French Royalty: Louis-Phillipe Albert of Orléans, Count of Paris--Phillipe VII (1838-1894)


Figure 1.--This painting of Philippe VII, Comte de Paris and the duc de Chartres was executed by Alfred de Dreux about 1849 which would have been a year or so after their family fled Paris following the Revolution. I am not sure if their dress reflects English or French styles, but it looks rather English.

Prince Louis-Philippe Albert of Orléans, Count of Paris was born in 1838. His father was the Prince Royal Ferdinard, Duc D'Orleans. Ferdinand was Louis Philippe's eldest son (1810-42). Thus Phillipe became the Prince Royal. He was the grandson of Louis Phillipe, the last Bourbon king of France and only king from the Orleans line. Ferdinand's mother was Queen Marie-Amélie de Bourbon (1782- ). Prince Ferdinand married Helena Louise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1837. They had two children: Louis Philippe (1838-94) Count of Paris and Robert (1840- ) Duke of Chartes. Prince Ferdinand was killed in a carriage accident during 1842, before the 1848 Revolution that deposed his father. As a result, the royal line was continued by Ferdinand's son who became Prince Royal. He became the heir presumtive Phillipe VII, Comte de Paris (1838-1894). Phillipe was only about 10 years old at the time. We have little information on his childhood at this time. King Louis Phillipe was overthrown in the Revolution of 1848. There was some talk of replacing King Louis Philippe with the Prince Royal under his mother's regency, but the mood of the day was for a new republic. The royal family fled Paris and the Second Republic was proclaimed. One 1849 painting shows Philippe and his younger brother in England after their grandfather was deposed. Queen Victoria provided refuge for the deposed royal family. The princes look rather English in Eton-like outfits. The two boys were apparently dressed in identical outfits. The Princes spent some time in England after the 1848 Revolution and regime of Napoleon III. Philippe married Isabella d'Orleans in 1864. The Comte de Paris' eldest son was, Ludwig Phillipe (Phlippe VIII), Duc D'Orleans (1869-99).

Parents

Phillip's father was the Prince Royal Ferdinard, Duc D'Orleans. Ferdinand (1810-42) was the eldest son of King Louis Philippe, the last Bourbon king of France and only reigning king from the Orleans line. Phillipe was agrandson of King Louis Phillipe Ferdinand was killed in a carriage accident. Thus Phillipe became the Prince Royal. Ferdinand's mother was Queen Marie-Amélie de Bourbon (1782- ).

Childhood

Prince Louis-Philippe Albert of Orléans, Count of Paris was born in 1838. He was normally called Phillipe. We have little information on his childhood at this time.

Sibling

Prince Ferdinand married Helena Louise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1837. They had two children: Louis Philippe (1838-94) Count of Paris and Robert (1840- ) Duke of Chartes.

Prince Royal

Prince Ferdinand was killed in a carriage accident during 1842, before the 1848 Revolution that deposed his father. As a result, the royal line was continued by Ferdinand's son who became Prince Royal. He became the heir presumtive Phillipe VII, Comte de Paris (1838-94). Phillipe was only about 10 years old at the time.

Revolution of 1848

King Louis Phillipe was overthrown in the Revolution of 1848. There was some talk of replacing King Louis Philippe with the Prince Royal under his mother's regency, but the mood of the day was for a new republic. The royal family fled Paris and the Second Republic was proclaimed. Queen Victoria provided refuge for the deposed royal family, although she was not real happy about it.

Education

As a result of the 1848 education, the princes were educated in England. One 1849 painting shows Philippe and his younger brother in England after their grandfather was deposed. The princes look rather English in Eton-like outfits. The two boys were apparently dressed in identical outfits. The Princes spent some time in England after the 1848 Revolution and regime of Napoleon III. They seemed to have developed a rather English outlook. He became a democrat and conceived the idea of heading a constitutional monarchy in France like the British monarchy.

American Civil War (1861-65)

Prince Ohilippe became a historian and journalist. He and his father resolved for the Union cause in the American Civil War. He was commissioned a captain nd served on General McC lellan's staff during the Peninsula Campaign (1862). His history of the War is highly regarded.

Family

Philippe married Isabella d'Orleans, a cousin, in 1864. She was Spanish princess, daughter of Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain and Prince Antoine, Duke of Montpensier (1824–1890), the youngest son of Louis-Philippe of France and Marie Amalie of the Two Sicilies. Philippe and Isabella had eight children.

Amélie of Orléans (1865–1951)

Amélie married Carlos I of Portugal (1886).

Louis-Philippe Robert, Duke of Orléans (1869–1926)

The Comte de Paris' eldest son was, Louis-Phillipe, Duc D'Orleans. On his father's death he became the presumptive Phlippe VIII.

Hélène of Orléans (1871–1951)

Princess Hélène married Emmanuel Philibert, 2nd Duke of Aosta (1895).

Charles of Orléans (1875)

Prince Charles did not survive infancy.

Isabelle of Orléans (1878–1961)

Princess Isabelle married Prince Jean of Orléans, Duke of Guise (1899).

Jacques of Orléans (1880–81)

Prince Jacques did not survive infancy.

Louise of Orléans (1882–1958)

Princess Louise married Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (1907). She was Through her daughter Maria Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, the grandmother of King Juan Carlos I of Spain.

Ferdinand of Orléans, Duke of Montpensier (1884–1924)

The Duke of Montpensier married Marie Isabelle Gonzales de Olañeta et Ibaretta, 3rd Marchioness of Valdeterrazo (1921).

Third Republic

The Prussians defeated the French in the Franco-Prrussian War (1870-71). They even took Emperor Napoleon III prisoner at Sedan (1870). This in effect destroyed the Second Empire. It was not clear what would follow Napoleon III. A resgtoration of the monarchy was possible. The newly elected National Assembly had a strong monarchist contingent. And Prince Comte de Paris made his a reasonable candidate to lead a restored monarchy. Philippe to the surprise of many, withdrew his claims to the throne in favour of the legitimist claimant, Henri V, known as the Comte de Chambord. Many assumed that Philippe made that decision because the Count of Chambord was heirless. Thus Philippe would have been his heir, reuniting the two dynastic lines. The problem was that Chambord was much more conservative than Philippe and as result, less accaptable to even the monarchists in the National Assembly. Chambord even refusal to recognize the tricolor as the French flag. The National Assessmby moved to create the Third Republic.

Dynastic Union

The Count of Chambord, despite Phillippe's gesture to refer to his claim, never recoognized Philippe as his heir and the legitimacy of the Orleans claim. He died (1883). Even so, most French monarchists recignized Pjillipe as the presumtive Pjilliipe VII of France. The principal descenting voice were the Carlists. These were the Carlist descendants of the Bourbon kings of Spain. They based their claim on their descent directly from Louis XIV. Louis XIV had in the War of the Spanish sucession managed to place aourbon on the Spanish throne.

English Life

Prince Phillipe, Count of Paris lived the rest of his life in England. He took up residence at Sheen House, Sheen in Surrey. Here his grandfather had found refuge in exile after his abdication. Phillipe died at Stowe House (1894).






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Created: May 24, 2001
Last updated: 11:08 PM 7/26/2008