La Princesse De Clèves (BBC Radio 3 Drama On 3) characters

Also known as Mademoiselle de Chartres, the Princess of Clèves

Appears from the start

A young noblewoman newly brought to the court of Henri II by her widowed mother. Beautiful, inexperienced, and educated to value candor and self-command, she enters a society governed by reputation, dynastic ambition, and concealed love affairs.

Appears from the start

Mademoiselle de Chartres's mother, who has raised her away from court and warned her about the dangers hidden beneath its polished manners. She seeks a secure marriage for her daughter and remains her principal moral adviser.

Appears from the start

A serious and honorable nobleman who falls deeply in love with Mademoiselle de Chartres. He offers marriage knowing that her feelings are respectful rather than passionate, and she accepts him as a worthy husband.

Appears from the start

A celebrated nobleman admired throughout the French court for his appearance, accomplishments, and social ease. His first meeting with the newly married Princess of Clèves creates an immediate mutual attraction whose expression would endanger them both.

Appears from the start

The king of France, at the center of a court where political marriages and private attachments continually overlap. His favor determines status, and the celebrations and rivalries around his family form the public world of the drama.

Also known as Diane de Poitiers

Appears from the start

The king's powerful longtime favorite, whose influence at court demonstrates how an attachment outside marriage can shape both public advancement and private rivalry.

Also known as Mary Stuart

Appears from the start

The young queen married to the Dauphin. Observant and politically alert, she takes an interest in the emotional undercurrents of the court and recognizes the significance of Nemours's attention to the Princess of Clèves.

First appears in chapter 2

A prominent courtier related to Madame de Chartres. His complicated romantic correspondence becomes the source of a misplaced letter that tests the princess's trust in Nemours.

Appears from the start

A woman whose concealed relationships become the subject of a cautionary history told within the court. Her story shows how secrecy and divided loyalties can injure several people at once.

First appears in chapter 4

An agent whom the Prince of Clèves uses to observe the country estate after his wife's confession. The report he brings back is incomplete, but the prince interprets it through jealousy and fear.