Henri, comte de Paris
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Henri Robert Ferdinand Marie Louis Philippe d'Orléans, also known as Henri, comte de Paris (5 July 1908-19 June 1999) was the Orleanist claimant to the French throne from 1940 until his death. As king, he would have been Henri VI, or Henri V in direct succession from his great-great-grandfather Louis Philippe.
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[edit] Early life
He was born at the Chateau de Nouvion-en-Thiérache in the department of Aisne in France to Jean d'Orléans (1874-1940) and his wife, Isabelle d'Orléans (1878-1961). He grew up in Morocco and attended the University of Louvain. In 1926 he became dauphin after his father became the Orleanist claimant to the throne.
[edit] Duties
In 1939, after being refused admission to both the French armed forces and the British Armed Forces, Henri joined the French Foreign Legion. In 1950 after the law of exile was rescinded, he returned to France.
[edit] Marriage & Family Life
On 8 April 1931, he married HRH Doña Isabel, Princess of Orleans and Braganza (1911-2003). They were the parents of eleven children and separated in 1986.
During his 'tenure' as pretender to the throne Henri dissipated his family's great wealth (their château at Amboise now belongs to a trust), selling off family jewels, paintings, furniture and properties to support himself and his mistress, Monique Friesz, formerly a nurse. Conflict over the diversion of the family wealth (formerly worth over £40 million) led to court conflicts between him and five of his children, some of whom he unilaterally disinherited.
In 1984 Henri declared that his son, Dauphin Henri, had lost his rights of inheritance because he had divorced his first wife and married a second time, outside of the Roman Catholic Church, as non-Catholic marriages were not recognised by a number of French royalists. Henri gave his son the lesser-valued title 'Comte de Mortain' in place of Comte de Clermont and said he was removed from the line of succession. After a couple of years Henri reinstated his son with his previous titles, including reestablishing him as dauphin and gave his new wife, Micaela Cousiño Quinones de Leon, the title "Princesse de Joinville".
Henri also "disinherited" his sons Michel and Thibaut from their rights to the throne, because they married commoners. This decision was later annulled by his successor, Henri, Comte de Paris, Duc de France. Henri's actions over inheritance were never recognised by a number of French royalists who considered it impossible for a head of the royal house to unilaterally disinherit someone, thus in effect these decisions carried little weight.
He died of prostate cancer at Chérisy, near Dreux, France.
[edit] Children
Henri, Count of Paris and his wife Isabelle, comtesse de Paris had eleven children:
- Princess Isabelle of France (b. 8 April 1932), m. 9 (civil) and 10 September (religious) 1964 Friedrich Karl, Count of Schönborn-Buchheim (b. 30 March 1938). They have three sons and two daughters.
- Henri, Count of Paris, Duke of France (b. 14 June 1933), m. (1) 5 July 1957 (div. 1984) Duchess Marie-Therese of Württemberg, Duchess of Montpensier (b. 12 November 1934); m. (2) 31 October 1984 Micaela Cousino (b. 30 April 1938). From his first marriage he has three sons and two daughters.
- Princess Hélène of France (17 September 1934), m. 16 (civil) and 17 January (religious) 1957 Count Evrard de Limburg Stirum (31 October 1927 – 5 March 2001) They have one daughter and three sons.
- Prince François of France, Duke of Orléans (15 August 1935 - 11 October 1960)
- Princess Anne of France (b. 4 December 1938), m. 11 (civil) and 12 May (religious) 1965 Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Infante of Spain, Duke of Calabria (b. 16 January 1938). They have four daughters and one son.
- Princess Diane of France (b. 24 March 1940), m. 18 (civil) and 21 July (religious) 1960 Carl, Duke of Württemberg (b. 1 August 1936). They have four sons and two daughters.
- Prince Michel of France, Count of Evreux (b. 25 June 1941), m. 17 (civil) and 18 November (religious) 1967 Beatrice Pasquier de Franclieu (b. 24 October 1941). They have two daughters and two sons.
- Prince Jacques of France, Duke of Orléans (b. 25 June 1941), m. 2 (civil) and 3 August (religious) 1969 Gersende de Sabran-Pontevès (b. 29 July 1942). They have one daughter and two sons.
- Princess Claude of France (b. 11 December 1943), m. (1) 22 July 1964 (div. 1982; ann. 1987) Amadeo, 5th Duke of Aosta (b. 27 September 1943); m. (2) 27 April 1982 (div. 1996) Arnaldo La Cagnina (b. 26 June 1929). From her first marriage she has two daughters and one son.
- Princess Chantal of France (b. 9 January 1946), m. 28 July 1972 Baron François Xavier de Sambucy de Sorgue (b. 20 August 1943). They have two sons and one daughter.
- Prince Thibaut of France, Count of La Marche (b. 20 January 1948 - 23 March 1983), m. 23 September 1972 Marion Gordon-Orr (b. 4 September 1942). They had two sons. One died as a baby.
[edit] References
- Franck Hériot, Laurent Chabrun, La fortune engloutie des Orléans, Plon, 2005. [ISBN 2-259-19843-0]
- http://www.royaltymonarchy.com/genealogy/orleans.html
| House of Orleans Cadet Branch of the House of Bourbon Born: 5 July 1908 Died: 19 June 1999 |
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| Titles in pretence | ||
| Preceded by Jean III |
* NOT REIGNING * King of the French Orléanist claimant to the throne of France (1940–1999) |
Succeeded by Henri VII or Henri VI |
| * NOT REIGNING * King of France Legitimist claimants to the throne of France (1940-1999) |
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