Dame du Palais

The Dame du Palais (French pronunciation: [dam dy palɛ], lit.

It was a title of a lady-in-waiting holding the official position of personal attendant on a female member of the French royal family.

The equivalent title and office has historically been used in most European royal courts (Dutch: Dames du Palais; English: Lady of the Bedchamber; German: Hofstaatsdame or Palatsdame; Italian: Dame di Corte; Russian: Hofdame or Statsdame; Spanish: Dueña de honor; Swedish: Statsfru).

From 1523, the group of 'Dame', (married) ladies-in-waiting who attended the court as companions of the queen had the formal title Dame d'honneur ('Lady of Honour', commonly only 'Dame'), hence the title 'Première dame d'honneur' ('First lady of honour') to distinguish between the principal lady-in-waiting and the group of remaining common (married) ladies-in-waiting.

It was revived during the First Empire, with the same original position as the title of a married lady-in-waiting below the 'Première dame d'honneur'.

This is an incomplete list of those who have served as Dame du Palais to the Queen or Empress of France.

Louise Julie de Mailly-Nesle , Comtesse de Mailly, by Alexis Grimou . She served as Dame du Palais to Queen Marie Leszczyńska .
Françoise de Longwy
Jacqueline de Rohan
Charlotte de Beaune Semblancay
Francoise Babou de La Bourdaisiere
Anne d'Este
Francoise d'Orléans, Princess of Condé by an known artist
Gobert - Portrait de Armande Felice de Mazarin
Pastel of Louise d'Esparbès de Lussan by Alexandre Kucharski
Aglae Ney
Adélaïde de Saint-Germain, comtesse de Montalivet