Its owner, Philippe d’Orléans sided with the revolutionaries. He renovated the building, and the garden was now surrounded by a mall of shops, cafes, salons, refreshment stands and bookstores.Īt that time, the Palais Royal became a meeting ground for revolutionaries. Louis Philippe II held the royal palace from 1780 until his death. The Palais Royal was then opened so the public could view the Orléans art collection, and that began the palace’s more public life. Louis XIV was succeeded by his great-grandson, and the duc d’Orléans became regent of young Louis XV. The duchesse was the one who created the ornamental garden of the palace. Henrietta Anne later married Phillipe de France, duc d’Orléans, and the palace became known as the House of Orléans. Louis handed the palace to the Queen Mother, Anne of Austria, and then Henrietta Maria and her daughter Henrietta Anne Stuart, who had escaped from the English civil war, took up residence. It was originally known as the Palais Cardinal, but became a royal palace after the cardinal bequeathed the building to Louis XIII. The palace was originally designed by Jacques Lemercier and construction started 1628 for the infamous Cardinal Richelieu. Lady Chance, the follow-up book to Lady Scandal, comes out this August it’s set in Paris of 1814, and since gambling and cards are in the book, that meant I could use the Palais Royal. I love to dig into history in particular, I love to look for just the right setting to help a scene come alive. One of the fun things about writing-for me, at least-is the research.

Lady Vice by Wendy LaCapra