Henri, second son of François I, had married the Pope’s niece Catherine de Medici when they were both 14.
Henri had always been judgemental about his father’s love life. However from childhood Henri, had been obsessed with Diane de Poitiers, a respectable widow literally old enough to be his mother.
Finally Diane de Poitiers succumbed to his advances when Henri was 19 and she was 38. (It helped that at the time he had become heir to the throne after the death of his older brother).
While Diane de Poitiers appeared to be the de facto mother in law , Catherine de Medici was under no illusions. It was a torrid affair in private and the strange relationship between the two women is an unlikely tale.
The most bizarre ménage à trois in history.is our next story for new ideas for visitors to France.
