during their exile, clotilde served as the spokesperson, de facto chief councillor and first minister of charles emmanuel and in fact handled the sardinian government in exile, demonstrating both diplomatic skill and a steady support for charles emmanuel, who refused to abdicate his office as long as she was alive, despite the demands of his brothers to do so. despite her political activity, however, clothilde always played down her personality, both publicly and privately, as this was considered more befitting of her pietas. on one occasion in 1801, she persuaded her husband's governor in sardinia, the count of genevois, not to resign.