The Dame du Palais, originally only Dame, was a historical office in the Royal Court of France. It was a title of a lady-in-waiting holding the official position of personal attendant on a female member of the French Royal Family. The position was traditionally held by a female member of a noble family. They were ranked between the dame d'atours and the Fille d'honneur. They had previously been styled 'Dames'.
Louise Julie de Mailly-Nesle, Comtesse de Mailly, by Alexis Grimou. She served as Dame du Palais to Queen Marie Leszczyńska.
Françoise de Longwy
Jacqueline de Rohan
Charlotte de Beaune Semblancay
A lady-in-waiting or court lady is a female personal assistant at a court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman but of lower rank than the woman to whom she attended. Although she may either have received a retainer or may not have received compensation for the service she rendered, a lady-in-waiting was considered more of a secretary, courtier, or companion to her mistress than a servant.
Princess Tatiana Alexandrovna Yusupova, a lady-in-waiting of the Imperial Court of Russia
Tang Dynasty court ladies on A Palace Concert painting
Marie Louise of Savoy-Carignan, Princesse de Lamballe was chief lady-in-waiting to Queen Marie Antoinette of France
Walking behind Queen Elizabeth II on a visit to Toronto in 2010 are two of her ladies-in-waiting: Lady Hussey (left) and Lady Farnham (right)