Monsieur

Also known as: Duc d’Orleans / Philip / S. A. R. Monsieur / his royal highness / monseigneur / my brother / prince / the duke / the prince / the prince’s highness · Family: royal court · Role: royal personage · First appears: Chapter 3

In chapter 3, Monsieur was courting and engaged to Madame Henrietta of England, who was about to become his wife but was not a queen. By chapter 4, Malicorne was to be his officer, while De Guiche, the friend of his favorite Chevalier de Lorraine, enjoyed his regard. In chapter 7, Monsieur granted Mlle. de la Baume le Blanc de la Vallière an appointment as maid of honor after De Guiche solicited it, and spoke proudly of his charming bride, asking whether De Guiche thought him “exceedingly happy to have so charming a bride.”

Four days after his marriage to Madame, Monsieur accused Buckingham of loving and pursuing her, declaring, “I will have the Duke of Buckingham quit the princess, I will have him quit France.” Anne of Austria forbade the confrontation and ordered him to send Buckingham to her; Monsieur answered, “You shall be obeyed, madame.” He later remained close to Buckingham, calling him his brother’s friend and almost a companion, while also permitting Chevalier de Lorraine to acquire ascendency over him. In chapter 30, when the Chevalier was absent, Monsieur urgently sought news of him; after finding himself treated as a stranger in Madame’s apartment, he left in anger and broke or overturned furnishings and valuable objects before the Chevalier returned.

In chapter 32, Monsieur discovered Madame dancing with the concealed De Guiche, whom he said had replaced Buckingham as the object of his jealousy. He asked Anne of Austria to have De Guiche dismissed, threatened to drown him if he found him in his apartments again, and was saved from this by Louis XIV. At Fontainebleau, Monsieur became the third rather than the second person in the kingdom, admitted his jealousy of Louis XIV to Maria Theresa, attacked a groom with a whip, refused to see Madame, and quarrelled bitterly with Anne of Austria. Later he nominated Malicorne chief usher of his apartments and presented the returning De Guiche to Madame, asking her to receive him gently because he was one of his best friends; he also remained close to Chevalier de Lorraine and Manicamp.