By this title she enjoyed honors denied to
her husband. When she was present at court with him she was first
announced, both doors of the salon being opened: "Her Royal
Highness, Madame the Duchess of Orleans." Then one door having
been closed, the usher announced: "His Most Serene Highness,
Monseigneur the Duke of Orleans." This distinction was very
disagreeable to the Duke. Charles X. hastened to abolish it.
September 21st, 1824, he accorded the title of Royal Highness to
the Duke of Orleans, and three days later he conferred this title,
so much desired, on the children of the sister of the Duke. The
latter showed his great pleasure. Though he might favor liberalism
and give pledges to democracy, he remained a Prince to the marrow
of his bones. He loved not only money, but honors, and attached
extreme importance to questions of etiquette. The memories of his
childhood and his early youth bound him to the old regime and
despite appearances to the contrary, this Prince, so dear to the
bourgeois and to the National Guard, was always by his tastes and
aspirations a man of Versailles.
Charles X. would gladly have said to the Duke of Orleans, as
Augustus to Cinna, speaking of his benefits:--
"Je t'en avais comble, je t'en veux accabler."
He was not content with according him a title of honor; he gave
him something much more solid, by causing to be returned to him,
with the consent of the Chambers, the former domain and privileges
of the House of Orleans.
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