Royal Mistress. Born Louise Renée de Penancoët de Kéroualle the daughter of Guillaume de Penancoët, Seigneur de Kérouaille and Marie de Ploeuc de Timeur at Kérouaille, France. She entered the household of Henrietta, Duchess d'Orléans, as a Lady in Waiting in 1668. In 1670, the sudden death of the duchess left her stranded in England, but Charles II confiscated the services of the bereft Ladies in Waiting for his queen, Catherine. When it seemed that the king began to show her favor, the French ambassador and the principal secretary of state, promoted her candidacy as royal mistress for the sake of French interests. Her liaison with the king was initiated at the secretary of state's country house at Euston, in Suffolk in October 1671 and she joined the legion of Charles' mistresses. Their son, Charles Lennox, later the Duke of Richmond, was born the following year. She gained the titles of Baroness Petersfield, Countess of Fareham, and 1st Duchess of Portsmouth in 1673. Of all King Charles' mistresses, she was the most disliked by his people. Considered a Catholic French menace, she was also known to be mercenary, haughty, and wildly extravagant with the King's money. Her apartments at Whitehall were rebuilt three times, and were considered richer than the queen's apartments. Fellow mistress, Nell Gwynn dubbed her "Squintabella" for her looks and "Weeping Willow" for her tendency to sob. She was created Duchesse d' Aubigny de Berri by the French king in January 1683. She remained close to Charles II, however, until his death in 1685, and rumor has it, may have had a hand in his death bed conversion to the Roman Catholicism. Soon after his death she retired to France. During her last years she lived at Aubigny, and was burdened by the loss of her English income and mounting debts. The French king continually protected her against her creditors. She died in Paris at 85. She was also known by the nick-name of Madame Carwell.