Feature Leading Ladies The French tradition of the royal mistress gave new opportunities for women at the court of Charles II. Annalisa Nicholson | Published in History Today Volume 70 Issue 8 August 2020 To continue reading this article you need to purchase a subscription, available from only £5. Start my trial subscription now If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in. Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.