A prince of the blood presided over each of the meetings of that assembly.
Monsieur, afterwards Louis XVIII., presided over the first meeting.
"Monsieur," says a contemporary, "gained great reputation at the Assembly of the Notables in 1787.

He did not miss attending his meeting a single day, and he displayed truly patriotic virtues.

His care in discussing the weighty matters of administration, in throwing light upon them, and in defending the interests and the cause of the people, was such as even to inspire the King with some degree of jealousy.

Monsieur openly said that a respectful resistance to the orders of the monarch was not blamable, and that authority might be met by argument, and forced to receive information without any offence whatever."-- NOTE BY THE EDITOR.] She feared that the people would influence the deliberations of the deputies; several memorials were presented to the King upon that question; but M.Necker prevailed, and Versailles was the place fixed upon.
The day on which the King announced that he gave his consent to the convocation of the States General, the Queen left the public dinner, and placed herself in the recess of the first window of her bedchamber, with her face towards the garden.

Her chief butler followed her, to present her coffee, which she usually took standing, as she was about to leave the table.