Louise Marie Adélaïde de Bourbon

## Duchesse d'Orléans

La Dsse. d'Orléans by an unknown Italian miniaturist c. 1773

**Louise Marie Adélaïde de Bourbon, Duchess of Orléans** (13 March 1753 – Present) is the youngest daughter of Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, Duke of Penthièvre and Maria Teresa Felicitas d'Este. She married Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans.

## Early life

Marie-Adélaïde was born on 13 March 1753 at the Hôtel de Toulouse, her family's residence in Paris since 1712, when her grandfather, Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, Comte de Toulouse, bought it from Louis Phélypeaux de La Vrillière. She was the youngest daughter of Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, Duke of Penthièvre and his wife, Princess Maria Teresa d'Este. Her mother died in childbirth the following year. First known as Mademoiselle d'Ivoy, Marie was later named Mademoiselle de Penthièvre (until her marriage) after her father had inherited the Duchy of Penthièvre. The style of Mademoiselle de Penthièvre had been previously borne by her sister Marie Louise de Bourbon (1751–1753), who died six months after Marie-Adélaïde's birth.

## Education

At birth, Marie was put under the care of Madame de Sourcy. As she grew older, Marie was raised at the Abbaye de Montmartre convent, overlooking Paris, where she spent twelve years. As a child, Marie was encouraged to take an active part in the charities for which her father had become known as "Prince of the Poor".

## Marriage

Maries father, Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, Duke of Penthièvre wanted her to marry Louis-Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Chartres, son of the Duke of Orléans who would later become First Prince of the Blood. Although this, the Orléans did not want the future Duke to marry with an illegitimate branch of the royal family. This later changed, and the two were married in 1769.

Marie later fell involve with her Orléans cousin, as did Louis-Philippe. Although this, Louis XV warned Penthièvre against such a marriage because of the reputation of the young Duke of Chartres as a libertine. Louis XV was also fearful of the powerful leverage given the Orléans branch should it inherit the Penthièvre fortune.

La Mademoiselle de Penthièvre was presented to the King on 7 December 1768, by her maternal aunt, Maria Fortunata d'Este, Comtesse de la Marche. She was greeted by Louis XV, the Dauphin and other members of the royal family. On that day, she was baptised by the Grand Almoner of France, and given the names *Louise Marie Adélaïde*.

Her marriage to the Duke of Chartres took place at the Château de Meudon on 5 April 1769 in a ceremony which all of the *princes du sang* attended. The marriage contract was signed by all members of the royal family. Afterwards, Louis XV hosted a wedding supper which included the entire royal family. *Mlle de Penthièvre* brought to the already wealthy House of Orléans a dowry of six million *livres*, an annual income of 240,000 livres (later increased to 400,000).

### Madame la Duchesse de Chartres

During the first few months of Maries marriage, the couple appeared devoted to each other, but later the duke went back to the life of *libertinage* he had led before his marriage.

Philippe's secret liaison began with one of her ladies-in-waiting, Stéphanie Félicité Ducrest de St-Albin, Comtesse de Genlis, the niece of Madame de Montesson, the morganatic wife of Philippe's father. Passionate at first, the liaison cooled within a few months and, by the spring of 1773, was reported to be "dead". After the romantic affair was over, Félicité remained in the service of Marie-Adélaïde at the Palais-Royal, a trusted friend to both Marie-Adélaïde and Philippe. They both appreciated her intelligence and, in July 1779.