Henri of Orleans (1908-1999)

Biography

Henri of Orleans was the only son of Jean of Orleans, “duke of Own way” (1874 - 1940) and of his wife and German cousin Isabelle of Orleans (1878-1961).

As of 1926, it is interdict of national territory under the terms of the law of exile of 1886. He thus lives in Belgium, with the Morocco, in Spain, and finally with the Portugal. In 1929 his/her father proclaims it “count de Paris”.

In 1931, Henri of Orleans marries with Palermo, Isabelle of Orleans and Bragance born with Have in Normandy on August 13rd (1911 - 2003), of which it had eleven children:

During the Second world war

It chooses initially the cause petainist, which was worth Pierre Laval to him the proposal to direct the Ministère of the Supply, which it regarded as insulting. Eager to serve its country, whereas the law of exile prohibited to him, it engaged in the Foreign legion, at the beginning of the Second world war, under the name of Henri d' Orliac.

Thereafter, it lent itself, with Algiers, in November - December 1942, with a conspiracy organized by resistant the Henri d' Astier of Vigerie. This plot aimed at making it possible Henri of Orleans to take the place of the admiral Darlan (favorable to collaboration in 1941). This last, indeed, after having made draw on the Allies which unloaded in Algérie and with the Morocco, from November 8th to 11th 1942 (see Opération Torch), had changed camp, and, in the capacity as High-Commissioner of France in Africa, had maintained the Vichyist mode completely there, under an American protectorate. Moreover, the presence of Darlan to the head of the authorities of Algiers prevented the unification, to release France, of the forces of fighting France and those of the army of Africa (see Régime of Vichy in released Africa (1942-43)).

This conspiracy did not aim, in theory, with a restoration, but to constitute under the aegis of Henri of Orleans, a government of union, in which De Gaulle would have directed the political matters and Giraud the military businesses, until the release of the metropolis. Once this release carried out, it would have belonged to the French themselves to choose, by the electoral way, the mode having their preference.
At this point in time a young patriot, Fernand Bonnier of the Vault killed the admiral… (see Mode of Vichy in released Africa (1942-43)).
Some returned Henri of Orleans responsible for this act, through Henri d' Astier. Others, always through Henri d' Astier, claimed to see there a gesture of the general De Gaulle. However the execution of Darlan did not benefit in Henri from Orleans. Which it crime it really benefitted? In the short run, with the Giraud which took the succession of the admiral, after having contributed to make carry out Bonnier of the Vault with a suspect haste.

The tortuous attitude of Henri of Orleans at the time of the assassination of Darlan involved its exclusion of the clans of the Free France. Interdict of stay in Algeria by the law of exile of 1886, it turned over to the Spanish Morocco.

Orleanism/Legitimism

Henri of Orleans was regarded by the majority of the French royalists as legitimate successor of the kings de France and Navarre under the name of Henri VI .

With died of the “Count de Chambord” (“Henri V”), grandson of Charles X, in 1883, the French legitimism burst. A majority of them, behind Albert de Mun or Cart, adopted the “Count de Paris” (“Philippe VII”), grandson of Louis-Philippe Ier. A considerable minority then however refused to join in Orleans.

Among the latter, some refused to be joined the “count de Paris” for reasons of dynastic right, but of others refused to join itself the “count de Paris” above all by incoercible animosity towards Orleans. Part of the not-rejoined legitimists recognized for applicant Jean de Bourbon, “count de Montizón”, wire of Charles of Bourbon (first applicant carlist with the throne of Spain). Indeed, Jean de Bourbon (“Jean III” for its partisans) was in 1883, from male primogeniture, the elder one of the Bourbons (but the “count de Montizón” seemed as not very interested by the carlism as by France). The partisans of Jean de Bourbon accepted the nickname of “Whiting”, while the legitimists rejoined with the “count de Paris” accepted in return that of “White of Have” (of the name of the castle of Have, then residence of the “count de Paris”). However, the whole of the not-rejoined legitimists were not found in the rows of “Whiting”: much converted with the Survivantisme (survival of Louis XVII and hidden line: a species of Sébastianisme to the Frenchwoman).

“Whiting” survived, although ultra-minority and quasi inaudible. The disappearance of the last applicant carlist in hot line: Alphonse Charles of Bourbon, “duke of San Jaime”, in 1936, divided and the Spanish carlists and by rebound “Whiting”. Indeed, the rallying with the king Alphonse XIII in exile, incarnating a species of Spanish orleanism (constitutional monarchy and liberal, and dynastic “usurpation” with the eyes of the carlists) appeared also more delicate… if not impossible for some, which were turned, especially for Spain but also in way minority for France towards François-Xavier of Bourbon-Parma (nephew of Alphonse-Charles of Bourbon, and great nephew of the “count de Chambord”, but in one and the other case nephew by the women).

In parallel, the “White of Have” held in France the top of the paving stone monarchist. He would be completely inaccurate to qualify the “White of Have” orleanists with the ideological direction. Admittedly, the “White of Have” supported the dynastic rights of Philippe of Orleans, “Philippe VII”, “count de Paris”. However, they had absolutely not adopted the ideological orleanism, i.e. with political liberalism with the Frenchwoman, and remained authentic legimists, traditionalists and craftsmen of social Catholicism. Rene of the Tower of the Pine, eminent legitimist, was authentic “a White of Have”. In the same movement, there was failure which the ideological orleanists did not support any more the “count de Paris” and Orleans, and had joined behind Thiers with the republicanism moderated as of the years 1870. Without disavowing his Louis-Philippe grandfather, the “count de Paris” intended to fit in the wake of the “count de Chambord”, and not in that of the monarchy of July (with the great spite of his/her uncles the duke of Aumale and prince de Joinville, last representatives of the dynastic and political orleanism).

The contribution of Charles Maurras and the French Action was decisive with the turning of the century; so that before 1914, the French royalism seemed to be entire of French Action, in the obedience of the applicant “Philippe VIII”, duke of Orleans, (wire of “Philippe VII”, “count de Paris”). The duke of Orleans, far from political, killed his trouble on journeys of exploration, and discharged from his obligations on Charles Maurras and them his.

Succeeded the duke of Orleans (deceased in 1926) his/her cousin the “duke of Own way” (“Jean III”). As not very political and as much disillusioned as the duke Orleans, the “duke of Own way” did not make watch of much initiative… what left there still the free place to the French Action. It was to count without the son of the “duke of Own way”: the new “count de Paris”, who assumed little by little a political office in place and place and in the name of his father, shaking the monopoly maurrassien little by little. From where the political rupture enters the “count de Paris” and his father on the one hand, and the French Action on the other hand, in 1937, rupture felt very hard by the “White of Have” (and making besides following the judgment of the French Action by the Holy See, fulminated in 1926, but raised in 1939). The political rupture between Orleans and the French Action did not result however in a dynastic rupture of order. Charles Maurras continued to support the rights of Orleans, and this, until his death.

However, the political rupture of 1937, then the political orientations often adventurous (if not eminently debatable) of the “count de Paris” (become “Henri VI” with died of his/her father in 1940), involved a progressive confusion of White mediums the “of Have”, and a certain disaffection with respect to the applicant. Disaffection which could from now on result in a dynastic reorientation.

Quasi inaudible at the beautiful days of the French Action, “Whiting” suddenly reconsidered the front of the royalist scene, with the liking of divisions, affronts and political adventures of the “count de Paris”. From where progression, as from the years 1950, of the legitimism of the “Whiting”, joined by disappointed newcomers and of the “count de Paris” or maurrassism. Faithful to the salic law, these legitimists not appeared “alphonsists”, i.e. in favor of Bourbon-Parma (which the majority of the carlists supported), but of infant Jacques Henri de Bourbon, “duke of Anjou and Segovia”, isolated of the Spanish succession by his father Alphonse XIII, and who was indeed, just like the “count de Montizón” in 1883, the elder one of the Bourbons from male primogeniture.

From where following succession, according to the néo-legitimists: Alphonse of Bourbon (1886-1941), then Jacques Henri de Bourbon (1908-1975), then Alphonse of Bourbon (1936-1989) and finally Louis de Bourbon (1974-), “duke of Anjou”. The néo-legitimists assert in particular nullity of the renunciations made at the time of the Traités of Utrecht (1713) by Philippe de France, ancestor direct of the four aforesaid ones. The partisans of the branch of Orleans rétorquent that the installation of Philippe V in Spain marked it, him and its descendants, of a “defect of peregrinity” which made them a foreign royal house, inapt to succeed the throne of France. Thus, the direct heir to current claiming the néo-legitimist to the throne of France would not be other than his cousin, the king of Spain Juan Carlos Ier (great-grandson, by his mother, of “Philippe VII” of Orleans, “count de Paris”, maternal grandfather of “Henri VI” of Orleans: new wink of the history!).

With the eyes of the néo-legitimists, Henri of Orleans remained S.A.R. Henri of Orleans, Duc of Orleans, duke of Valois, duke of Chartres, duke of Nemours, duke of Montpensier, dolphin of Auvergne, prince de Joinville, hereditary Champagne seneshal, marquis de Coucy, marquis de Folembray, count de Soissons, count de Dourdan, count de Romorantin, baron de Beaujolais, etc Aussi denied in Henri of Orleans the full weapons of France as well as the title of “count de Paris” (who was given like titrates nonhereditary, by the king Louis-Philippe I {{er}}, with the older brother of the direct grandfather of Henri of Orleans).

Post-war period

After the abrogation of the law of Exile, by the National Assembly in 1950, Henri of Orleans returned to France and settled with Louveciennes with its family. It supported the policy of Charles de Gaulle. The de Gaulle general made it clear to him, in 1962, at the beginning of the Fifth Republic, which it wished the return of the Monarchie. Georges Pompidou would have declared on this subject, that the de Gaulle general would have affirmed in a word remained famous: “ the count of Paris? And why not the queen of the gipsies? ”. This word is however denied by certain historians, like by the admiral Philippe de Gaulle, wire of the de Gaulle general.

In 1975, it created the Fondation Saint-Louis to preserve the goods of the Famille of Orleans, from which it was the elder one. It manages also the Fondation Cop, center of geriatrics to Chantilly (with the assistance of Monique Friesz, its control-secretary-lady of company).

In 1983, a drama strikes the family: the eleventh child, Thibaut of Orleans, “count of Walk”, die in Central African Republic, after being stopped and being accused of concealment, then to have spent 14 month in detention pending trial, and to have profited thereafter from a withdrawal of case. One of wire of the Count de Paris, François had died for France, in Algeria, in 1960.

At the time of the first cohabitation (1986-88), the Count of Paris decided on several occasions in favor of François Mitterrand. President Mitterrand was an old knowledge (young student, it had made the voyage of the Manor of Anjou, close to Brussels, residence of Orleans in exile, during the years 1930). Henri of Orleans was also grateful to him to have proven a certain consideration to him, at the time of the ceremonies of the Millenium capétien (1987), contrary to the president Valery Giscard d'Estaing.

In 1992, Henri of Orleans and his wife celebrate their diamond wedding (60 years of marriage) although separated from body and goods since 1986.

Henri of Orleans dies in 1999. Because of his political activities (that it financed with its own money) and of regrettable errors of financial management, the “count de Paris” leaves with his 9 surviving children a reduced fortune, evaluated following the death of the “countess of Paris” in 2003 with nearly 20 million euros of private inheritance including/understanding forests, objets d'art, jewels and financial values. The remainder of the historical heritage of Orleans belongs to the Saint-Louis Foundation and remains inalienable (royal castles of Amboise and Archambault Bourbon-the, royal field of Dreux, investment properties, collections of art and 40 tons of family archives in deposit with the Public records in Paris).

In 2007, part of the heirs to late “the count de Paris” always tries to negotiate the share which returns to them from the goods given by their parents to the Saint-Louis Foundation, in particular concerning the collections of art of which the forever recorded gift. When it created the Saint-Louis Foundation in 1975, Henri of Orleans had taken care to repurchase all the shares of this historical heritage of which he was joint owner with his downward cousins of king Louis-Philippe. Even if certain descendants offered to Henri of Orleans their shares, it does not remain about it less than the creation of the Saint-Louis Foundation was an important financial sacrifice made by the “count de Paris”, enabling him to freely entrust this priceless historical heritage to the Saint-Louis Foundation, making sure the effective presidency of the board of directors.

For an unexplained reason, while at the same time the president of the Republic Valery Giscard d'Estaing had granted to Henri of Orleans, by exceptional decree during the creation of the Saint-Louis Foundation, than the presidency of right of the aforesaid the foundation is taken perpetuity by the elder one of Orleans, this condition was not observed since with the death of Henri of Orleans in 1999, his/her oldest son became simple honorary president of the Saint-Louis Foundation, without another prerogative, and none the family members of Orleans sits at the board of directors of which they were isolated. Henri of Orleans is buried in the royal Chapelle Saint-Louis of Dreux.

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