Welcome To Versailles

**Welcome To Versailles** is the pilot episode in the series and the 1st episode of Season One.

## Plot Synopsis

The episode opens with Louis XIV alone in bed, dreaming of his mother as she lay dying. In the flashback, his younger brother Philippe is sobbing by her bedside. Louis then begins to dream of a glorious palace and a young woman.

Then Louis awakes and his First Valet, Alexandre Bontemps comes into the room. Louis enquires after his wife who we learn is pregnant. His chambers are suddenly invaded by guards who claim there has been an attempt on the King's life. Louis is very reluctant to be moved anywhere, demanding his brother.

Philippe however is in the midst of pleasures with his lover Chevalier de Lorraine. He is rushed to Louis' chambers where the councillors are waiting for Louis to decide what to do. Philippe explains that a plot had been uncovered in the village and tells Louis they should return to Paris. Louis, who is visibly shaken, is also very stubborn and refuses to leave Versailles. The councillors are dismissed, leaving Louis with Philippe and Bontemps. He makes clear that he shall not leave Versailles.

In the village Fabien Marchal is interrogating some men and finds a letter with what appears to be some sort of code. He then proceeds to kill the man that had been carrying the letter.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert is collecting taxes when François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois barges in an demands they lock up the coffers and load them into carriages. Colbert asks Fabien who the men were that made an attempt on the King's life. Fabien tells him four Spanish mercenaries had been planning an ambush. Louvois makes clear that he wishes the King and court to return to Paris. Bontemps then enters and they enquire where the King is, to which Bontemps replies that the King said he was with them.

Bontemps sends guards out in search of the King before telling Philippe, who is unimpressed. They try to persuade Philippe to stay in the castle but Philippe knows exactly where Louis has gone and goes out to find him and bring him back.

Louis is gazing out over the grounds and buildings of Versailles when he is cornered by a number of wolves. He draws his sword as if to fight them when a pistol shot rings out and the wolves run away. Philippe dismounts his horse and asks his brother what on earth he was doing, risking his life. Louis ignores him and jumps on the fact that they are - for once - entirely alone. He tells Philippe of his plans for France and for Versailles but tells him that he with changes will come enemies and asks Philippe if he has his back. The two return to Versailles.

Louis enters his wife's chambers and introduces the Queen to her new doctor, Masson. The Queen asks when they are to return to Paris and Louis tells her that she shall have the child in Versailles instead, she does not seem to approve. Louis is called away for matters of state and as he is leaving, she calls out and says she does not want many people there when she gives birth because she does not feel the same as the last time. Once Louis has gone, the Queen's dwarf jester, Nabo, runs up in excitement and hides under her skirts, claiming 'the baby is coming' repeatedly.

Fabien is in the dungeons interrogating one of the plotters and trying to find out the name of the person who sent them. When he gets no information out of him, he beats another of the plotters to death with a hammer.

Henriette is swimming in the lake. When she gets out and enters the boathouse, she is joined by Louis. The two are left alone and as she undresses him, he asks after her husband. She does not want to talk about him, accusing the King of making her marry him. Louis asks her how else he was supposed to keep her with him. He then says he wants her to tell him everything her husband says and does before they fall to pleasure.

Philippe comes back to his rooms and finds Chevalier packing his things, he asks what he is doing and Chevalier seems surprised Philippe is considering staying considering there had just been a plot on the King's life uncovered. Chevalier makes an allusion to the fact that if the King were to die, Philippe might be next in line, but Philippe misunderstands him. Chevalier then points out that Louis, The Dauphin is a young and sickly child and that he might not survive into adulthood. He states that in the end it would all fall to Philippe and asks him what he would do with all that power. He then goes so far as to suggest that Louis has 'lost all sense of himself'. Philippe slaps him for his insolence, but he merely slaps Philippe in return. Philippe warns him he should not talk about his brother that way but does not stop Chevalier from kissing him and pushing him down on the bed.

Fabien, Louis and Bontemps are in a meeting. Fabien shows Louis one of multiple journals that provide a huge range of information about all the people present at Louis' court. He tells Louis he is the sun and that the court circles around him, but so too do the people that wish to harm him. Fabien states that he wishes only for the power to protect the King and Louis orders Bontemps to give him what he needs.

During mass, Madame de Montespan asks Henriette if they would risk moving the Queen so late in her pregnancy. They discuss whether it shall be a boy, Henriette wishing it is for the Queen's sake as well as the child's. Madame de Montespan notes that the boys have all the fun before pointing out that Henriette's husband is staring at her. Henriette looks over to see Philippe beckoning her.

Behind the back of the grate at the church, Louise de la Vallière and the King are watching the service. Louise claims that she should be down there receiving communion and that it is wrong she is up here with the King. She too is one of the King's mistresses and is pregnant with his child. We later see the King walk in on her flogging herself in Catholic penance.

In line for communion Chevalier and his cousin Béatrice, Madame de Clermont are gossiping about the fact the King and his mistresses are watching over them. Béatrice makes a comment that Louise is 'finished' and that the King will grow tired of her. She criticizes her daughter, Sophie, for slouching. Turning back to Chevalier, Béatrice wonders why the King is ignoring her daughter when she is one of the most beautiful girls at court. Chevalier points out that the King cares not only for beauty but for character.

At the end of the episode, the King decides to follow his brother's advice when it comes to war with the Netherlands while the Queen gives birth to a black daughter which makes it obvious that Nabo the dwarf is the father.

## First Appearances

* George Blagden as Louis XIV of France
* Alexander Vlahos as Philippe of France
* Tygh Runyan as Fabien Marchal
* Stuart Bowman as Alexandre Bontemps
* Amira Casar as Béatrice, Madame de Clermont
* Evan Williams as Chevalier de Lorraine
* Noémie Schmidt as Henriette of England
* Anna Brewster as Madame de Montespan
* Sarah Winter as Louise de la Vallière
* Lizzie Brocheré as Claudine Masson
* Dominique Blanc as Anne of Austria
* Anatole Taubman as Montcourt
* Steve Cumyn as Jean-Baptiste Colbert
* Elisa Lasowski as Marie-Thérèse of Spain
* Maddison Jaizani as Sophie de Clermont
* Peter Hudson as Dr. Masson
* Gilly Gilchrist as Jacques
* Joe Sheridan as François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois
* Geoffrey Bateman as Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
* Anna Cottis as Lauren
* Marie-Agnès Ganga as Nabo
* Thierry Harcourt as Le Nôtre
* Sonia Gleis as Nymph

## Deaths

* Louis XIII of France *(confirmed)*
* Anne of Austria *(flashback)*

## Quotes

* "A King without a castle, is no King at all." - Anne of Austria
* "I'll send for a snack." - Chevalier de Lorraine
* "Couldn't eat another thing." - Philippe of France
* "We really are out in the wilds here." - François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois
* "He's not lost, I can promise you that." - Philippe of France
* "I am about to drag this country out of the darkness and into the light." - Louis XIV of France
* "With great change, enemies are quick to follow." - Louis XIV of France
* "Where am I now?" - Philippe of France
* "I wish you kept more promises." - Marie-Thérèse of Spain
* "You are so slow some times." - Chevalier de Lorraine
* "Do not judge a man by his words but by his actions." - Chevalier de Lorraine
* "A strong France scares them... as well it should." - Fabien Marchal
* "Boys have all the fun." - Madame de Montespan
* "I suppose he sees boys." - Béatrice, Madame de Clermont
* "You're either looking, or you're being looked at." - Béatrice, Madame de Clermont