1. The power of Louis XVI like many other European rulers was absolute.
2. At the same time, it was common for them to not have all that much power in practice.
Explanation:
Most rulers of the Europe had a very well placed monarchy that had not been repeatedly challenged like it was in Britain.
The autocrat was usually the ultimate authority on everything.
This is something that had been in Europe till the time of the French revolution.
However it was completely plausible that some minister or influential lord would actually be pulling the strings in the name of the king and this sort of regency was very common at the time.
