wedding of her son the duke of angoulême to marie thérèse of france in mitau. soon after, her two sons also left savoy to serve in the condé emigree army. maria theresa was described as desolate and deeply saddened after her husband and her sons had left her in savoy, and reportedly contemplated to become a nun. she was persuaded not to enter a convent by her sister-in-law clothilde, who appealed to her sense of duty to her children, and maria theresa later expressed gratitude toward clothilde for this. in 1792, she was joined in turin by her sister marie josephine. their presence in savoy was politically sensitive, as it disturbed the relations between france and savoy.