Duchesse de Louise Elisabeth Tourzel

Born in 1749, Louise Élisabeth de Croÿ, Marquise de Tourzel, was a French noblewoman, courtier, and memoir writer. She is most closely associated with the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, where she became governess to the royal children during the final, most turbulent years of the monarchy.

Her life changed dramatically with the French Revolution. As someone close to the royal family, she shared in some of its most perilous moments, including the attempted escape known as the Flight to Varennes. That experience, and the upheaval that followed, made her an important eyewitness to one of the most dramatic periods in French history.

She later became known not only for her rank but for the memoirs she left behind. Written from direct experience, they remain valuable for readers interested in Marie Antoinette, the royal family, and the human side of the Revolution. She died in 1832.