
audiobook
by Mme. Du Hausset, princesse de Marie Thérèse Louise de Savoie-Carignan Lamballe
Produced by David Widger
In this intimate memoir a former lady's maid recounts her rise from an Irish convent student to a trusted confidante of Madame de Pompadour and Princess Lamballe. Fluent in English, French, Italian and German, she became a discreet go‑between for the royal family, navigating secret missions across Europe while the French court swirled with intrigue. Her narrative begins with a chance encounter orchestrated by the composer Sacchini, which thrust her into the inner circle of Marie Antoinette's court and set the stage for a life of hidden service.
Listeners are treated to vivid recollections of lavish ceremonies, whispered strategies, and the personal dynamics of Louis XV’s and Louis XVI’s reign, all filtered through the eyes of a woman sworn to secrecy. The memoir offers rare glimpses of diplomatic correspondence, covert travels to Italy, Germany, and the Low Countries, and the delicate balance of loyalty and danger that defined her role. With graceful prose and a quietly daring voice, the account captures both the glamour and the looming shadows of a court on the brink of monumental change.
Full title
Memoirs of the Courts of Louis XV and XVI. — Volume 3 Being secret memoirs of Madame Du Hausset, lady's maid to Madame de Pompadour, and of the Princess Lamballe Being secret memoirs of Madame Du Hausset, lady's maid to Madame de Pompadour, and of the Princess Lamballe
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (86K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
Dec 3, 2004
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1713–1801
A close observer of Versailles, Mme. du Hausset is remembered for her intimate connection to Madame de Pompadour and the lively court of Louis XV. Her celebrated memoirs offer a colorful view of royal life—though their authorship and authenticity remain debated.
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1749–1792
A prominent figure at the court of Versailles, she was closely connected to Queen Marie Antoinette and became one of the most tragic victims of the French Revolution. Her life and surviving letters offer a vivid glimpse into the final years of the French monarchy.
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