Join Us in France · Sunday, July 26, 2026
Catherine de Medici, at 15, married the second son of the King of France, Henry. She discovered upon arrival that her fiancé was deeply infatuated with Diane de Poitiers, a woman older than Catherine. This situation created a complex dynamic for Catherine early in her marriage.
“So, he arranges a marriage between his second son, Henry, and this young woman named Catherine, who is an orphan.”
“Is that her young fiance, who is a charming young man at 15 and who is already a good soldier. He is incredibly enamored of his tutor, governess. A woman by the name of Diane de Poitiers.”
“This is a part of what happens to Catherine and becomes an intricate part of the feeling she has and how she conducts herself for the rest of her life.”