Prince Henri Philippe Pierre Marie d'Orléans, comte de Paris, duc de France (born June 14, 1933) is a claimant to the French throne. If he were king, he would be Henry VII. For the Orléanists, he is the heir of Louis-Philippe, King of the French; for unionists, the heir of Henri, comte de Chambord, and so of Charles X, King of France. He is also the 76th in the Legitimist line of succession to the French throne.
He was born to Henri, comte de Paris and his wife Princess Isabelle d'Orléans-Bragande in Sint-Pieters-Woluwe, 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 August 25, 1940, Henri's grandfather, Jean d'Orléans, duc de 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'Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po). After that, he served in the military, notably during the Algerian War.
On June 19, 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 July 5, 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 Evreux) 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, Prince Charles-Louis of Orléans, Duke of Chartres (11 Jul 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, Prince Jean, Duke of Vendôme
A lot of people are still following him and as they say in France"Vive Le Roi"
www.maisonroyaledefrance.fr
(Stephan de Monthessy)
