Louis-Philippe Albert d'Orléans, Comte de Paris (August 24,1838 - September 8,1894) was the grandson of Louis Philippe I, King of the French. He became heir to the throne when his father, Prince Ferdinand-Philippe, died in a carriage accident in 1842.
Although there was some effort after the abdication of his grandfather in 1848 to put him on the throne under his mother's regency, this came to nothing and the French Second Republic was proclaimed in its stead.
In 1864 he married his cousin Marie Isabelle d'Orléans (1848-1919). She was daughter of Prince Antoine, Duke of Montpensier (1824 - 1890), a son of Louis-Philippe of France and Marie Amalie of Bourbon-Sicilies. They had eight children, including:
In 1873, anticipating a restoration of the monarchy by the largely monarchist National Assembly that had been elected following the fall of Napoleon III, Paris withdrew his claims to the French throne in favor of the legitimist claimant, the Comte de Chambord. It was assumed by most that the Comte de Paris was Chambord's heir, and would thus be able to succeed to the throne upon the childless Chambord's death, reuniting the two claims that had rent French monarchists since 1830. However, Chambord's refusal to recognize the tricolor as the French flag sabotaged hopes of a restoration, and the stodgy old legitimist died in 1883 without ever specifically recognizing his Orleanist rival as his heir.
Upon the Comte de Chambord's death, the Comte de Paris assumed was recognized by most monarchists as Philip VII of France. This succession was disputed by the Carlist descendants of the Bourbon kings of Spain, on the grounds that they were descended directly from Louis XIV.
The Comte de Paris lived in Britain, where his grandfather had sought refuge after his abdication. He died at Stowe House in 1894.
See also
Last updated: 06-02-2005 09:11:34
