7 Marie-Louise Thérèse of Savoy-Carignan, The Princess of Lamballe

Pronunciation

Superintendent of the Queen’s Household

September 8, 1749-September 3, 1791

Princess Marie-Louise Thérèse of Savoy-Carignan, Italian by birth, married the prince de Lamballe (1767).  Her husband died two years later, but she continued her royal role in support of the royal ceremonies. Marie-Antoinette was liberal in her affection of Marie-Louise and the two were nearly inseparable. Appointed the Superintendent of the Queen’s Household, Marie-Louise was a royal favorite and held significant power over all other ladies-in-waiting.

In time, Marie-Louise fell out as the queen’s favorite, as she was too reserved, but kept her rank and duties. When the revolution began, Marie-Louise chose again and again to serve her Queen rather than flee and was arrested. In her tribunal, she refused to denounce the monarchy and was then taken to the street and killed by a mob of men within minutes during the September Massacres. Her remains were never found.

Bibliography of Sources:

“Marie Thérèse Louise of Savoy, Princesse de Lamballe.” Wikipedia:  The Free Encyclopedia. Accessed May 22, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Thérèse_Louise_of_Savoy,_Princesse_de_Lamballe.

Image Citations:

Fig 1. Antoine-François Callet, Portrait of Marie Louise of Savoy (Marie Thérèse Louise de Savoie-Carignan, Princesse de Lamballe). 2nd half 18th Century, Oil on canvas, 214 x 158 cm. Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, France. Available from: ARTstor. Accessed May 29, 2019. http://www.artstor.org.

Fig. 2. Léon Maxime Faivre, Death of the Princess de Lamballe, Paris, September 3, 1792. 1908, oil on canvas, 265 x 367 cm. Musée National des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, France. Available from: ARTstor. Accessed May 29, 2019. http://www.artstor.org.