at the age of twenty, athénaïs became a maid-of-honour to the king's sister-in-law, princess henrietta of england, who was known at court by the traditional honorific of madame. later, because of the relationship between her mother and the queen dowager, anne of austria, athénaïs was appointed to be a lady-in-waiting to the king's wife, queen marie thérèse. by 1666 athénaïs was trying to gain the favour of louise de la vallière, the mistress of king louis.