born a princess of savoy, her immediate family had resided in france since the previous century. styled "mademoiselle d'aumale" she was engaged to afonso vi of portugal by order of louis xiv who wanted an alliance with portugal against spain. as such, the young queen left paris on 29 may 1666, with the marquis of sande and his entourage, heading to la rochelle. on 27 june there was a proxy ceremony where afonso vi was represented by sande. she bought a dowry of 1.8 million pounds as part of an agreement which was signed on 24 february 1666. she arrived had her marriage in person on 2 august 1666. her husband was pleased at his attractive wife. her husband was paralysed on his left side and mentally unstable. the marriage was never consummated, and she divorced him.