| Lady-in-waiting | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Location: | Kingdom of France |
| In Attendance: | Sophie de Clermont Solange † |
| Affiliations: | Liselotte and Sophie Henriette and Montespan Montespan and Marie-Thérèse Kingdom of France |
| Description: | Supporter / Servant / Friend of a noblewoman |
A lady-in-waiting or a court lady is a female personal assistant at a court, royal or feudal, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking noblewoman.
Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman, but of lower rank than of the woman on whom she attended. Although she may either have been a retainer or may not have received compensation for the service she rendered, a lady-in-waiting was considered more of a courtier or companion to her mistress than a servant.
Individuals[]
Anne of Austria[]
Marie-Thérèse of Spain[]
Henriette of England[]
Princess Palatine[]
Madame de Montespan[]
Historical Notes[]
- Madame de Montespan became a maid-of-honour (the junior position of the Lady-in-waiting) to the king's sister-in-law, Henriette of England. Later, because of the relationship between her mother and the queen dowager, Anne of Austria, Françoise-Athénaïs was appointed to be a lady-in-waiting to the king's wife, Marie-Thérèse of Spain.