Philomena, Countess of Paris (born Maria Philomena Magdalena Juliana Johanna de Tornos y Steinhart; 19 June 1977) is an
aristocrat
The aristocracy is historically associated with "hereditary" or "ruling" social class. In many states, the aristocracy included the upper class of people (aristocrats) with hereditary rank and titles. In some, such as ancient Greece, ancient Ro ...
of Hispanic-Austrian descent. She is the wife of
Jean, Count of Paris,
Orléanist claimant to the throne of France and head of the
House of Orléans.
Early life and ancestry
Philomena is the daughter of Alfonso
de Tornos y Zubiría (b.
Getxo, 13 October 1937), of
Basque ancestry, and his wife (married Vienna, 18 September 1976) Maria Antonia Anna Zdenka,
Edle
Edler () was until 1919 the lowest rank of nobility in Austria-Hungary and Germany, just beneath a ''Ritter'' (hereditary knight), but above untitled nobles, who used only the nobiliary particle ''von'' before their surname. It was mostly given t ...
von Steinhart (b. 1944), of
Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
noble ancestry.
Philomena has a sister named Maria Magdalena (1980) and a brother, David (1982). Her paternal grandparents are Juan de Tornos y Espelíus (former head of the personal secretariat of
Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, grandfather of the current
King of Spain
, coatofarms = File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Spanish_Monarch.svg
, coatofarms_article = Coat of arms of the King of Spain
, image = Felipe_VI_in_2020_(cropped).jpg
, incumbent = Felipe VI
, incumbentsince = 19 Ju ...
) and Doña María del Carmen Zubiría y Calbetón, daughter of
Don Luis de Zubiria y Urizar, 2nd
Marquis
A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...
de Yanduri. Her maternal grandparents were Dr. Ferdinand, ''
Edler'' von Steinhart (1910–1998) and his wife (married September 1939) Gabriele Felicitas Murad von
Werner (1913–1994), paternal granddaughter of
Murad Effendi, Ottoman diplomat who was born as ''Franz Xaver Karl Georg Arthur von Werner''.
Life and education
She spent part of her youth in the
Auvergne and studied at the ''Lycée Maritime'' in
Ciboure. Philomena, her husband Jean and their children lived at their family estate in
Dreux
Dreux () is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France.
Geography
Dreux lies on the small river Blaise, a tributary of the Eure, about 35 km north of Chartres. Dreux station has rail connections to Argentan, Paris and Granvi ...
, France, but in 2020 they moved to live in
Montréal de l'Aude.
Marriage and children
Philomena married
Prince Jean, Duke of Vendôme
Jean Carl Pierre Marie d'Orléans (born 19 May 1965) is the current head of the House of Orléans. Jean is the senior male descendant by primogeniture in the male-line of Louis-Philippe I, King of the French, and thus, according to the Orléan ...
in a civil service on 19 March 2009 in Paris, conducted by Mayor
Rachida Dati
Rachida Dati (; ar, رشيدة داتي, link=no; born 27 November 1965) is a French politician who served as Member of the European Parliament, representing Île-de-France. Prior to her election, she held the cabinet post of Keeper of the Sea ...
. The religious wedding was held on 2 May 2009 at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame at
Senlis, with a reception at the
Château de Chantilly. The bride wore a gown by
Christian Lacroix
Christian Marie Marc Lacroix (; born 16 May 1951) is a French fashion designer. The name may also refer to the company he founded.
Lacroix's designs combine luxury and insouciance. He prefers artisanal trades, fringe, bead, and embroidery. He's ...
and a jacket embroidered by
Maison Lesage
Maison (French for "house") may refer to:
People
* Edna Maison (1892–1946), American silent-film actress
* Jérémy Maison (born 1993), French cyclist
* Leonard Maison, New York state senator 1834–1837
* Nicolas Joseph Maison (1771–1840) ...
.
The couple have five children:
* Prince ''Gaston'' Louis Antoine Marie d'Orléans (born 19 November 2009 in Paris), became
Dauphin of France
Dauphin of France (, also ; french: Dauphin de France ), originally Dauphin of Viennois (''Dauphin de Viennois''), was the title given to the heir apparent to the throne of France from 1350 to 1791, and from 1824 to 1830. The word ''dauphin'' ...
succeeding his father on 21 January 2019;
* Princess ''Antoinette'' Léopoldine Jeanne Marie d'Orléans (born 28 January 2012 in Vienna);
* Princess ''Louise-Marguerite'' Éléonore Marie d'Orléans (born 30 July 2014 in
Poissy);
* Prince ''Joseph'' Gabriel David Marie d'Orléans (born 2 June 2016 in
Dreux
Dreux () is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France.
Geography
Dreux lies on the small river Blaise, a tributary of the Eure, about 35 km north of Chartres. Dreux station has rail connections to Argentan, Paris and Granvi ...
);
* Princess ''Jacinthe'' Élisabeth-Charlotte Marie d’Orléans (born 9 October 2018 in
Dreux
Dreux () is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France.
Geography
Dreux lies on the small river Blaise, a tributary of the Eure, about 35 km north of Chartres. Dreux station has rail connections to Argentan, Paris and Granvi ...
).
Dynastic honours
*
Portuguese Royal Family: Dame Grand Cross of the
Royal Order of Saint Isabel (27 October 2012, installed 6 November 2012)
*
Two Sicilian Royal Family: Bailiff Dame Grand Cross of Justice of the
Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (19 March 2019, installed 13 May 2019)
See also
*
Orléanist
References
Bibliography
*
External links
Official website of Prince Jean
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Philomena de Tornos Steinhart
1977 births
House of Orléans
Countesses of Paris
Dames of the Order of Saint Isabel
Living people
