Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth

Henri Gascar

circa 1670

Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth by Henri Gascar, circa 1670

Meet Louise de Keroualle, a French noblewoman who charmed her way into the English court as a mistress to King Charles II. Dressed in a dazzling silver and gold gown with cascading lace sleeves, she gently cradles a King Charles Spaniel—a breed literally named after her royal lover! While she reaches out to touch the cool water of a garden fountain, her serene smile hides the fact that she was often accused of being a secret French spy working to influence the English king.

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