King Louis XIV of France had previously nominated him (in 1653) as Bishop of Poitiers but the nomination was never ratified by the Holy See. Four years later, (1657) the King brought him back to France and transferred him to the Archdiocese of Reims but it took a further decade (1667) before the pope confirmed the post. For many years he served as Grand Almoner of the Kingdom of France. In 1661 he was appointed Cardinal-Bishop of Palestrina, the diocese that covered the Barberini family comune of Palestrina.