Sophie de Clermont

**Sophie de Clermont** is the daughter of Béatrice, Madame de Clermont, the former Lady-In-Waiting of Henriette of England and Princess Palatine and a member of Louis XIV's court.

In Season Two she was the wife of the Duke of Cassel, so she became the *Duchess of Cassel*.

## *Related Pages*

* **Sophie de Clermont/Gallery**
* **Kingdom of France**
* **Affair of the Poisons**
* **Sophie and Cassel's Wedding**

## Personality

She arrived at court innocent, sweet and naive, hoping to gain favour. As of later seasons Sophie grows into a confident and seductive woman, having had to rely on her own charms for survival. She is also a master of deception, being a spy to the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold and reporting back to him of the workings of Louis' court.

## Biography

### **Season One**

Becomes Lady-In-Waiting to Henriette of England. Beatrice had hopes of her daughter catching the King's eyes but unfortunately it never came to fruition.

### **Season Two**

Philippe of France suggests she become the Lady in Waiting to the newly arrived Princess Palatine. She becomes the eyes and ears of Fabien Marchal until her marriage to Duke Cassel. She suffers from marital rape which sees her start to poison him. Towards the end of his life, Sophie feels guilt for her actions and spends the last of his days trying to make him feel more at ease from his pain. Sophie falls for Thomas Beaumont and the two plan to run away together. He is killed and she flees France altogether.

### **Season Three**

Sophie returns to France and is caught by the kings men which reunites her with her old employer, Fabien Marchal. She is working as a spy for the Emperor Leopold. By his instructions she, reluctantly, poisoned Marie-Thérèse of Spain which eventually killed her. She has a close friendship with his niece Eleanor whose life she ends up saving after discovering the plot to have her killed by the king. She and Eleanor flee the country after Eleanor dissaudes her not to remain and carry out her vengeance upon Louis for the death of her mother.

## Relationships

### Duke of Cassel

Her husband, who she was forced to marry at the behest of the King in order to spy on him, She started poisoning him shortly after he raped her.

### Princess Palatine

Made her Lady-In-Waiting to help her adjust to court, The Princess is the one who cares and comforts her after her first distressing marriage night.

### Benoît

Benoît is a builder on the Palace of Versailles. He takes an interest in Sophie and she in him. Her mother forbids the relationship because she plans to set her daughter up with the King to ensure their survival since they are penniless.

### Fabien Marchal

When her mother's betrayal came to light, he spared her and merely ordered her to leave court. Without any prospects, she returned and offered him a deal, that she would become his eyes and ears. After she is married off to Duke Cassel on orders of the King, she no longer acts as Fabien's spy. He correctly deduces that Sophie is the reason for his illness and eventual death but allows her to go free after she flees the palace upon the death of her lover Thomas.

Some time passes and she is caught by the kings guards and is interrogated by Fabien upon her return to Paris. She begins a seduction game with the man, (having had to rely on her charm while on the run) which grows his attraction to her. This ultimately leads the two to having sex when he comes to visit her and confides of his uncertainty with the kings decisions. After he leaves her room, Sophie realizes her friend, The Princess Eleanor, is in danger from Louis and takes her and flees. Fabien hunt the two down in an abandoned house and threatened to kill her but is ultimately unable to do so. They go outside (remaining out of view via a wall) and share one last kiss before he informs her to continue on to the Dutch border and that the next time they meet he will kill her. He goes back with his men and leave the two girls behind.

## Notes

* Even though Sophie and her mother Béatrice de Clermont are fictional, there is a royal house named *Clermont* in France.