Louise-Charlotte-Henriette-Philippine, Duchess de Duras, née de Noailles (1745-1832), was a French courtier and memoirist. She served as lady in waiting to Marie Antoinette from 1770 to 1791.
Louise-Charlotte de Duras was the daughter of Philippe de Noailles and Anne d'Arpajon. She married Duke Emmanuel-Céleste-Augustin de Duras in 1760. de Duras served as lady in waiting to queen Marie Leszczynska from 1767 to 1768 and was, as many of the courtiers of the late queen, appointed to serve Marie Antoinette upon her arrival to France in 1770. Her mother, Anne d'Arpajon, served as the chief lady in waiting to Marie Antoinette.
The duchess de Duras was described as very well educated, learned and verbal, and enjoyed respect for her reputation of being a scholar. When Victoire de Rohan was to be replaced as Governess of the Children of France in 1782, de Duras, alongside Laure-Auguste de Fitz-James, Princess de Chimay, was commonly assumed to be the two most suitable candidates for the post: however, Marie Antoinette refused de Chimay because of her too severe religiosity and de Duras because she reportedly felt a certain academic inferiority toward her, and chose Yolande de Polastron for the position instead.
Reportedly, Marie Antoinette felt a certain inferiority toward Louise-Charlotte de Duras because of de Duras' greater learning and scholarly knowledge, and was therefore somewhat uncomfortable in her presence.Their relationship was therefore more professional than friendly. However, the queen also felt respect for her, and it was therefore often de Duras who was selected to correct the queen whenever she made a mistake, such as when Marie Antoinette wished to visit the theater just one day after the death of her close friend Thérèse-Lucy de Dillon, which gave her much bad publicity. During the visit of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor in France in 1777, Marie Antoinette often selected de Duras to accompany her during his visits, because she expected the intellectual de Duras to make a more favorable impression upon Joseph than her more intimate friends among her courtiers, whom Joseph had been given harsh criticism.