Mme. (Jeanne-Louise-Henriette) Campan

Born in Paris in 1752, Madame Campan was educated carefully from a young age and entered royal service early. She became first lady-in-waiting to Marie Antoinette, placing her at the center of court life during one of the most turbulent periods in French history.

The French Revolution overturned that world, and Campan later turned to education. She founded a well-known school for girls at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, where her pupils included Hortense de Beauharnais and other daughters of prominent families. Under Napoleon, she also helped lead the educational institution at Écouen for the daughters of members of the Legion of Honour.

She is also remembered for her memoirs, which offer a vivid account of court ceremony, the queen's daily life, and the upheavals of the Revolution. Campan died in 1822, leaving behind both a personal record of the old monarchy and a practical legacy in women's education.