Significant Earrings

Having the love of the King was no easy matter especially not in a court packed with beautiful, young women all more than willing to become his new mistress. Madame de Montespan certainly knew this and combined with her jealous nature was to make a mortifying discovery in the final years of the 1670's.

The King's maîtresse-en-titre had noticed that the beautiful, red-headed Anne de Rohan-Chabot, Princesse de Soubise was making a very fine figure at court. The Princesse de Soubise was - of course - married and to a man who had a habit of getting her pregnant annually. However, the Prince de Soubise was not the only one attracted to Anne. Louis XIV had noticed her perfect complexion and lush hair and had become rather infatuated with her much to Madame de Montespan's frustration. But the maîtresse was convinced that nothing was going on as of yet.
The observant Montespan had also made another observation: the Princesse de Soubise would wear the same emerald earrings quite often at court. Eager to keep her royal lover she went so far as having the King followed! It became clear to her that the Princesse used the earrings as a signal to the King that the Prince de Soubise would be in Paris and therefore out of the way, making it possible for the couple to indulge in a private rendezvous.

The discovery brought on a rage from the fiery Montespan who was then assured by Louis himself that the affair was over. It was not though but did not last long afterwards. Thankfully for the King Madame de Montespan never learned of it.

Anne de Rohan-Chabot, Princesse de Soubise