Jean, Count of Paris

Jean, Count of Paris (Jean Carl Pierre Marie d'Orléans; born 19 May 1965) is the current head of the House of Orléans. The senior male descendant by primogeniture in the male-line of Louis-Philippe I, King of the French, he is, according to the Orléanists, the legitimate claimant to the throne of France as Jean IV.[2][3] Of France's three monarchist movements, Orléanism, Legitimism and Bonapartism, most royalists are Orléanists.[4] Prince Jean is the second son of Prince Henri, Count of Paris (1933–2019), the late head of the House of Orléans and his former wife Duchess Marie-Thérèse of Württemberg.

Prince Jean
Count of Paris, Duke of Vendôme (more)
Orléanist pretender to the French throne
Tenure	21 January 2019 – present
Predecessor	Prince Henri, Count of Paris
Heir apparent	Prince Gaston d’Orléans
Born	(1965-05-19) 19 May 1965 Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Spouse	Philomena de Tornos Steinhart ​ ( m. 2009)
Issue	Prince Gaston, Count of Clermont Princess Antoinette, Madame Royale Princess Louise-Marguerite Prince Joseph Princess Jacinthe
Full name Jean Carl Pierre Marie[1]
House	Orléans
Father	Prince Henri, Count of Paris
Mother	Duchess Marie Therese of Württemberg
Religion	Roman Catholic

First engagement

Prince Jean was due to marry Duchess Tatjana of Oldenburg (b. 1974) in 2001. Duchess Tatjana is the youngest daughter of Duke Johann of Oldenburg and Countess Ilka of Ortenburg. Her elder sister Eilika married Archduke Georg of Austria in 1997. However, the wedding was cancelled at the last minute because of a dispute over religious denomination. Jean's father Henri feared the Orléans claim to the throne would be compromised if there were to be a Protestant heir.[5]

Marriage

On 29 November 2008, the Count of Paris announced the engagement of the Duke of Vendôme to Maria Magdalena Philomena Juliana Johanna de Tornos y Steinhart, born in Vienna on 19 June 1977.[6] The civil wedding, conducted by Mayor Rachida Dati, took place on 19 March 2009 in Paris. The religious wedding was held on 2 May 2009 at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame at Senlis,[7] with a reception at the Château de Chantilly.[8] The bride wore a gown by Christian Lacroix and a jacket embroidered by Maison Lesage.[9]

Philomena is the daughter of Don Alfonso de Tornos y Zubiría (b. Getxo, 13 October 1937), of Basque ancestry, and wife (married Vienna, 18 September 1976) Maria Antonia Anna Zdenka Edle von Steinhart (b. 1944), of Austro-Hungarian ancestry.[10][11] She has a sister named María Magdalena (born 1980) and a brother named David (born 1982). Her paternal grandparents were Juan de Tornos y Espelíus (b. 2 April 1905), secretary of Don Juan, Count of Barcelona, and wife (m. 1930 or 1931) María del Carmen Zubiría y Calbetón (b. 29 June 1906), daughter of the 2nd Marquis de Yanduri.[12] Her maternal grandparents were Ferdinand Edler von Steinhart (1910–1998) and his wife (married September 1939) Gabriele Felicitas Murad von Werner (1913–1994), paternal granddaughter of Murad Effendi.[13]

Prince Jean and Philomena are distantly related, both being descendants of Count Jaroslav Borzita von Martinitz (1582-1649) who served as Imperial Governor of Bohemia (having survived the Prague Defenestration of 1618) and his first wife Maria Eusebie von Sternberg (1584-1634).

Issue

The couple have five children:

• Prince Gaston Louis Antoine Marie d'Orléans, Count of Clermont (born 19 November 2009 in Paris), his six godparents are: Prince Eudes, Duke of Angoulême (paternal uncle), Magdalena de Tornos (maternal aunt), Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este, Count François-Pierre de Feydeau and Magdalena, Countess de El Abra.
• Princess Antoinette Léopoldine Jeanne Marie d'Orléans (born 28 January 2012 in Vienna), her six godparents are: David de Tornos (maternal uncle), Princess Leopoldine of Liechtenstein (her first cousin), Count Damian von Schönborn-Buchheim (father's first cousin), Francesca Lopez de la Osa, Leopoldo Gavito and Dominique de Layre.
• Princess Louise-Marguerite Eléonore Marie d'Orléans (born 30 July 2014 in Poissy), her five godparents are: Princess Marguerite of Liechtenstein (her first cousin), Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg, Philippe d'Albert, 13th Duke of Luynes, Don Alvaro-Jaime de Orléans-Borbón and Archduke Michael of Austria.
• Prince Joseph Gabriel David Marie d'Orléans (born 2 June 2016), his six godparents are: Prince Johann Wenzel of Liechtenstein (his first cousin), Infante Afonso, Prince of Beira (father's second cousin), Benedikt du Cassé, Princess Marie-Liesse, Duchess of Angoulême (father's sister-in-law), Princess Tılsım of Liechtenstein and Kildine Stevenson (father's first cousin).
• Princess Jacinthe Élisabeth-Charlotte Marie d'Orléans (born 9 October 2018 in Dreux). She was christened four days after her birth at the Saint-Etienne Church in Dreux, France. Her godparents are Princess Maria-Immaculata of Liechtenstein (her first cousin), Prince Pierre d'Orléans (her first cousin), Prince Charles Philippe, Duke of Anjou (father's first cousin), the Duchess of Gramont, Princess Silvia d'Arenberg and Count Hervé de Solages.[14]

• 
  Prince Jean with his wife and son Gaston in 2010

Titles, styles and honours

Titles

• 19 May 1965 – 27 September 1987: His Royal Highness Prince Jean d'Orléans, fils de France[15]
• 27 September 1987 – 21 January 2019: His Royal Highness Prince Jean d'Orléans, fils de France, Duke of Vendôme[15]
• 21 January 2019 – present: His Royal Highness The Count of Paris

He was created Duke of Vendôme (French: Duc de Vendôme) by his paternal grandfather, on 27 September 1987.[15]

Following the death of his father, it was initially thought that Prince Jean would not assume the title of Count of Paris for several months after his father's death, and possibly not for as much as one year.[16] However, on 2 February 2019, he used the title to sign a press release.[17][18]

To French Orléanists, the Count is Jean IV, King of France. Per French tradition, the pretender is commonly addressed as Monseigneur rather than Royal Highness.[19]

Honours

National

•  France: Recipient of the National Defence Medal, 3rd Class[20]

Foreign

• Portuguese Royal Family: Grand Cross of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa (19 February 2000)[21]
• Two Sicilian Royal Family:
  • Illustrious Royal Order of Saint Januarius: Knight (19 March 2019, installed 13 May 2019)[22]
  • Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George: Knight Grand Cross of Justice (22 November 2009, installed 30 May 2011), Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Justice with Collar (19 March 2019, installed 13 May 2019)[23][22]

Ancestry

Jean is a direct male-line descendant of Louis Philippe I, the last French king, who in turn was a descendant of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, the younger brother of Louis XIV of France. Jean is also descended from Charles X of France, brother of Louis XVI; and the Bourbons of Spain, the Two Sicilies and Parma.

Ancestors of Jean, Count of Paris[15]

8. Prince Jean, Duke of Guise 4. Prince Henri, Count of Paris 9. Princess Isabelle of Orléans 2. Prince Henri, Count of Paris 10. Pedro de Alcântara, Prince of Grão-Pará 5. Princess Isabelle of Orléans-Braganza 11. Countess Elisabeth Dobrzensky of Dobrzenicz 1. Prince Jean, Count of Paris 12. Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg 6. Philipp Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg 13. Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria 3. Duchess Marie Therese of Württemberg 14. Archduke Peter Ferdinand of Austria 7. Archduchess Rosa of Austria 15. Princess Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies

Patrilineal descent

Jean is a member of the House of Orléans, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, itself a branch of the Capetian dynasty. His patrilineal ancestors, or direct male-line ancestors, include many of the kings of France.

Patrilineal descent

Robert II of Worms and Rheingau, 770–807 Robert III of Worms and Rheingau, 800–834 Robert IV the Strong, 820–866 Robert I of France, 866–923 Hugh the Great, 895–956 Hugh Capet, 941–996 Robert II of France, 972–1031 Henry I of France, 1008–1060 Philip I of France, 1053–1108 Louis VI of France, 1081–1137 Louis VII of France, 1120–1180 Philip II of France, 1165–1223 Louis VIII of France, 1187–1226 Louis IX of France, 1214–1270 Robert, Count of Clermont, 1256–1317 Louis I, Duke of Bourbon, c. 1280–1342 James I, Count of La Marche, 1315–1362 John I, Count of La Marche, 1344–1393 Louis, Count of Vendôme, c. 1376–1446 Jean VIII, Count of Vendôme, 1428–1478 François, Count of Vendôme, 1470–1495 Charles de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme, 1489–1537 Antoine of Navarre, 1518–1562 Henry IV of France, 1553–1610 Louis XIII of France, 1601–1643 Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, 1640–1701 Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, 1674–1723 Louis d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans, 1703–1752 Louis Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, 1725–1785 Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, 1747–1793 Louis Philippe I, King of the French, 1773–1850 Prince Ferdinand d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans, 1810–1842 Robert, Duke of Chartres, 1840–1910 Jean, Duke of Guise, 1874–1940 Henri, Count of Paris, 1908–1999 Henri, Count of Paris, Duke of France 1933–2019 Jean, Count of Paris, 1965–

References

1. "Portrait du prince Jean". www.gensdefrance.com (in French).
2. Bloks, Moniek (1 January 2019). "Prince François of Orléans, eldest son of Henri, Count of Paris, pretender to the defunct French throne, has died". Royal Central. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
3. "Henri d'Orléans, pretender to French throne, dies". RFI. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
4. O'Reilly, Edward (24 January 2019). "Did You Know? The Tale of the three Frenchmen who still lay claim to the throne". The Local. Stockholm. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
5. "BBC News - EUROPE - Royal wedding plans suffer a hitch". News.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2017. https://archive.today/20120712033311/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1384875.stm
6. "Royal Sportal". Royalsportal.de. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
7. "Le mariage de Jean d'Orléans et Philomena en images" [The wedding of Jean d'Orléans and Philomena in pictures]. Paris Match (in French). 4 May 2009. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
8. "Jean d'Orlean and Philomena de Tornos to have secind". Hellomagazine.com. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
9. WWD Staff (4 May 2009). "Fashion Scoops: The Next Halston?… Something Lacroix…. – WWD". Wwd.com. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
10. "Ancestors of Philomena de Tornos y Steinhart". 9 April 2009. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
11. "Descendants of Franz Edler von Steinhart and Maria Martin". 5 April 2009. Archived from the original on 4 May 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
12. "Jean d'Orléans engaged to Philomena de Tornos". 2 December 2008. Archived from the original on 8 March 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
13. "Philomena de Tornos y Steinhart, * 1977 - Geneall.net". Geneall.net. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
14. "Une nouvelle princesse est née à Dreux" [A new princess was born in Dreux]. L'Écho Républicain (in French). 12 October 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
15. de Montjouvent, Philippe (1998). Le Comte de Paris et sa Descendance (in French). Charenton, France: Editions du Chaney. pp. 13–14, 214, 217, 391–392, 396–398, 473–474. ISBN 2-913211-00-3..
16. "Disparition - Le Comte de Paris s'éteint et laisse la maison de France au prince Jean". www.lechorepublicain.fr (in French). 21 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
17. "Le prince Jean d'Orléans est officiellement le nouveau comte de Paris". Paris Match (in French). 4 February 2019.
18. "Les obsèques du comte de Paris". Noblesse & Royautés (in French). 2 February 2019.
19. https://web.archive.org/web/20190711165734/https://www.la-couronne.org/la-famille-royale-de-france/
20. "Détails de l'object - Sipa Press: A Window on the World. Agence Presse". Sipa.com. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
21. James, John, ed. (1 January 2019). Almanach de Gotha. ISBN 9780993372582.
22. "Le comte et la comtesse de Paris reçus dans l'ordre de Constantinien". la-couronne.org. 19 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
23. "Heir to the French Throne and former French Minister invested into the Order - Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George". Constantuinian.org.uk. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2017.

External links

• Official website (in French)
• Duke of Vendôme Jean d'Orléans stakes his claim to French throne, The Times, 10 October 2009.

Jean, Count of Paris House of Orléans Cadet branch of the House of Bourbon Born: 19 May 1965
French royalty
Preceded by Henri, Count of Paris	Count of Paris 21 January 2019 – present	Incumbent Heir apparent: Prince Gaston d'Orléans
Titles in pretence
Preceded by Henri VII	— TITULAR — King of the French 21 January 2019 – present Reason for succession failure: French Revolution of 1848 leads to Abolition of monarchy	Incumbent Heir apparent: Prince Gaston d'Orléans, Prince Royal
Preceded by Prince François, Count of Clermont	— TITULAR — Prince Royal of France 2016 or 30 December 2017 - 21 January 2019	Succeeded by Prince Gaston d'Orléans