| Paul Ernest Boniface de Castellane | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 14, 1867 |
| Died | October 20, 1932 (aged 65) |
| Spouse | Anna Gould |
Paul Ernest Boniface de Castellane (February 14, 1867 – October 20, 1932) was the Marquis de Castellane.
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There are many variations of his name, all these are taken directly from news reports:
(these references appear to ignore that his title was that of Marquis. His grandfather and namesake had been Comte de Castellane)
He married Anna Gould (1875–1961), the daughter of Jay Gould, the robber baron, on March 14, 1895 in Manhattan, New York. They had the following children:
They divorced in 1906, after Boniface had spent about $10 million of her family's money. Boniface then sought an annulment from the Vatican in 1924.[1][2]
In 1913, Boniface was rumored to be engaged to Caroline Delacroix, the wealthy mistress and widow (though this was disputed) of Leopold II of Belgium.[3]
Time magazine wrote on April 13, 1925:
Probably not since Henry VIII tried in vain to get an annulment of his marriage with Catherine of Aragon has a matrimonial case been so long in the courts of the Roman Catholic Church as that on which nine Cardinals have just handed down a final decision. The male in this case is the son of one of France's most historic houses − Le Comte Boni de Castellane. The female is the daughter of a United States stockbroker, the late Jay Gould − the present Anna, Marquise de Talleyrand Périgord, Duchesse de Sagan. On March 14, 1895, Anna became La Comtesse de Castellane by a marriage solemnized in Manhattan by the late Archbishop Corrigan. After three children were born, La Comtesse obtained a civil divorce from Le Comte on grounds of infidelity. In 1908, she married Le Marquis de Talleyrand Périgord, Duc de Sagan. Thereupon, Le Comte asked the Vatican to annul the marriage, apparently that he might be free to marry again, within the Church.
- Trial I. The Roman Rota upheld the marriage in 1911. Le Comte appealed.
- Trial II. Anna refused to be represented at this trial. The marriage was declared void. Anna appealed.
- Trial III. The marriage was declared valid. Le Comte appealed from the Rota to Pope Benedict XV.
- Trial IV. The case was laid before a Commission of the Apostolic Signatura − the supreme tribunal of the Church. Six cardinals composed the commission. They held the marriage valid. Le Comte appealed to Pope Pius XI.
- Trial V. The Commission declared the marriage invalid. Anna appealed to the Pope who, to settle it once and forever, assigned three extra cardinals to the commission.
- Trial VI was before Cardinals De Lai (Italian), Pompilj (Italian), Van Rossum (Dutch), Sbaretti (Italian), Silj (Italian), Bisleti (Italian), Sincere (Italian), Lega (Italian), Mori (Italian). The marriage was held valid. Formal proclamation will soon be issued.