Thursday 3 July 2014

Smoking Princesses

As mentioned in an earlier post the atmosphere at the retreat of Marly was far more relaxed than at Versailles and a lot more was permitted. There was a limit, however. One evening the Grand Dauphin (son of Louis XIV and also known simply as "Monseigneur") caught the Duchesse de Chartres and Madame la Duchesse smoking pipes in one of the salons! Shocked, he asked where they had acquired the pipes and was informed that they had got them from some Swiss Guards. He immediately instructed them to put them out and hope no one had noticed.

That could have been the end of the matter had the King not been disturbed by the smell which had crept into his apartment while he attempted to sleep. The King was furious and gave the two Princesses a severe scolding on the following day.

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