Laure-Auguste de Fitz-James

Laure Auguste de Fitz-James, Princesse de Chimey (7 December 1744 - 26 September 1814) was a French courtier. She served as lady-in-waiting to Queen Marie Antoinette from 1770 to 1791. Early life Laure-Auguste de Fitz-James was born in Paris as the daughter of Charles de Fitz-James, duc de Fitz-James, and Louise Victoire Sophie Goyons Matignon. Career In 1762, de Chimay was appointed dame du palais, the same position her mother served in as to Marie Leszczynska. When the queen died in 1768, de Chimay kept this position awaiting the arrival of the dauphine, as did the première dame d'honneur Anne de Noailles, comtesse de Noailles and the dame d'atour Amable-Gabrielle de Villars. In January 1770, she began her service in the equivalent position of dame pour accompagner la dauphine to Marie Antoinette upon her arrival in France. When Marie Antoinette became queen in 1774, she was again a dame du palais. In June 1775, she was appointed to dame d'atour, replacing Adélaïde Diane de Cossé, who had replaced Villars in 1771. In September 1775, she replaced Anne de Noailles, whom the queen disliked, as première dame d'honneur. Her position made her the first in rank of the female courtiers, but her rank was demoted to number two when the queen reintroduced the post of surintendante de la Maison de la Reine for Marie Thérèse Louise de Savoy, princesse de Lamballe, the same year. Because of this, the queen was obliged to compensate de Chimay by promoting one of de Chimay's relatives, in order to prevent her from leaving court.