Diane had married Louis de Brézé when she was 15 and he in his mid 50’s. Louis went straight off to war with François in Italy and Diane became a maid of honour for the King’s mother Louise.
The marriage was very solid in spite of the age difference. When Diane became a widow at the age of 31, she decided to wear only black and white from then on, as François’ mother Louise had done, as a public demonstration she did not intend to remarry.
When he became King, Henri made Diane a duchess.
He also rebuilt Louis de Brézé’s Chateau of Anet for her where this bed is featured.
After Henri gave Diane the Chateau de Chenonceau, she turned it into a model of business based on agriculture.
Her bed there is just one of an impressive collection which includes queens, princesses and king’s mistresses.
After Henri II’s death, Diane retired to her Chateau d’Anet where she died seven years later at the age of 66.
The discovery of her skeleton in 2010 revealed the secret of her timeless beauty—a daily dose of liquid gold.
