As a boy he was terrified and forever affected when a mob nearly overran the palace where he and his family were living. It is said that he firmly believed the throne and privileges were his divine right and had little regard for the common man. More importantly the aristocrats who surrounded him and patronized him learned quickly not to support or publicly sympathize with any thinkers who might have advanced French political culture. When the revolution did come, it was rather severe. France never really recovered from the turmoil.
Sounds like your typical Democrat.