Henri d'Orléans, Count of Paris

Henri d'Orléans
Count of Paris, Duke of France
Pretender
Born 14 June 1933 (1933-06-14) (age 78)
Regnal name claimed Henry VII
Title(s) Count of Paris, Duke of France
Throne(s) claimed France
Pretend from 19 June 1999 – present
Monarchy abolished 1848
Last monarch Louis-Philippe I
Connection with five generations in direct line
Royal House House of Orléans
Father Henri, Count of Paris
Mother Princess Isabelle of Orléans-Braganza
Spouse Micaela Cousiño Quiñones de León
Children Marie Isabelle of Orléans, François of Orléans, Blanche of Orléans, Jean of Orléans and Eudes of Orléans
French Royal Family
Orléanist

HRH The Count of Paris
HRH The Countess of Paris

Henri d'Orléans (Henri Philippe Pierre Marie d'Orléans; born on 14 June 1933) is a member of the former French ruling dynasty of the House of Bourbon, and one of the current pretenders to the defunct French crown. A descendant of King Louis-Philippe (ruled 1830–1848), he is the current head of the Orléans line of the Bourbon dynasty. As such he is recognized as the legitimate claimant to the throne by those French royalists who adhere to the succession of Louis-Philippe ("Orléanists"), as well as by the "Unionist" faction that rejects Louis-Philippe's title but recognizes his grandson Philippe, Count of Paris (1838–1894) as the heir of the competing claimant Henry, Count of Chambord, the last direct agnatic descendant of King Louis XV. Henri of Orléans is a former military officer as well as an author and painter.

Contents

Early life

He was born to Henri of Orléans, Count of Paris and his wife Princess Isabelle of Orléans-Braganza in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Belgium, because an 1886 law banned the heirs of formerly reigning French dynasties from entering France. This law was abrogated in 1950, but Henri had already been allowed to enter France by special favour of President Vincent Auriol in 1948.

On 25 August 1940, Henri's grandfather, Jean of Orléans, Duke of Guise died. His father was recognised by most French royalists as head of the French royal house, and Henri became their dauphin.

He studied at the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) and then served in the military, notably during the Algerian War.

Marriages

On 5 July 1957, he married Duchess Marie Therese of Württemberg (born 1934). He received the title Count of Clermont. Five children were born from this union.

Children

  1. Marie Isabelle Marguerite Anne Geneviève of Orléans (born on 3 January 1959 in Boulogne-sur-Seine) married civilly in Dreux, on 22 July 1989, and religiously in Friedrichshafen, on 29 July 1989, to Prince Gundakar Albert Alfred Petrus of Liechtenstein (born on 1 April 1949 in Vienna, Austria), and has issue.
  2. François Henri Louis Marie of Orléans (born on 7 February 1961 in Boulogne-sur-Seine), Count of Clermont.
  3. Blanche Elisabeth Rose Marie of Orléans (born on 10 September 1962 in Ravensburg, Germany).
  4. Jean Charles Pierre Marie of Orléans (born on 19 May 1965 in Boulogne-sur-Seine), Duke of Vendôme and Dauphin de Viennois, married civilly in Paris on 19 March 2009 with Philomena de Tornos y Steinhart. The religious ceremony took place at the Senlis Cathedral on 2 May 2009. The couple has one son:
    1. Gaston of Orléans (born on 19 November 2009 in Paris)
  5. Eudes Thibaut Joseph Marie of Orléans (born on 18 March 1968 in Paris), Duke of Angoulême, married civilly in Dreux, on 19 June 1999, and religiously in Antrain, on 10 July 1999, to Marie-Liesse Claude Anne Rolande de Rohan-Chabot (born on 29 June 1969 in Paris), with whom he has two children.
    1. Thérèse Isabelle Marie Éléonore of Orléans (born on 23 April 2001 in Cannes)
    2. Pierre Jean Marie of Orléans (born on 6 August 2003 in Cannes).

Divorce, Annulment, and Remarriage

The marriage was unhappy. In 1984, Henri and Marie-Thérèse received a civil divorce. On 31 October of that same year, Henri married Micaëla Anna María Cousiño y Quiñones de León (born on 30 April 1938), daughter of Luis Cousiño y Sebire and his wife Doña Antonia Maria Quiñones de Léon y Bañuelos, 4th Marchioness of San Carlos. As this marriage was not celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church, it was not recognised by a number of French royalists. Henri's father, too, was furious; he disinherited Henri, stripped him of his titles, and gave him the lesser-valued title comte de Mortain (Clermont was once held by the cadet son of Louis IX of France, who became the ancestor of the Bourbon line, Mortain was once held by John Lackland of England, who was regarded as lacking land and appanage). Henri refused all mail addressed to him as "Count of Mortain." Meanwhile, Marie-Thérèse, the former Countess of Clermont, was granted the title "Duchesse de Montpensier" by her father-in-law.

Tensions lessened after several years, and Henri's father reinstated him as heir apparent and gave Micaela the title "Princesse de Joinville". Relations between Henri and his former wife, the Duchesse de Montpensier also improved and became cordial.

Although Henri adopted the title of Count of Paris upon the death of his father, his second wife remained Princesse de Joinville during the life of his mother who remained Countess of Paris. Upon the death of his mother, Micaëla assumed the title of Countess of Paris. In 2009, Henri, Count of Paris and his former wife, the Duchesse de Montpensier were able to obtain an annulment of their marriage from the Vatican without affecting the status and legitimacy of their children. The Count of Paris was then able to re-marry his second wife, Micaëla Countess of Paris and Duchess of France in the Roman Catholic Church.

Legal Cases

In an attempt to establish his legal rights as head of the Royal House of France, Henri launched an unsuccessful court case (1987–1989) in which he challenged his rival Louis-Alphonse, Duke of Anjou's right to use the undifferenced Royal Arms. The French courts denied that they had jurisdiction over the dispute and did not address the merits of the case.

After his father's death, a court-appointed lawyer searched through the late count's effects on behalf of his nine children, to reclaim what remained of the family's dissipated fortune. Jewels, art-work, and an exceptional medieval illustrated manuscript were found. These were auctioned off, raising approximately US$14 million. Soon after, in 2000 however, bailiffs pursued Henri for US$143,000 back rent after he fled the Villa Boileau, a 17th-century Paris house he had occupied.[1]

Succession rights

On 19 June 1999, Henri's father died and Henri became the new head of the French royal house (according to his supporters). He took the titles Count of Paris and Duke of France. His wife became known as Duchess of France, in order to enable Henri's widowed mother to continue to use the title Countess of Paris. Henri's mother died on 5 July 2003, and Micaela started to use the title Countess of Paris.

He claims the title of Duke of France as heir to Hugh Capet and Hugh's ancestors before they were Kings of France.

After his father's death, Henri annulled his father's decision to disinherit his brothers Michel (Count of Évreux) and Thibaut (the late Count of La Marche) from their rights to the throne because Michel married a noble woman but not a royal one and because Thibaut married a commoner. He also bestowed titles upon his nephews by brother Jacques, Duke of Orléans, Charles-Louis of Orléans, Duke of Chartres (11 July 1972 – ), m. 21/28 Jun 1997 Ileana Manos (22 Sep 1970 – ), and Prince Foulques of Orléans, Duke of Aumale (9 Jul 1974 – ) and Count of Eu.

He also recognised his disabled eldest son François as heir, with the title Count of Clermont, with a 'regency' by his middle son, Jean, Duke of Vendôme. Prince Jean had a son in November 2009, Gaston.

Author

Styles of
Prince Henri,
Count of Paris, Duke of France
Armoiries Maison de France.jpg
Reference style His Royal Highness
Spoken style Monseigneur

Henri has written a number of books:

Other business

Henri is also a painter and has launched his own brand of perfume. In addition, he ran in the European elections of 2004, which he lost.

Ancestors

Henri, Count of Paris and Duke of France, is an agnatic fifth-generation descendant of Louis-Philippe I, King of the French. He has three further descents from Louis-Philippe through his father and one through his mother, who also descends from Louis-Philippe in the male line, for a total of five descents as a great-great-great-grandson.

Patrilineal descent

Henri is a member of the House of Bourbon-Orléans, a sub-branch of the House of Bourbon, itself a branch of the House of Capet and of the Robertians.

Henri's patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son. It follows the Kings of France, the Dukes of Bourbon and before them, again the Kings of France. The line can be traced back more than 1,400 years and is one of the oldest in Europe.

  1. Robert or Radon, Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia in 613
  2. Robert, Referendary in 629 and Duke in 631
  3. Erlebert, Noble of Therouanne
  4. Robert, Mayor of the Palace of Neustria in 653, Referendary in 658 and Count in Alsace in 673
  5. Lambert II, Count of Neustria, 678–741
  6. Robert I of Worms and Rheingau, d. 764
  7. Thuringbert of Worms and Rheingau
  8. Robert II of Worms and Rheingau, 770–807
  9. Robert III of Worms and Rheingau, 808–834
  10. Robert IV the Strong, 820–866
  11. Robert I of France, 866–923
  12. Hugh the Great, 895–956
  13. Hugh Capet, 941–996
  14. Robert II of France, 972–1031
  15. Henry I of France, 1008–1060
  16. Philip I of France, 1053–1108
  17. Louis VI of France, 1081–1137
  18. Louis VII of France, 1120–1180
  19. Philip II of France, 1165–1223
  20. Louis VIII of France, 1187–1226
  21. Louis IX of France, 1214–1270
  22. Robert, Count of Clermont, 1256–1317
  23. Louis I, Duke of Bourbon, c. 1280–1342
  24. James I, Count of La Marche, 1315–1362
  25. John I, Count of La Marche, 1344–1393
  26. Louis, Count of Vendôme, c. 1376–1446
  27. Jean VIII, Count of Vendôme, 1428–1478
  28. François, Count of Vendôme, 1470–1495
  29. Charles de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme, 1489–1537
  30. Antoine of Navarre, 1518–1562
  31. Henry IV of France, 1553–1610
  32. Louis XIII of France, 1601–1643
  33. Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, 1640–1701
  34. Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, 1674–1723
  35. Louis d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans, 1703–1752
  36. Louis Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, 1725–1785
  37. Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, 1747–1793
  38. Louis Philippe I, King of the French, 1773–1850
  39. Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans, 1810–1842
  40. Robert, Duke of Chartres, 1840–1910
  41. Jean, Duke of Guise, 1874–1940
  42. Henri, Count of Paris, 1908–1999
  43. Henri, Count of Paris, Duke of France 1933-

See also

References

  1. ^ Paris hunting down rent-skipping royal, Chicago Sun-Times, 19 Nov 2000

External links

Bibliography

External links

Henri d'Orléans, Count of Paris
Cadet branch of the House of Bourbon
Born: 14 June 1933
French nobility
Preceded by
Henri VI
Duke of France
Count of Paris

19 June 1999 – present
Incumbent
Heir:
François d'Orléans, comte de Clermont
Titles in pretence
Preceded by
Henri VI
— TITULAR —
King of the French
Orléanist pretender to the French throne
19 June 1999 – present
Incumbent
Heir:
Prince Jean, Duke of Vendôme
Preceded by
Christophe, Prince of the Blood
Legitimist line of succession to the French throne
80th position
Succeeded by
François d'Orléans,
comte de Clermont