Princess Isabelle of Orléans (Isabelle Marie Laure Mercédès Ferdinande; 7 May 1878 – 21 April 1961) was a member of the French Orleanist royal family and by marriage Duchess of Guise.

Biography

Early life

Isabelle was born at the Château d'Eu, Eu, France, the third daughter and fifth (fourth surviving) child of

Prince Philippe, Count of Paris Prince Philippe of Orléans, Count of Paris (Louis Philippe Albert; 24 August 1838 – 8 September 1894), was disputedly King of the French from 24 to 26 February 1848 as Louis Philippe II, although he was never officially proclaimed as such. ...

and Infanta Maria Isabel of Spain. In 1886, when she was eight years old, a

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...

was promulgated by the Third Republic that effectively exiled all dynasties who formerly ruled France, whereupon she and her family moved to England.

Marriage and issue

As a young woman, Isabelle had many suitors, chief among them being the future

Albert I of Belgium Albert I (8 April 1875 – 17 February 1934) was King of the Belgians from 23 December 1909 until his death in 1934. He is popularly referred to as the Knight King (, ) or Soldier King (, ) in Belgium in reference to his role during World War I ...

. Albert, however, was forced to end the courtship under pressure from his uncle King Leopold II, who feared that a marriage to the daughter of an exiled pretender to the French throne would result in backlash from the republican government in Paris.Voir Pierre Daye, ''Léopold II'', Fayard, 1934, p. 462 On 30 October 1899, Isabelle married her first cousin

Prince Jean, Duke of Guise Jean d'Orléans (Jean Pierre Clément Marie; 4 September 1874 – 25 August 1940) was Orléanist pretender to the defunct French throne as Jean III. He used the courtesy title of Duke of Guise. He was the third son and youngest child of Pr ...

(1874–1940). Jean was the son of prince Robert, Duke of Chartres (1840–1910) and Françoise d'Orléans (1844–1925). Upon the death of her brother, Philippe of Orléans, Duke of Orléans, claimant to the throne of France as "Philip VIII", the Duke of Guise became, at least for his Orleanist supporters, titular king of France as "Jean III". The title was disputed by members of the Spanish Anjou branch of the family, descended from

Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...

. The couple had four children: * Princess Isabelle of Orléans (27 November 1900 – 12 February 1983). First married in 1923 to Bruno, Count of Harcourt (1899–1930) and then to Prince Pierre

Murat Murat may refer to: Places Australia * Murat Bay, a bay in South Australia * Murat Marine Park, a marine protected area France * Murat, Allier, a commune in the department of Allier * Murat, Cantal, a commune in the department of Cantal Elsew ...

in 1934. * Princess Françoise of Orléans (25 December 1902 – 25 February 1953). Married to Prince Christopher of Greece and Denmark in 1929. He was the son of King

George I of Greece George I ( Greek: Γεώργιος Α΄, romanized: ''Geórgios I''; 24 December 1845 – 18 March 1913) was King of Greece from 30 March 1863 until his assassination on 18 March 1913. Originally a Danish prince, George was born in Copenhage ...

and Olga, Queen of Greece. They were parents of Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark. * Princess Anne of Orléans (5 August 1906 – 19 March 1986). She married Prince Amedeo of Savoy, 3rd Duke of Aosta in 1927. * Henri, Count of Paris (5 July 1908 – 19 June 1999). He married Princess Isabelle of Orléans-Braganza in 1931. Princess Isabelle died in

Larache Larache () is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast, where the Loukkos River meets the Atlantic Ocean. Larache is one of the most important cities of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region. Many civilisations and cultures have ...

, Morocco, on 21 April 1962 at age 82.

Ancestry

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Isabelle Of Orleans, Princess 1878 births 1961 deaths 19th-century French people 20th-century French people 19th-century French women 20th-century French women Princesses of France (Orléans) People from Eu, Seine-Maritime Dames of the Order of Saint Isabel Burials at the Chapelle royale de Dreux Children of Prince Philippe, Count of Paris